The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-11-20
The CIeveland n.rder and saieide.

| we extract from the ram Dedter OF
Monday evening, the following addi-
tional facts in regard to the horrid
tragedy. enacted in that city last week.
We gave in yesterdays REGISTER an
account of the finding of the mutilated
bodies of Gregory, photographer, and
of Isabella Roy, his employee, in his
rooms. The following is literal copy
of the letter found on Gregory's person.:
To hoom this May concern
have waded thru troubles for many
years and worked hard that mite re-
sive thanks, but all in vain Since Mrs
Gregory had bore falls witness against
me had me locked up in prison Onder
falls pretence which often makes me do
things that would not of done hone
god will pardon for this horrid crime
for have don it to poot an end to my
trouble this miss roy has brought me
into this last crime which cant unfold
wish for mr. pugh to select peace of
ground in woodland cemetery and take
willie up place him be side me in the
grave and this girl in the same grave he
side me and leve room for mrs gregory
and my little girl next to me p0ot me
in the dead house first don't let the
doctors have Ine here is hundred dol
lars to pay my expences and then de-
vide all between mrs gregory and ida
Bell mr Pugh has always bin my
friend want him to see to this
Farewell to this world of trouble
Coroner Schenck, as soon as possible,
summoned jury, and proceeded to hold
an inquest over the remains.
Mr.. Peter Roy, father of the deceased
girl, testified that a man told him, yes
terday afternoon, that Gregory was ex-
hibiting an improper picture of his
daughter (deceased).
He went Immediately to the photo
graph gallery, but could not get in. He
then called on Mrs. Gregory, who re-
sides on Miami Alley, and acquainted
her with the report in regard to the i'm
proper picture-saying that Gregory
would get into trouble if he exposed
such pictures of his daughter. She said
if he got into trouble, he would have to
get out of it the best way he could. Mr..
Roy called at the Gallery in the even
ing, but it was still closed; card on
the door set forth that the place would
be closed for two days.
Isabella formerly boarded at home
with her parents, OH York street; but as
Gregory complained that her living at
home prevented her from commencing
work early enough, mornings, she went
to live with the photographers family.
Mr.. Roy had not seen her in ten or
twelve days.
The body of the girl was examined by
Doctors Sterling, Mckenzie and Prem
tiss. She had one wound only-a shot
in the left temple; and the weapon had
been placed so closely to her head, tnat
the forehead was powder burnt.
A further examination of the suicides
wound showed that he had shot himself
in the mouth-of course before he cut
his throat.
Gregory and the girl took breakfast at
the formers home yesterday morning,
and Mrs. &. prepared lunch for the
two, which Isabella took. Their non
appearance last evening and this morn
ing caused Mrs. Gregory to visit the gal
lery, with the result that we have
chrOnicled
A young man by the name of Adams,
u clerk in DeWitt's store, who rooms
directly beneath the gallery, testified
that he heard a heavy fall in the latter
apartment, at half past nine o'clock, last
evening-undoubted the time at
which the murder was committed. The
remainder of the testimony was of no
special interest, and threw no light on
the dreadful tragedy.
Commenting upon the above the
Plain Dealer says:
The Gregory tragedy is still the theme
of conversation about the city. No
facts have yet transpired to throw light
on the case, as to the cause of the dread
full affair. Mr.. Jennings, who keeps a
gun shop in the New England Block,
states that Gregory purchased revol-
yer of him on Thursday-saying that
he was going into the country, with
$1,000, to make a payment on farm;
and he wanted the weapon to defend
himself with, in case he should be at
tackled by persons who heard him speak
of the money, in saloon, not long be-
fore.
The weapon found near Isabella Roy
has been identified by Jennings as the
revolver in question.
The theory is advanced by some, that
the girl killed Gregory; basing it on the
fact that the bodies were far apart, and
the pistol lay by the girls side-render-
ing it impossible for Gregory to have
thrown it there, after he had shot him
SELF but then, the pistol wound could
not have proved fatal; for, in that case,
l., ha l., IL
seemed evident, likewise, that the girl
bad been dead longer than the man.
There were long hairs clinging to his
pants and vest, like the hair of the girl,
showing that there had been struggle
between them.
His object in killing the girl, is sought
for in the hypothesis that Gregory
quarreled with her because she wouldn't
break off her engagement with young
man named West; had threatened vio-
lence, and she retorted by threat of
exposure.
The story that the girls character
was bad, is not by any means conclu-
sively proved. 1t is said she had been
discharged from several places, owing
to her lack of chastity; but the report
comes from no responsible source.
To be sure, some photographs of
nude woman, bearing the likeness of
Isabella Roy, were found in the suicides
pocket. but it is said that they were
counterfeits-that is, the face of the
murdered girl had been pasted upon the
nude portrait Of another woman; and it
is further coDjectured that the wretch
made the counterfeits that he might,
through their medium, poison young
Vests mind against his betrothed.
Gregory, it is known, had frequently,
but unsuccessfully, tried to induce the
young girl to run away with him; hence
his object in poisoning the lovers mind.
But it is all conjecture and surmise;
the why and wherefore of the whole
tragedy will probably never see the
light.