The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-05-16
WHEELING, WEST VA, THURSDAY MORNING. MAY l6. 1867

SDAY MORNING, M
wide. He was cutting at strap about
two inches wide with the knife. The
knife was new and apparently had not
been used much. l asked him what lie
was doing. He said he was making the
belt to take the knife along, to carry il
in. Says I 'What do you want with
need it." He replied he was 60
ing to take it anyhow. He then
asked me, with au oath or by-word,
what kept me so long. l took my ex-
cuse and he seemed satisfied. l then
asked him where he got the knife. He
replied, "In the house." Says he
There's an overcoat and hat for you"
The hat was n broad -brimmed black
hat. The coat was an army overcoat
colored black. left the hat wore in
the stable. He wore an old worn out
silk hat and II black cont with cape to
1t. The coat that 1 wore had cape
also. Says he "T will go in the house
to avoid suspicion. You wait here till
l come back" He then started to tho
house and went up on the porch and
around to the back kitchen, past the
window of the sitting room. lie was
gone but u few minutes. lie then told
me to go out the back door of the stable
and he would shut the stable door. He
shut the back door and fastened it on
the inside. He shut the front door and
locked it on the outside. The lock of
the stable is n spring lock. lie put the
keys of the stable in his pocket to un-
lock the stable with on our return. lie
then came through n gate at the end of
the stable into the barnyard and faS-
tened the gate after him. We then went
through another gate into n field thar
adioins the garden and orchard, and
kept across the fields of William Clark
and Ephraim Hess until we came to
James Boone's. We crossed over in
the road there, and kept the road, or
very near the road, all the way to Mr..
Dinsmore's.
MURDER AFooT.
We kept on up the Cross Creek road
until we came to road running di-
rectly to Mr.. Dinsmore's. The road
turns off to the left, opposite the tenant
house on the farm of Samuel Taggart.
We kept that road until we came TO the
old Middletown road. There is an old
school house stands by the side of the
road, Il short distance above Mr.. Dins-
more's late residence. We entered it
and lit our dark lantern, and proceeded
to black our faces and hands. We took
the lantern along for the purpose to
see when we were properly blacked.
After we had completed backing our
selves we started toward Mr.. Dins-
more's house. We entered gate be-
low the barn, and kept on toward the
house. When we got about midway
between the barn and the house, we
became alarmed at a noise Like some
one coming toward us. We turned
huRly aud 1iSfonaH OnH fo,,Y1I Tho
came from Il lot of hogs that were feed
ing in the lane. We started again the
same way, but found we could not
reach the house in that way without
alarming Mr. Dinsmore. We then
crossed over the fence into the orchard,
and went around in front of the house.
l then went to the porch of the man
building, and went upon the porch and
stepped upon bench that was on the
porch, and looked in the window and
found by the clock on the mantel-tree
above the fireplace, that it was half
past nine o'clock. The reason that l
looked into tho window was because
wanted to know WHO was in the
room, as James Montgomery Informed
me that Mr.. DinSmOre had three or
four big brothers, and We had better be
on the lookout.
While was looking in the window.
Babe opened ii gate in front of the
house and passed through it and laid
es. After got down Off the porch l
Joined him. The reason we did not en-
ter the house when We first went in, the
family was at worship think, and We
wanted to wait until the family retired.
a few moments after Joined Babe ut
the gate, we heard some one going up
stairs-knew they were going up stairs
because the windows ratified as if some
one was walking heavily. Babe asked
me what was going to do. told him
did not know. Says he, "You amt go
ing to back out are your" He said it
wouldn't pay to walk so far and not
make anything. Says he, sit is mere
to your interest than mine to do this
here. 1t is either do it or be poor
man forever" Says he, "YOu want
money to start you in business aud it
is there il you go for it," He said
something about me not having "any
heart" l thought few seconds and
got up off the ground and told him to
come on.
1 suppose the person we heard going
up stairs while lying on the ground
was Nancy Jane Dinsmore. 1 then
went to the porch of the kitchen and
went up the steps on to the porch.
Babe remained at the corner of the
kitchen. We knew if Mr.. DinsmOre
saw us both he would not open the
door. 1 then knocked at the door,
Some one asked who was there, in
which 1 recognized tho voice of Mr..
Dinsmore; and told him man by the
name of Johnson. He asked again
who was there, and 1 told him Mrs.
Miller was sick, or Miller's family was
sick-I don't remember which. Mr..
DiDannFa than nnana1 the dnOr
told him that Miller wanted
some of the boys to come
down and go for the Doctor. lie ask
ed me who was, and if was not lost.
He said he thought it was SlemmOns'
was hunting. asked him where
Slemmons lived. He leaned forward
out of the door to show me and then
stepped in beside him and told him he
was the man wanted. 1 then present
ed the pistol Mt his head and told him
if he hallooed Il would blow his brains
out, I had the pistol in my right hand
when went upon the porch. Mr.. Dins-
more said ''What do you want with me,
you scOundrel?" or ''rnscal," 1 don't
remember which. When entered the
house had the collars ofnIy undercOat
and overcoat both turned up and but
toned round my neck to prevent them
from recognizing me. Mr.. DinsmOre
selZeu me Dy the cOl1ar ana commenced
tussling with me. In the tussel one
button was pulled off my overcoat and
one hook pulled straight that had
hooked before entering the house. One
button was pulled off my overcoat COL
lar and two OFF my vest. My shirt COL
lar was torn open but the button was
not pulled off. n.
THE STRUGGLE FOR L1FE-THE TRAGIC
DEED.
When Mr.. Dinsmore asked me what
I wanted with him, told him his
money. The pistol was not cooked
" hen 1 presented it at Mr.. Dinsmore's
head. After the buttons gave way on
the collar, Mr.. Dinsmore seized hold Of
the pistol, when severe scufIle en-
sued. During the scu file, called to
Babe. I said "Babe, come onv' When
Babe came in Mr.. Dinsmore was try
ing to pull me into the lighted room.