The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-04-12

cream, went to the spring and WashedJ
then ieft, leaving the old woman tied
nm sthirs, where she remained for
Neutrality-suspicious. until a neighbor hap
psned In and released her.
III was thought thai traces which ex.
listed would 1eadit the almost imfne-
diate discovery and arrest Of the muir.
derers. "a reward Of 8, 900 for their APP
prehenston was offered. Several vIgf-
liant officers set diligently to work to
ind and follow up whatever clue might
be possible. Their efforts failed for so
long a time that people had begun to
believe that no trace of the criminals
would ever be found. There Is a proba-
btllty now that people were mistaken.
Ever since the Preparation of the muir.
der, Alderman Strain, of this city, and
his police officers, Hague, Wilmot and
Brown, have been working up the case,
and it Is to be hoped that It has pro-
crossed so far as to be ultimately sue
cessful. Ayisit was amada to the scene
Of the murder, and everything that
could be found out about the appear
ance of the men, their doings, move
ments, &C., were diligently hunted up.
The full particulars Of the visit Of the
three cattle dealers were obtained.
These searches and inquiries, added to
the known movements of certain well
known characters, convinced the otti-
cerG of justice that some of the miscre-
ants of this city had a hand In the affair.
Investigation strengthened this sus-
picion until it amounted to almost a
moral certainty, and an information
was made before Alderman Strain
charging Samuel Eggleston, John
Young, Thomas Whitaker and John
Bird with the preparation of the crime.
Everything being arranged, descent
was made on Monday night on that
we'll known resort, the Erwin House,"
where 1t was expected TO capture sever
al, who, at least, had some knowledge
OF the transaction. Unfortunately. the
descent was a failure to certain ex-
tent, as there were none of the parties
arrested but Bird. On Tuesday, how
ever, Whitaker was caught on Fifth
street, near Wood, and committed 10
jail to await hearing. While Bird was
in the lookup on Monday night, AL
dermRn Strain held II conversation with
him. During the conversation the pris-
Oner showed signs of considerable
alarm, and finally acknowledged that
he knew something of the affair, but
positively denied any participation In
the crime. He says the whole thing
was concocted In Jail; that among the
prisoners there was man who knew
Sproull and the vicinity where he re-
sided, and who said that a good
thing could be made there. Af-
ter the release of the parties from
Jail, Bird says, the final arrangements
were made at the Irwin House, and
from here the party started to execute
theplan. Bird says he did not go with
them, but this declaration will do him
but little good, II the rest of his state
ment Is true. After the commission of
khn HaaI no rytI1af1d
the city until within a few days, and
Eggleston and Young are still away but
their whereabouts is known. There is
thought to be strong evidence aside from
Birds admission. thatthe prisoners are
the right men. Active pursuit is being
made after the other participants in the
crime. John Bird, the first one arrest
ed, is we'll known Pittsburgh thief,
and graduate of the Penitentiary.
The other. Thomas Whitaker, is a we'll
known character and desperate man.
During the war he was a noted bounty
jumper, and II Is said was at one time
sentenced to be shot.
Eggleston is a notorious individual,
having served two terms in the Peni-
Tertiary. He worked in this city for
years, but makes his home in Washing
ton county, near the scene of the MUIR
del, and was consequently we'll known
to the deceased. He, it is supposed,
concocted the whole affair, being SO
conversant with the locality.
In this connection we might say that
we were in possession of the main facts
given above over week ago, and had u
full knowledge of the arrest OF Bird
and Whitaker, on Tuesday, but
through the solicitation of one of the
officers engaged in working up the af-
fair, we retrained from publishing it,
PITTSBURGH Gazette.
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