The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-01-09

a w l.
read in one ofOur exchanges few days
since brief account of the murder OF
West Virginia boy in Texas. The vic
tim was Mr.. W. G. Phelps, son of Hon.
J. M. Phelps, Senator elect from the
Point Pleasant district. Young Phelps
was taken South by Col. Whaley, when
that gentleman received the appoint
ment of Surveyor ofCustoms,at browns
Vile, So trustworthy and efficient had
Mr.. p, proved himself to be in the pos.
ton of clerk, that when Col. Whaley
was removed young Phelps was retain
ed by his successor at the special re-
quest of the authorities at Washington.
Yesterday, in looking over Texas
paper, we came across the following
particulars OF this cold blooded muir
der.
The raid upon the village of Clarks:
vile, on Saturday night, has created
considerable excitement on this bank.
There are many attempts being made
ducinE the commission of the outrage.
It's probable the inquest which Is
being held by Mr.. Kelly will afford
clue TO the matter.
Below the reader will find the tele-
grams received up to yesterday morn
ing.
CLARKSVILLE, Dec. 10, 1865.
CAPTAIN Il. DdLzcl:
AT half past eight last evening.
GAINESVILLE was attacked by band OF
armed and mounted men from fourteen
to eighteen III number, who attacked
the Custom house, killing one O1ncer,
WIN. Phelps, and seriously WOundlnE
inspector Ryan. The affair was carried
on SO quietly that, although the shots
were heard, the disturbance was not
NOTICED uutIl the house of MIR. Clark
was attacked and robbed, and MIR.
Hammond, Inspector of Customs, kill
ed. Toe party then attempted 10 get
into the yard, but retired after being
fired upon. Our men We're all over the
river but after the alarm WAS given the
people OF I;aHdnd came 10 our assist
uucr, headed by Don Juan Fernandez,
thu. cniei C1 pOiIce, and most OF the 9TH
er public officers on the BaKdad side.
We kept patrols out during the remain
der of The night, but nothing further
occurred. The robbers were chiefly
Mexicans, but at least two negroes were
in the party. Several of them spoke
English. The murdered men were
brutally butchered after being killed,
aud their bodies robbed of everything
except their clothes. Jos. COOPER.
MIR. w. III. Phelps has IL knife wounds
and one pistol ball, Mr.. Hammond has
five knife wounds. The murderers were
traced to the point where they crossed
the river, near English Georges
Ranch"
Col. Prime took immediate steps, on
learning Of the raid, to ascertain who
we're the offenders, and to arrest and
bring them to justice. lie sent Capt.
Conway, with " body of cavarly, To
Clarksvillc, and set on loot other
| measures He waited Oh Col. PHlaciOs,
the commander OF the line of the Bravo,
and procured his promise to cooperate.
The latter sent orders to Bagdad to make
n very thorough investigation and
learn if any OF the party had gone to
the other bank, and for their arrest IN
case they had.
The prOmptness of the action might
| be expected to effect all possible TO be
done under the circumstances. Tho
great drawback results from the pass
| age of the marauders to the other bank
and the difficulty of pursuing and cap
turing them IN the present condition OF
affairs in TamaulIpus.
| RumOr has it that two COlOred men
have been arrested i'll BrazOs de Santi-
ago who iailed~to give good account
| OF themselves.
The authorities Of Bagdad acted in a
kind and neiGhborly manner. They
| are entitled to thanks.
| While the cavalry, under Captain
| Conway, were on the march to Clarks-
Vile, and opposite the Buritn Ranch, Il
boat WAS seen to leave this bank. Capt.
| &. sent Capt SOrla, the guide, with II
soldier to see who it was. The boat
| was ordered to return to this bank
when about kalf " ny acrOsss the river.
| The bOatman paid no attention to the
order. 1t was repeated with similar
| result. Meantime other soldiers had
| been sent up.
the boat WAS fired upon. The party
returned 10 this side, and consisted OF
the b0atman, women and children.
One of the women said she had told
the boatman to come back upon the
first order. He pretended not 10 have
heard the order.
One shot graZed ii wOman'a hip. She
was placed in charge OF surgeon.
| Upon examination he declared that her
| wound required no treatment.
| The raiO was, no doubt, II premedIta-
| ted thing, and had for its object the rob-
berry of ClArksville and the murder OF
HlI who might resist.
1t was II high handed and audnci0us
affair, calculated 10 create hostile feel
Ings between the two nations.
THE INQUEST.
Since writing the :lDOV" the proceed
| ings of the COrOner'S inquest have been
received.
Robert II. Ryan, deputy collector at
Clarksville, swore in substance as re-
CARDS the killing OF Mr.. Phelps, that
at about $3.50 T.. NJ. Friday, five mount
ed men came TO the door of his office.
He was standing outside. One of them
addressed him i'll Spanish, to which he
replied he did not understand. Then
three of the men dismounted and sur
rounded him. One of them presented
Il pistol at him, which he seIZed with
one hand, and with the other caught
the man by the shoulders. He WAS
struck from behind, fell, and became
for time senseless. They passed into
the office aud killed MIR. Phelps, intliCt-
ing upon him eleven wounds. three in
the head and eight in the region of the
breast and chest, all knife wounds. AS
| they came out he was recovering. One
OF them fired five shots at him, and lett
| shortly afterwards. He thinks two of
the party were Mexicans.
FINDING OF THE JURY.
The jury found. that George Ham
mend and W. G.. Phelps were willfully
murdered by some party or parties I'M
| known.
u. S. DISTRICT COURT met yesterday
| H1OrOiOU at the u1ual hOur