Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-12-15
Strange Story Of the Murder Of Two
TrHmbull County Men, 30 Years ago,
in Indiana.

A correspondent of the st. Paul Press,
o Nov. l, writes to that paper as follows:
About a year ago, while stopping for a
few weeks at a place called Portland, the
county seat of Jay county, Indiana, the
facts of the following strange story, con-
nected with the early settlement of that
country, were related to me by a pioneer
resident, Mr.. VIM. Haines, a venerable
old man, whose veracity and integrity,
as well as intelligence, commend him to
the fullest confidence of all who know
him. As the old man took his seat be-
side me, his eye tWinkied with anima-
ton, for he loved to recite the incidents
of his early life, and live over again, in
his VIVID imagination, those trials and
privations that he was once compelled to
undergo. His story ran thus:
About thirty years ago, said he, kept
a small but comfortable tavern for the
accommodation of travellers visiting this
place, many of whom were wealthy
Speculators-others, perhaps, in search
of land, upon which to locate. Many
times the tide Of travel would be so
great, that it would tax the ingenuity Of
the landlord to its utmost TO render them
comfortable, at times being compelled
to roll themselves up in a blanket, and
lie for the night upon the floor, or in the
barn perchance. A little distance OF,
and in what was then considered an out
of the way place, was another public
house, whose accommodations were
considered scarcely equal to the first,
and whose homemade sign, hanging
over the door, told the passer-by its
landlords name was Thomas Wheat.
Besides being the landlord of this un-
~pretentious tavern, this Mr.. Wheat had
another occupation, one perhaps Of more
dignity, but less remunerative, that of
minister. He was of the Methodist per-
suasion, and did all the odd jobs of his
calling throughout the neighborhood
and vicinity, and enjoyed the confidence
of the public generally for integrity and
honesty.
One cold, rainy evening in the spring
Of 1889, a man, accompanied by his son,
a lad of some 10 years, driving 8 line
span of horses, attached to a lumber
wagon, whose only load was a large
square chest, stopped in front OF the tav-
ern kept by Haines, and inquired for ac-
/ Communications for the night. Mr.. Wheat,
Of whom I have spoken, was near the
door at the time, and as Mr.. HaineS
stepped out to meet his guest, Mr.. Wheat
followed him. In answer to his ex-
pressed desire to put up for the night,
Mr.. Haines replied that his convent
ences were limited, and his house full,
but if YOU can bunk on the floor / can
keep you" The stranger readily con-
sented, and they removed the chest
from the wagon and placed it in the
house. MI. Hsines being an inveterate
talker, and withal anxious to know
where the stranger hailed from, and
! such particulars relating to his business
as he could gather, continued: where
are YOU from, stranger?" Front rum-
bull county, Ohio" was the reply. my
name is Miller, and this is my son I've
come out here to buy land. Know of
any for sale? / don't wan many acres,
I've only a thousand dollars with me,
| and must save come for other e~xpenses!'
"Oh, yes" replied Hsines, who by this
time had got the team unhitched from
the wagon, fright smart of land about
here,' and so saying he drove to the
barn, while the stranger with his son,
walked into the house. But Mr.. Wheat,
who had been an attentive listener, en-
bracing the opportunity, informed the
stranger that he also kept a hotel, and
not being very full of travellers for the
night, would be pleased to have the
stranger stop with him, and receive bet
ter accommodations than had been offer
ed by Mr.. Haines.
The stranger, and his son, consented
to go, and ordered his team returned
from the barn, bHt leaving the chest,
drove over to the house of Wheat.
Sometime during the following morn
ing, uRines met wheat, and inquired Of
him as to the welfare of the stranger and
his son.
Wheat's reply was, that "the stranger
had manifested a good deal of uneasi-
ness and solicitude for his family during
the night, and that he and his son had
risen from bed before daylight, and start
ed of on horseback for Ohio, promising
to return ina few days"
Haines thought this a strange pro-
ceeding, and that Miller must certainly
be insane if this story was true, but he
doubted it, and so expressed himself tC
Wheat at the time, who seemed 70 mani.
fest a good deal of virtuous Indignation
upon his Veracity being questioned.
A few days subsequently, however, 8
neighbor OF old Wheat. by the name o.
Reuben Lewis, whose characteristic trait
was to find out everything going on il
the neighborhoOd, and solve the myste-
ries of other peoples business, reported
: that Wheat had murdered that man and
his son, and sent of his Wheat's) owl
son with the two horses during the
night, land, furthermore" says he, 81
went to the barn where l found b eartt
had been recently disturbed, and ran
stick down till it touched something tina
felt like a mans body"
a day or so after this a few citizens
headed by one Joe Nixon, waited upoI
Wheat, and informed him Of their suspi
ciOns, and expressed their intention t.
examine his premises. Wheat's reply
was, that he would "shoot down the
hrst man that attempted it." when aftel
a short parley they dispersed.
Upon two occasions after this, did tn,
heroic citizens of Portland attempt L
search the premises Of old Wheat foI
some trace Of the mystery, and boil
times were they by him repulsed, anC
the subject was allowed to rest entirely
quiet. The family Of Wheat consisted