The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-02-21
MURDER ON FRIDAY Might
Statements Of Witnesses.
What the Prisoner Says
CORONER $50 INQUEST.
Full Particulars Of the MUIR.
'7T7 der. -ggsf-

|
and produce store at No. 81 Water street,
few doors above Dailey's City Hotel,
went to Ed. Young's livery stable, cor
ner of John and Main streets, aud en-
gagged sleigh, he having horse OF his
own. After having an afternoons Joi-
lily, aud induIging pretty literally III
intoxicating drinks. though. it would
seem, not enough to obscure hisIeason'
he returned to the city. On our way
home about IL o'clock, Friday night, We
passed him, as he drove up in his Sleigh
in front of Washington Hall. From
there he drove direct to Young's stable
TO return the vehicle he had hired.
While Andrew Heitz, Young's foreman'
was unhitching the horse from the
sleigh, Frank Mount came in, having
Just got off duty from the Street Rail.
road, where he was employed. Frank
had been drinking u little, and was
Just in the mood for "hectoring" OF
Chatting" a favorite pastime Of bis
when slightly under the influence OF
LIQUOR. As the horse was led from the
shafts of the sleigh, it stepped on one
of them. This caused Frank to say the
horse was blind. The remark annoyed
McCracken considerably more than one
would think necessary, and he emphas-
ically denied the assertion, Offering t.
bet that il was not true. Frank kept
up his talk about the blind horse until
McCrscken got quite angry. Finally,
tie matter was settled and the
three, Mountz, McCracken aud
Heitz went across the street to
the Arcade saloon, and drank together.
Heitz left there and went back to the
stable. 1t would seem that the talk
about the blind horse was resumed in
lhe saloon. However, Mountz got back
into the stable and was standing in the
shadow Of the Office door, when Nc
Crackeu came back after his horse.
McCracken, unaware of Franks pres
ence, commenced talking to Heitz about
Mountz saying the horse was blind,
swearing that it was sbetter horse than
Mountz or any of his family ever owned
and frequently applying to Mountz the
term a. of q D." After he had
heard the approbriOus epithet two OF
three times, Mountz cane forward from
out of the shadow and shook his fist in
McCIacken's face, saying, "G-d--n
you, what do You mean by calling men
such nanesp Heitz says that he came be-
tween the men at this and ordered
McCracken to take his horse aud 60, as
it was time to close the stable, and
pushed Frank Mountz back. He says
as McCracken turned to get his horse,
he saw au open knife in his hand and
ordered him to put it away, which he
did. Mounlz went into the Office and
McCracken went out with his horse.
lIetz thea locked the doors of the sta
BILE, and was sitting talking with
Mouutz when there came knock at the
office door. With an exclamation Of
wonder who it was that knocked so
loud, he opened the door, standing just
behindit. There stood McCracken, who
asked if that Frank Mountz was there.
Hearing his name mentioned, Mountz
stepped to the door, between Heitz and
McCTacken, when the latter struck at
Mountz with u knife, stab5ing him in
tie breast near the heat, and
ran, leaving the knife sticking
in the wounded mans breast.
With a cry of horror Heitz sprang for
ward and drew the knife from the
wound, and then ran after the murderer.
McCracken had kItched his horse on
Main street near Porter's wholesale
boot and shoe house and when ho ran
he started to get the animal. Finding
himself closely pursued he ran down
Quincy street, past FraDzelFs corner,
towards the Baltimore and Ohio depot.
Seeing persons at the opposite side OF
the street Heitz called for their assist
ancs in capturing the murderer. One
of these was the deputy Waterman and
the other Selby Jones. They gave saeh
aid as was required and McCracken was
taken to the lookup, instead of the all,
where he should have been taken. No
sooner had the person who had taken
him to the police court left, than Nc
Cracker walked out also, leaving word
that he would be back in the morning
for a trial. He did not know then that
Mountz was dead. He went to the
City Hotel and passed the night and
surrendered himself Saturday morning.
After receiving the fatal stab Mountz
removed his comforter and coat and,
opening his shirt, examined his wound.
He then started for the door when he
fell to the floor. He never spoke word
after receiving the stab. Several ply
sicians were called but it was evident
to them that he had but few moments
to live.
! The knife with which Mountz was
stabbed is common pocket knife, with
a blade perhaps two inches in length.
The blow must have been given with
terrific force. A post norton exRmins.
ton showed that the knife blade was
driven through the breast bone, which
was, in Mountz, over half an inch in
thickness, penetrating the bone between
the secondhand third ribs, the point en-
tering near the arch of the aortG. The
force given would have suficed to driye
the knife point through half-inch pine
plank.
We called on .McCracken at the Jail