The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-03-09
THE MoRGANrowN MUnDER.
petnlls Of lhe Bloody ctlme.

B.
We condense from the MOrgan'own
Constitution and Post the following par
ticulars of tho rcceu. murder in that
place:
On Sunday morning last the citizens
Of Morgantown were startled and horrl-
fed by the news that murder had been
committed in our usually quiet burgh. =
The Virginia House, kept BY Mrs Mary
A. Spider. was the scene Of the crime,
and at an carly hour the house was besiegcd
by the more curious OF the population -
There. on tue bar.room foor, in which room
the decd was committed, lay oil that was
mortal of John jenkins. IN old man some
G3 years of age. who resided short dis
lance from Slorgantosn lie lay on his
back bis head being towards the window
facing Front street. near the door, bis feet
reaching opposite the Fireplace; an over
turned chair. partly resting on the left
side Of his body. lay between the fireplace
aud the window The face was somewhat
disfgurcd, bead resting in snail pool Of
blood, glueing his gray hairs to the floor;
the wall near his head was also bespat.
tered with blood. The instrument which
caused his death was an old shovel handle,
the shovel part being broke of, making
most formidable weapon.
On the night previous John jenkins
(familiarly known as Daddy" Jenkins, }
George Smith, Coleman Jenkins (soD of
John aud Oliver Murphy. it seems. were
oil together in the bar.room under the Ma
tional Hotel engaged in some kind Of a
game Of cards where they remained until
about II O'Clock. They then started for
the Virginia House, kept BY Mrs Snider,
on Trout street, aud all entered the house
shortly before one o'clock Sunday morning.
John Jenkins and Smith, aswe understand
it, were both under the influence Of alco-
holie drinks at tho time, and were not Oh
good terms. aud had been quarreling. =
Young Jenkins and lis friend Murphy re.
tired to the back part Of the house, while
"Daddy" aasda ssp,ii,tn went into the oil bar
room. Nothing more was heard Of them.
About four o'clock A. NJ, young Jenkins
bad returned from his room to see what
had become ofhs father and proceeding to
the bar-ruom he discovered him ying on
the aoer, aud surprising him to be asleep.
endeavorcl to. arouse him. bat was horri-
fed, upon turning MIN over. to find thar
he had been murderously dealt with, as
three horrible cuts or gashes on his head
indicated. His father was deadl
Early in the morning coroncr's jury
was empanneied aud pos! norton exam
ination Of the body was made The skull
was found to be fractured and much blood
was clotted upop the brain. Doctor Mack,
cy testified that he had becn awakened
about 2 o'clock in the morning and called
to George W, Smiths. Mrs. Smith had
tainted and her husband, who was still
somewhat intoxicated. said that he had
killed jenkins with poker. The Doctor
afterwards. about 4 o'clock, went to the
Hotel aud found jenkins dead and fnuud
in the room heavy poker, about two feet
long, having traces Of blood upon it,
The corouer's jury found verdict in ac-
cordance with these facts
Smith was arrested after daylight on
Sunday morning at lis home on Front
street, by Deputy Sheriff Emrod Ten
naut aud constable Uriah Rider. He
was in bed at the time. and exhibited no
signs Of resistance or attempt to escape =
He was taken to Jail, where he now re-
mains.
jenkins was G3 years of age, and leaves
wife aud several children. He resided
about Que mile east OF town.
Smith is about 2S-or 80 years of age,
stoutly built. aud of good habits when
sober, very kind to bis family, and affa-
BILE and accommodating among his &C.
quaintanccs.
Court meets Tuesday, and We presume
he will have his trial at once.
On Monday. Smith was taken from
the Jail by tho Sheriff to have q prelimiu,
airy hearing, but waived an examination
and was recommitted.
He has engaged Keck & Hough and
Raymond, Morolaud & Co., as his at
torneys.