, 1872-12-26
PROFESSOR WEST.

The Killer and Elayer of Cooch Tur.
ner Accused of BfEamy and swtnd.
ltng-His College Stories OF Immense
wea1th-Pass1nE Himself off a. q
Government Detective
Douer, Del, {Dee. 1@ Correspondence Of the Nv York
Now that the excitement consequent On the
unparalleled crime Of Professor Isaac Collins
facts which we're before unattainsble.
West is the youngest eon Of Mr. Isaac West,
blacksmith, wheelwHght, and farmer, OF Baltl-
more Hundred, Sussex County. Mr.. Vests
resides near his father. The third Is physi-
cian at Rdkana. Isa.c is the fourth. One sister
is married to the Rev. Mr. Mclaughlin, Of the
Philadelphia Methodist Episcopal Conference,
and the other to farmer in Sussex County.
Isaac worked as boy on his fathers farm, at
tending school in the winter. Isaac Was eens1-
tive and nervous, easily excited and impulsiVe.
He had an extraordinary liking for anything
odd. and when be got hold OF q crrloslty ne
would ponder over and examine 1t, and show it
with enthusiasm to his neighbors. His friends
considered him queer and nnaccountable-
He was ambitious to excel in scholarship, and
at eighteen attended Prof Brewers school in
Milford, and attorward Prof. Reynolds in Do
yer. He subsequently entered Dickinson Col
years. Ii 1868 he graduated fairly. After 3
short vacation among his friends he began
school in Milford in Connection with the Rev.
William P. Davis. This project soon came to
an end through an accident. Negro minstiels
rented the building where the school was kept,
and tho weight Of the audience carried away the
floor. West vent back home, and thence to Do
YER where he started what he termed Colegl-
ate Institute. This lasted about . year. Toward
the close OF 1871 West married the daughter OF
Mr.. John Slay, Recorder Of Deeds for Kent
County.
About this time he began to treat pulmonary
diseases by the inhalation OF gas. The formula
for the manufacture Of this gas and the right to
use it he purchased, it is said, in Philadelphia.
Ha had an Office in Baltimore during the winter
Of 1871, and the spring and summer OF 1917.
This establishment he sold out to Mr: Way. son
OF the Rev. e. ;. Way, Of the II: E. Church. :;
| Then West returned to his friends until the
| autumn, when he opened an Office in Dover
| This he continued to run up to the time OIL tne
| discovery Of that horrible crime, which enabled
q distinguished Delawarean to say, "Mthough
| Delaware may be the smallest State, it has the
biggest tragedy"
| When Vest Was at college, he was remarkable
for his romancing capabilities. he told marvel
louB stories Of wealthy relatives IN various PaT1a
| OF the world. At one time he excited the wonder
and envy OF his felow.students by informing
them that he had fallen heir to 3 vast fortune
| He described to them the location OF . magnl1-
| ent estate, and showed diagrams Of the stately
| mansion which stood on it, He gave them glow
ing descriptions Of weeks passed there In his boy
hood, and built splendid projects for the enjoy
mont Of himself and his friends in the future
when he should take possession OF his property
Unfortunately, however, he seemed to forge
worry soon the story he had last told, and burs
upon hia friends with another startling ronauct
even ncre wonderful than the previous one
In COURSE OF time, his companions began te
understand him, and knew how to receive hi
singular communications.
When he left college, this propensity to Ii
did not leave him. During his later residence
at Dover he announced to his acquaintnnce
that an uncle in South America had died, ant
Loft him heir to vast fortune. He closed u
his business and mado arrangements to aul
Dover. So earncRt and serious did he seen
that his friends we're deceived, and when he di
1eaye the Place no ono doubted that he bad -