The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-10-13
A Fiendtsh Crime-The Perpetrator
I'm jail.

| eleVen OclOck, repOE| ePEeau ih'
wildfire throughout the city, that on
OF the most fearful crimes that has eve
disgraced humanity had been perpetra
ed in the very heart OF the town ant
tn the very glare of day; the rape Of {
little girl between six and seven year!
of age. The child is the daughter o
Mrs. Annie Bacon,s young woman en-
plos ed as a washer and ironer at the
Central Hotel, on which premises the
crime was accomplished. The iphu.
ma wretch who did the foul deed
gives the name of D. j. Lear, and
claims Brooklyn, N. Y, as his resi-
dence. He Is apparently thirty-fve
years OF age, of slender build and about
5 feet s inches high; has thin, light
hair and tolerable light mustache; il
dressed in q brown coat, with small
white specks; black pants, with narrow
plaid; black vest and blue and white
striped shirt; wears gun: CATERS. q
stitched hat made of black silk, and has
been engaged about the city canvassing
for the sale of gum stamp.
The fact OF the commission Of the
crime was first made known by the
child TO It's mother, who promptly in
formed Mr.. James Kegg, proprietor OF
the Central, at whose instance officers
were sect for and the arrest made. The
crime Was perpetrsted in the water
closet in the back yard of the hotel, and
the ombination OF circumstances fix
ing the guilt upon the accused furnish
es q chain OF evidence that cannot be
broken. The man was arrested by
constable Dowden and officer Heltrich
OF the city force, in his room at the
hotel, being very drunk when appre-
hended. He was taken to the office Of
Justice Besll where he declared be was
"ready to tell all about it." but Mr..
George A. Thurston, who was present,
advised him to keep quiet.
The little girl being too badly Injured
to be brought TO the Justices office
that officer, together with the prisoner
policemen and press reporters. went to
the Central Hotel, in one OF the rooms
OF which the victim, pretty little
girl, s. mere baby In fact, lay
upon a pallet on the floor. An
examination o. her person had been pre-
vious!y made by Drs McGill, Wiley
and Welhy. Although the room was
filled with people the little girl in an.
swer to a question promptly identified
the prisoner as the man who had com.
mitted the outrage. OF the nature o.
which che seemed in total ignorauce
The story OF the deed was told in q
haltipg, childish way, and although
questioned repeatedly her last state,
ment did not vary from the first. A
very intelligent little colored boy, who
said HE name was Lewis Minor and who
gave his age as five years, corrobora
ted the statement OF the child in refer
ence to the identity OF the man and
gave direct testimony to seeing him
come from the water close
aud TO seeing the it'll,
girl come out first and g
to tell her mother. When asked il h'
knew what an oath was he said mo
SIT" aud in reply to the question il b.
knew what swearing was, he said h
didn't swear. He was asked wha
would become OF him il he told lie. t
which he replied he didn't know, bu
said if he should tell lie the bad
mau" would get him. Mary Minor
the mother Of the boy, testified to hav
ing seen the prisoner 60 towards ant
come rom the water closet, through
the window of the rear kitchen, where
she was at work. She also testified t
seeing Young Mr. Kegg speak to him il
the office, the doors being open between
that point and the dining room, ate
the mother OF the little girl had in
formed her Of what had taken place
After taking the evidence OF these wit
nesses the Justice had the prisone
taken back to his Office wher
a. examination OF his person
was made by the medics
gentlemen named in the first por
ton OF this account, after which thei
testimony was taken. This went t
show clesrly that in their minds the
were satisfied that the foul deed hs'
been accomplished. The mother OF tn
girl, a young woman OF about twenty
two, WAS also examined. In reply t
q question OF the Justice as to whethe
he wished a lawyer, the prisoner said
NO, but l can tell my own story
That is you can bring your charge ant
then I'll tell my side Of the story.
The Justice said, IF you say anything
here to criminate yourself, it will b
used in court against YOU" He said
Al understand that. I'm not a monte
man to hire lawyer at twenty dollar
2 day and all that sort Of thing, but
can tell the truth and want everybod
10 hear it Alter hearing the evldeuc,
OF the witnesses for the Safe the Jus
tice wrote out commitment and tn
prisoner was turned over to officer Dow
den with instructions TO take him t
Jail. AZ he got up be said: But 20
haven't heard my story, have your Il
which the Justice said. MY advice t
you is to keep quiet" as he was march
ed eff.
On his way to jail, in spite OF tn
warnings received, the wretch told tn
officers that he had committed the &C
and attempted to excuse himself b
saving that he had given the child Il
cents.
The mother OF the little girl is tn
widow OF Joseph Bacon, who wa
killed ou the Connellsville Rsilros
and is the daughter OF Mr. Edward Su
Ivan. who lives near this city.
The presence o. blood in the wat'
closet and upon the person Of the pris
oner and victim, together with the cor
= dition OF the latter, leave no room fc
sny doubt OF his guilt. While the el