South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-03-28
Death of Nat. Richardson, ESQ


Lt NATHANIEL RICHARDSON, Esq, a
prominent lawyer Of Wheeling, lost his
life 10 Wellsburg, Bsooke county, on
Thursday night, the 18th inst. On that
evening, II appears from the account, ga
bout six o'clock, Mr.. RICHARDSON, in com
pany with ex-Mayor JONES, of Wellsburg,
went to the restaurant on Main Street. Just
below the Court House, kept by CONRAD
FEETTERAN, and procured, each, dish of
oysters. While here, Mr.. RICHARDSON,
drank two glasses of hard cider They
made him 81 deathlv sick that he was uu-
able to hold his head up. and lounge was
procured Tor him 10 lie down on, and pla-
ced in the back room About ten o'clock
Mr.. JoNrs called for him TO 90 GU, bu,
found him sleeping 90 soundly ,ha, be
deemed 1t unwisc TO waken him. sud Civ
ing Mrs. FEETTERAs instructions to care
fnr him till morning, left for home Mrs.
FEETTERAN, when the restaurant was clos
cd for the night, covered him over wirh
a blanket, removed the lamp, locked the
doors and went to bed, leaving the chafing
dish aud alcohol limp used by the gentle
men IN cooking their oysters, on the tn
Wv y" 'hV i'Nh WIN NlAkuSON.
"About half past Ten O'Clock Mrs FEET
TERRAIN was whkened by smell IF smoke,
and got ont of bed to find the building in
flames. Hastily rousing her husband,
while he was engaged in sating their house
hold goods, she removed hcr children to
place of safety. Numbering Mr. RlCU
ARDsoN she went TO tho back door and
broke it in. She found the heat in the
room very intense, and the smoke 90 blind
ing she could not sec. Protecting her
mouth from the sitting smoke us we'll as
she could, she groped around mill she
found Mr. RlcuARDsoN lying or the floor.
Dragging him by the heels, out Into the c
pen air, she shoGldered and carried him
out into the nllay where he was found, and
went for assistance. Shortly nftor, man
named LEAsUEE, running to the fire, STUN.
bed over the body Finding it TO be Mr..
RIcuARDsoN he called for assistance and
had the body conveyed to the Vir.ini.
House. Then it was discovered that life
was extinct.
There being no lamp in tho room
where Mr.. RICHARDSON was sleeping, no
fire in the stovo, aud no matches, as rcsti-
fled to by Mrs FEETTKRAN at The coroucr's
iCqucst, there remains but one feasible sto-
ry IL regard to bis death That is, that be
walked up in the night and attempted to
find his way cut Of the room. Finding it
too dark there be took a mach from bis
poke, aud lighted the alcohol lamp under
the ch"tirg dish and upset it, getting the
blazing fluid on his face, hands and head
The skin Is burned on his forehead, Just
above tGc eyebrows, on tho centre of his
nose, on the back of his head and On his
hands. as if he had wiped it off in trying
to cx'inguish the flames. While thus en-
gagged the building took fire, and he was
overcome and FIJI suffocated All the facts
in the case as far as We have been able to
arrive at them seem to point to the conclu
sion above.
The terrible news was communicated
to Mrs. RICHARDSON. in Wheeling on
the l4'h, by her brother, j. Il. Nj KEEN.
AN, T. q. The intelligence completely pros
tT.tcd er, and all day long she lay waycr.
ing between life and death, receiving the
hearth 1t symPatbies and Kind iiices of her
own and her la'e husbands muuy friends.
Mr.. RICHARDSON leaves four young chill
dron to mourn their great aud sudden be
reavemcnt"
The fire destroyed the saloon and furri
'nr", dwelling, and badly damaged the
Court House and dwelling near by.