The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-06-13

Shot to Deafh-Excitement OF tht
People.
NEW MARrISsylLLE, W. Va.
June II, 1873.
Editor ofthe Register:
Last night about . o'clock q number
of persons. all disguised, painted red
etc, went to the house of John Jennings
one Of the notorious characters who ha'
long infested these regions; took him
from his bed and right in his owr
house and in..the presence Of his family
shot him full OF holes, killing him
almost instantly. His wife clupg tc
him, and tried to put herself between
Jennings and the firing, and in doing
30, received, accidentally, two shots
one in the wrlst and the other in the
thigh, wounding her, but not fatally,
No one besides the family was present
at the time except Mr.. Jesse Morris,
Of this county, who was staying all
night and was sleeping up stairs.
The masked party OF lynchers shot
the dogs and then went into the house
at the time mentioned, and enquired OF
Jennings the whereabouts of his Sons
Frank and Jack, and several other
parties known to be connected with
them. He told them he did not know.
Two Of them then went up stairs where
Mr.. Morris was sleeping. to search for
the boys, and enquired who be was; he
told them. Mr.. Morris said they treated
him: kindly and gentlemanly. After
failing to find the boys up stairs the
two went down again, and the party
ordered Jennings to follow them, he
got up quietly from the bed and partly
dressed himself, all the time protesting
his innocence, and asking them to ask
his neighbors if he were not a civil
man and if he could prevent what his
sons did.
They replied to Jennings that his
neighbors had been consulted, and all
knew that he was equally guilty and
was one OF the ring-leaders oftbe gang,
and that they intended pntting an end
efectually to the whole band. The
firing then began and it was at this
time that Mrs. Jennings threw her arms
around her husband trying to save his
life by sacrificing her own. Mr.. Morris
Gays something like twenty shots were
fired. This woman's devotion to Jen-
nings all through his terrible career
and troubles, although his second wife,
at the risk OF her life, has been truly
wonderful indeed. She has stood by
him when his own sons were pursuing
him for the purpose OF fkillipg him.
The Jennings boys could not be
found, or undoubtedly they would have
shared the same fate. The people are
greatly excited and rejoicing. and
say boldly and publicly that not hair
Of any mans head shall be harmed for
the transaction. 1t is not known how
many, nor who the parties were.
John Jennings death in all probsbil-
ity was hastened by his conduct last
Saturday week in this town. The peo-
pie have been very much enraged by
the dep.edations OF the Jennings boys
for some time, and had determined that
they should stop their robberies, and
some person or persons saw proper 10
write several communications which
from time to time in
the Labor Vindicator, denouncing these
villianies in the most emphatic terms,
showing them up generally and point
pointing out q method Of getting
rid ofthem. John Jennings came into
town on the Saturday above mentioned,
and on the streets publicly demanded
Of the editor OF the Hindiedtor the name
ofthe author ofthose articles, which
demand, OF course, was not complied
with. Jennings grew very boisterous
and acted generally very badly. A
number Of our leading citizens admon-
isbed him both publicly and privately
that for his own sake he must keep quiet
for such actions would not be tolerated.
In the next number of the Vindicatr
another article appeared, written per.
haps by the auther OF the other, show
ing the manner in which Jennings had
acted and crticising him severely, warn.
ing him to beware, for the opinion Of
the public in reference to him had un-
dergone 8 material change, and there
was no telling whatan excited populace
would do.
John Jennings has always protested
his innocence and succeeded for q long
time in securing the sympatbies OF the
people, and making them believe that
he could not prevent the conduct Of his
boys. But the people began after while
10 watch the gentleman, and soon dis
covered that be was the riDg-lesder Of
OF the whole gang. He never was
caught actually committing Al robbery,
but he would 90 around and make sur
veys Of the premises and ascertain who
had money. and frequently would be
seen at midnight twenty miles from
home. The neighbors could almost
tell when q robbery was going TO be
committed, Tor ne would always manage
to 60 away somewhere 90 that he could
clean his own skirts.
The plesdings Of the wife and children
for the old mans life, and their screams
after he was killed was one OF the most
terrible and heartrending scenes ever
witnessed. Jennings last words were
my boys have brought me TO this
This is undoubtedly one OF the most
terrible things that has ever happened
in this county, but the people had borne
with the conduct OF the Jenningses as
long a. they could, and i, was not
until every legal means had been tried
that they resorted TO lynch law.
The people everywhere seem deter
mined that this gang shall be rooted
out, and II aDv more OF them are found
thev will in all dynha hilifv oo ths a. m, q