Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-12-09
Trial of Rev. Ryan.

Considerable interest was manifested
in Court, last week, over the trial of
Rev. Ryan, Catholic Priest, who has
been in charge OF ST. Henry's Church,
near HarrietSviile. He was indicted
by the late Grand Jury, on three
counts: shooting with intent to kill !;
to wound, and to maim." The shoot
ing was done on the second of August,
last. The facts, as we have been able
to gather them from the evidence, are
about this: Wilson Smithberger, faith
er of the two young men, Anthony
and william c., is one of the main pill
lars of the Church, having contributed
very literally Of his means towards its
erection, and Consequently assuming to
some extent, its control. After Rev.
Ryan had been stationed at the Church
awhile, a coldness grew up between
him and Mr.. Smithberger, over church
matters, and it may be, other things
not connected with the Church. The
coldness eliminated by the excommu-
nication of Mr.. Smithberger, estensibly
for joining the Patrons of Husbandry.
After the communication, Rev. Ry-
an, in his sermons, took occasion to
pers0nate Mr.. Smithherger as "a Wolf
in sleeps clothing" On the second
of last August, Anthony and William,
the sons, went to the parsonage, as they
claim, to talk with the Priest and learn
the trouble between their fatner and
him. 1t being early in the morning,
upon inquiry OF the house keeper, they
learned that he had not arisen, and
further that they had better leave the
premises. This they did, aud going
out in the highway, called out in loud
tones to the Priest 10 come out and
they would whip him. Being aroused
by the noise, Rev. Ryan jumped up,
and with revolver in nand raised the
window of his sleeping room, and dis
charged the revolver five times. The
witnesses of the prosecution testify that
he fired at them, and that one ball, at
least, struck in the ground near An
thony. The defense admitted the
shooting, claiming that it was only to
scare the boys away; that the revolver
was not pointed at them, but at the
ground underneath the window.
The case was commenced last We'd
nesday, James S. Foreman and Benz.
F. Spriggs for the defendant, and Da-
vid S. Spriggs, Prosecuting Attorney,
assisted by Jabez Belford, for the pros
ecution. Judge Frazier submitted his
charge in writing to the Jury, and Fri
day afternoon, retired to their room,
and after being absent for about four
hours returned u verdict of guilty of
shooting with intent to wound.
Counsel for defendant, Saturday
morning, commenced preparing papers,
asking that the verdict be set aside,
and in the mi,lst of this work, Mr..
Foreman, the senior counsel, received
a telegram announcing the death of his
father, Hiram Foreman, of fSenecaville.
This unfortunate demise has prevented
the Court from hearing the argument
for setting aside the verdict up to this
writing, Wednesday, afternoon. Until
the argument is heard the prisoner will
not be sentenced. He is, and will re-
main in the custody of the Sheriff until
a new trial is granted, or sentence is
pronounced.
Rev. Ryan is an Irishman OF over
fifty, who received collegiate educa-
tion. He was for u term of years
chaplain in British Regiment in East
India. Afterwards a missionary in