The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-21
TILE WHEELING GUARDS

were also well ordered company. Capt.
LETTERS was at one time in command, and
james Bodley was an officer. DR.. Tan
ner organized company, OF which he
was commander. Michael Rohen was
one OF the officers. The company was
well ordered, as the captain had consid-
cradle military experience in Baltimore
before he came to Wheeling. There
were two other companies, but they were
temporary. -
The most important service upon
which they were called was in what was
known as the Wintringer war. Two
men, named Wintringer and Long, had
enticed stranger out from a tavern to
plain below the old road that crossed
the creek, and there murdered him for
his money, in the summer Of 1886. They
were arrested, tried, found guilty, and
sentenced TO be hung. Wintringer was
from Steubenville. Long lived about a
mile above the old Missouri Iron Works.
Under the hope that they might get from
Long information OF others OF
the gang OF murderers, Messrs.
Sprigg, Jacob, Thomas Pemberton and
ex.Judge Fry petitioned the Governor
and obtained reprieve Of four weeks for
Long. This caused row. The roughs
of Steubenville felt they had been dealt
with unjustly. The military was kept
out day and night guarding the old jail
at the foot Of the hill opposite the market
house. The soldiers were paraded past
all Of the houses and many OF the soldiers
had plum puddings. The hardships OF
the poor soldiers were pitied. perhaps
little more than was absolutely necessary.
Many incidents Of the campaign were very
laughable then, but don't seem so funny
| to write as to tell. On the night before
Wintringer's execution, the report came
that a plan was arranged to fire the city.
Then the FIRE companies were all brought
out and certain iremen we're withdrawn
from military service to guard the hose
and take charge OF the houses. About 2
o'clock A. NJ, word was received that
Sheriff Pemberton and Thomas Hughes
had gone up to Longs house where they
had been taken prisoners by the steuben-
williams to be held as hostages Tor
Wintringer. About ten OF us, well
armed, started up. The number
increased as our business was told.
John Snyder, little why auction
eer, vas elected Captain. We halted the
company at Johnathan's Gut but Joe Up
degraff and myself went up to Longs
house. We saw lights, Updegraff went
ahead and climbed up and looked H.
The disgust with which he told me, when
be came back, that it was only woman
getting breakfast for tho mill workmen,
was only equalled by that he manifested
when we came to the company and found
they had some poor countrymen in a hol-
low square and were going to march
with them down street. IL was then day
light and We met squad Of the City
Blues going up on the same errand
We were on, we soon learned that
the gentlemen named had not been
up there. Indeed no one had prob
ably crossed the river with bad designs.
Wintringer was escorted TO the gallows by
the military. Long was hung in due time
very Quietly. The military companies
applied to the Legislature for pay a. SOL
diers. Our member, Mr.. Mcconnell, was
opposed to 1t and 1t failed. The next
winter it was referred to the committee
on claims and after some lobbying the
companies were granted 81 500 for tents
and camp equipage. Where are they
now? When the Mexican war broke out
the companies all informally disbanded
except Capt. Loring and la squad he took
out with him.
In my last in an anecdote Of Alex.
Wilson, in Salem, your type setter made
me say the Salem man was "drunk" In
stead Of dressed" talked aud looked like
a gentleman. l cant blame the compos.
itor for my writing is jia mftd.