The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-12-15

some person or persons unknown, by BE-
Ing thrown or pushed from the railroad
bridge over Wheeling creek into the
water below. The deceased was Werk-
man in the employ of Smith u Co., -four
ing millers OF the town OF Bridge
port, and was quiet, inotfenslye
man, but addicted to The use of strong
drink. Mr.. John II. Watkins, who re-
sides in Bridgeport, but owns flour mill
in Wheeling near the stone bridge,
was suspected OF completely for the fol-
lowing reasons: First, ssome time ago
Mrs. Watkins, wife Of j. Ii. Watkins, 1t
Is charged, began to spread scsndslous
reports concerning Mrs. Findley McGrew.
At that time Mr.. Watkins was on good
terms with both Mr.. and Mrs.
McGrew, but soon after the promulga-
tion of these stories they qusrrelled and
finally Mr.. and Mrs. Grew sued
MIR. and Mrs. Watkins for slsuder, lay
ing the damages al $4,000. That case
is still pending in the court. Secondly, it
is in testimony, that on various occasions
Mr.. Watkins made threats against Nc
Grew in the presence OF numerous w.t.
nesses, and said among other things, that
he would kill him. Thirdly, Amanda
Powell says that the man whom she saw
run away from the railroad bridge,
after hearing qusrrelling In that
direction, resembled MIR. James Clay
land, resident Of Bridgeport.
1t happens that Mr.. Watkins resembles
Mr.. Clsylsnd very closely, or to use the
words of prominent citizen OF the
town, "there are not two men around
here who look as much alike as Watkins
and Clayland." Fourthly-Both Amsn-
ds Powell and Rachael Kugler state that
there were two voices engaged IN the
qusrrelling on the railroad bridge-one
being coarse one like that of q man,
and the other sounding fine and like
woman's. Mr.. MCGFew's voice was
rather coarse and thick and un-
mistakably mans, Wnlle
that OF Mr.. Watkins is thin, and rese:--
bles q woman'S in q remarkable manner.
Filthy, the last person seen following
McGrew W, or near him, was Mr.. W atkins.
1t is, however, proven, partially by Mr..
Watkins, that be did not follow McGrew
across the KIrkwood bridge, and there Is
no evidence IRON any source to show
that he was on the south side OF Wheel
ing creek that night, but there Is evil
dence that after leaving the meat shop he
went home.
A third party who has some mysteri-
Gus connection with the case, and whose
name was only brought out publicly last
night, is Alexander McGrew, OF Monroe
county. This McGrew gave Flndley,
who he claimed as a relative, some whls-
XIV, and went home to dinner with him.
His whereabouts during the evening are
unknown, and it is possible that he may
proveito be impcr.sntly mix e. up In
the matter. Squire David +. Howell
Is acting rs coroner and summoned the
following jury: NJ. A. Sharp, K. L.
Howell, K. j Alexander, e. K. Grier.
NJ. McConnaughy and VIM. Alexander.
After some Intellectual attempts had
been made on the morning OF December
II TO recover the body by means OF
seining; Mr.. &. q. Cochran tried
graphing with large fishing hook and
at 10 o'clock A. n. he found the body OF
Findley c. McGrew in the creek under
the railroad bridge and towed
it to the west bank of the Ohio
river. Life was totally extinct. The
following facts then came out at the ex-
animation by the Jury:
Frank MillIgsn saw McGrew on the
evening OF the llth inst, about 7:0O,
when he ( McGrew came out of his
house and crossed the kIrkwOod bridge,
About ten minutes after ward one OF Nc
Crews little girls came into Milligsns
shop and said her mother wanted to see
him at once lie started at once tor the
house, and on his way he met John ii.
Watkins going away from the creek.
On reaching the house Mrs. MeGrew
ssidishe thought Findley was in the river.
She: :had,h heard quarrelit &, and or going
out on her porch TO listen, she heard
splash in the water and some one call
"oh! oh oh and she thought the voice
was her husbands. Mllligsn took a Ian
tern and went down to the bridge and
searched thoroughly on all sides but
could find nothing out OF the ways de
had heard Watkins threaten McGrew,
and say that she would die satisfied II he
could kill McGrew and his wife"
Amanda Powell, a colored girl living
At Mr.. West, heard quarreiling on the
railroad bridge about 1:3O P. NJ, and
shortly afterward man went down the
track and ran up Hall street. She
! thought be locked very much like MT.
James ClsylsrG. She heard two voices
! in the ousrrel-oue fine and like wo-
mans, and the other a coarse one
Rachel Kugler also heard qusrrelling al
the railroad bridge, and distinguished
| two voiceS-one like womsn's and the
| other evidently mans. DR.. Cooke met
Findley McGrew at the north end of the
kirkwood bridge about $50 P. NJ. Nc
Grew was walking fast, and seemed
slightly intoxicated. Near Heinleln's :
store he passed Watkins, who slso was
waking rapidly, and in the same direc-
tion taken by McGrew. He did not
think the lstter was much under the in
fuence of liquor, ss he aid not stagger
at sll.
George King Ccolored) stepped on to
the south end Of the kirkwoo bridge al
7.30 and heard loud cry OF "Oh!' and
then another "Oh! muCn lower. n
splash in the water followed the last cry,
and then woman at McGrew's kitchen
door cried out: "a man hes fallen
into the water" King ran across the
bridge and saw msn struggling in the
water, but as everything became quiet
almost immediately he supposed the
man got out. He met man on the
bridge and called his attention to the
matter, but no notice was taken OF what
| he said.
James Csrnes had heard Watkins say:
"By Jesus Christ will kill him." mean
ing McGrew
Mr.. h. M. B. Clsyland, however, said he