The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-04
A RED-HoT STOVE.
One Man Killed for Holding Another Man
On It.

.Une man killeu IOr HOlulnR AnOtner NAN
On 1t.
Another of those fatal tragedies, of
which we hear nearly every day, was
enacted at the residence Of Geo.
Weaver, three miles southeast of Mo
line, and about the same distance north
west Of Coaltown, late on the evening of
the 23d. A number OF miners and team
sters from this vicinity and that of
Hampton were, having dance at
Weaver's, aud among the number were
VIM. Freeman West, OF Heagy s. Stod-
dard's, mine at Hampton, and Harry
Morton, OF Sam. BowIes' mine. These
Two parties have had agrulge against
each other for some time about trivial
affair, and it was pretty generally
known that it they met anywhere, there
would be a row.. They met at this
dauce, and West, who was a noted
bully, wanted u mass, and Morton was
his man.
Attirs there was dispute, and then
Morton was knocked down. This occar-
red the second time, when Morton drew
a revolver and shot West twice on the
side of the head. They then clinehed,
when Morton was grasped by the throat
by West and held on top of q very hot
cookmg-stOve. While in this position,
with West bending over him, he SEM
three bullets into the abdomen OF his
adversary. But West would not relin-
ouish his grasp, aud the two were not
separated until pulled to the tlJor and
fofcibly taken apart.
One more shot was fred by Morton
when falling from the stove, which
landed in the ceiling above. AS soon as
released, Morton ran out OF the house TO
a neig hbUr' . and borrowed another coat,
the one he had on being badly burned.
Since that time he has n0t been heard
of. Vests wounds attracted the atten-
ti0n OF the dancers and man was at
once sent ter DR.. j. B. Dawson, who ar
rived about IL O'Clock, shortly after the
fight. The Doctor extracted one ball,
which lay inside the skin ON the side OF
the head.
The other ball merely grazed the scalp
near the eye. The remaining bullets had
entered the abdominal wall and were
beyond reach. One, it was positive, had
entered the bladder. The wounded man
fingered until 3 O'clock on Monday MORN
ing. He expressed some sorrow for the
occurrence, and said that Morton was
not to blame. Coroner VermiliiOn was
notified at noon on Monday, and held an
inquest ON the body, with y. D. Reid as
foreman OF the jury, when the above
facts were stated, and verdict was
returned that West had "come TO his
death from pistol wounds received at the
hands of Harry Morton"
At the beginning OF the fight there were
but one or TWO parties in the room, and
they reared to take part in the affair, es-
peeially as shots were being fired. AS
it was, one young lady barely escaped
being wounded, a BAH passing through
her dress. 1t is- said that Morton ex-
pressed himself, in the early part of the
evening, as being prepared for West,
should West assault him, and, being
pretty plucky, he would not back down.
West was known as rufian; being a
man OF powerful build and fearless, ne
usually made his adversaries succumb,
He was commonly called "Free'
w est, and was a member Of Major Chas'
,Hawes' company Company A, Thirty
seventh 1llinoisl having enlisted from
Rock Island. His funeral took place
yesterday afternoon. Services, by the
Rev. j. W. .Haney, were had at the resi-
denee OF Mr.. Weaver, where less than
three days before the deceased Joined in
the gayety of the waltz, and his remains
were Inferred in the Riverside Ceme-
terry. Among the mourners were several