The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-09
Further Developments In the
Jewett Tragedy.
Theory That o. D. Jewett Shot
Himself Partially Abandoned.

nlmseII fartlally Abandoned.
Suspicious That Mr.. Dean Fired
the Fatal Shots.
NEW YORK, April 7.-Charles II. Jew.
EFT called last night at the residence oI
Joseph A. Dean, and informed Nicholas
L. Roosevelt, a relation OF the latter, that
Orville D. Jewett had undoubtedly com.
mitted suicide. The fact was impaired
to Charles H. Jewett by Charles Taintor,
managing clerk, who told him Tuesday
afternoon that the moment the explosion
occurred he (Taintor) was in the middle
office, 10 full view Of the private office.
He heard George W. Jewett call him, and
he Immediately entered the room, and
when the smoke had paptially cleared he
saw OrVille D. Jewett lying on the body
Of George W. Jewett. Oryille held a
Sharpe's pistol to his breast and fred four
shots in rapid succession. He then rolled
from off the body OF his uncle and lay
writhing on the floor near 1t. Taintor
then ran down stairs and raised a cry Of
alarm, and subsequently went to Staten
Island to acquaint the elder Jewetts
family.
coRoSER's INVESTIGATION OF THE TRAG-
EDY.
At conference at the Coroner's office
to consider the manner in which Orville
D. Jewett came TO his death, the Coro.
ners and their deputies decided that the
wounds received by orville D. Jewett
were inflicted by some one else, and said
that the report circulated that he himself
fred the weapon which caused the wounds
was impossible. The course Of the bull.
lets, and the position in which the person
must have stood to receive them, pre-.
cludes the possibility OF his inAicling
them with his own hand. There is nc
doubt, said Coroner Waltman, that Mr.
Dean knows more than he will tell. The
Coroner also said Mr.. Dean was good
man to watch, and he should not be per.
mitted to leave his house.
As soon Us he is able to leave the house
he will in allprobability be placed under
arrest. The police all adhere to the
same theory, that the wounds received
by orville could not have been inflicted
by himself, and in their opinion the
mystery" will soon be unraveled.
Mr.. Dean is not able to sit up, but is
making favorable progress towards re.
covery. In regard to the theory that
Mr.. Dean himself fired some OF the shots
that proved fatal to Orville D. Jewett,
the formers son said that, in his fathers
present condition, it had been deemed
advisable to keep him in ignorance ofthe
fact that such theory had been broach.
ed. He said he never knew his father to
have pistol Of any kind in his posses.
sion, and that he was a man very unlike,
ly to ever carry one, US he was not only
unfamiliar with firearms, but had posi-,
tive aversion for them.
Young Mr.. Dean also said that he did
not think it singular Mr.. Taintor's ac-
count had not been made public sooner
inasmuch as the latter had not left Staten
Island, where he had lived with his
father.in.law, since the day OF the fatal
event. He said, however, that his father
memory Of the terrible affair was no
clearer than before, and that the latter
was still unable TO remember even the
relative positions occupied by persons in
the office at the time Of the explosion.
Robert Brown, shipping clerk, said to
a Post reporter, that at the time Of the ex.
plOsion he was on the 6rst floor of the
establishment. He ran into the street,
saw the Office window broken and smoke
issuing from it, and then ran back to 60
up stairs. He met the other clerks com.
ing down, and also Mr.. Dean, whom some
stopped to assist. He continued on his
way up stairs, and was joined by the fire.
men. Before reaching the head OF the
stairs he heard second report, which he
believed to have been from the discharge
Of large revolver. This makes him
certain that this weopen could not have
been fred by Mr.. Dean, who was then at
the bottom Of the stairs. When Mr..
Brown reached the back Office he saw
George W. Jewett wing on his back, with
his feet toward the crate, and 0rville D.
JeWett also on his back with his shoulder
resting on his uncle's breast. Both men
were writhing with pain. Brown also
says that ten or twelve days before the
explosion 0rville Jewett called him TO
one side and said privately, in an impul.
sive manner, that he wished him to take
charge Of his desk and see that it was not
moved, as there was something In it
which might break. In consequence,
Brown warned all the porters not to
touch Jewett's desk. The statement, it
is thought, may throw light on the ques.
tion as to the length OF time that Orville
D. Jewett had had the hand grenade in
his possession.
The offices Of what was the firm Of
John Jewett & Co., Front street and
Burling Slip, are closed to-day. The
extensive factory at Port Richmond is
silent, and over the entire town hangs q
Sabbath stiffness unmistakably f1nereal
in its character. All the flags in town
and on the ferryboats are at half.mast,
and the houses Of the port are draped in
black and white; for on this day takes
place the funeral Of the late senior mem.
ber OF the firm whose life was 80 tragic.
ally ended.
THE THEORY OF MURDER AND SUICIDE BY
oRvILLE u. JEwETr.
NEW YORK, April s.-YesterdAy's de.
yelopments in the Jewett tragedy make
the theory that 0rvilIe committed mur.
der and suicide more certain. Thomas
Jackson, janitor OF the building, corrob.
crates Charles Taintor's statement that
he witnessed the shooting. He was in
the room above when the explosion oc.
Cured, and, rushing down, saw through
broken pane in the rear door OF the
office two bodies lying on the floor. In
an instant four pistol shots were fred,
when he ran to the main office door, and
on entering saw Taintor on the thresh.
hold Of the inner entrance to the office
and questioned him, but received no re-
ply.
The Coroner is said to have discovered
important evidence regarding the affair,
but refuses to make it public.
The funeral Of 0rville D. Jewelt took
place to-day from his residence in Brook.
lyn, and was largely attended by relatives
and members OF the Loyal League OF the
United States, Of which deceased was a
Lieut.. Colonel. Floral. tributes were
sIrewn over the casket which enclosed the
remains. The services we're celebrated
BY Unitarian clergyman. The body
was taken TO Geenwood cemetery for in.
teFmpnt Tha ranna;na nf tIao.oo W