The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-05-05
LEE SINGLETOS'S CRIME.


I
Tie Eureka Sentinel contains the fol.
lowing At tile head Of Culver canyon,
about thirteen miles from Eureka, in n
desolate and forbidden country, is n
tumble down shanty, evidently built by
some coal burners. Some four months
ago, man in search Of stray stock hap
pened to look into the shanty, and found
the body OF man dead in q rude bunk
agniIiEt the side Of the cabin.
A week ngo, james Thornton, while
out hunting, sought shelter under the
roof Of the sllanty, and found book
from which the following is transcribed :
NOVEMBER II, 1876
My name is Lee Singleton. I was
born in LitchfelI county, Maryland, in
1871. I lived there until tho breaking
out of the war, when I enlisted in the
Southern army, and served until the
close of the war. was wounded twice,
once ut Yorktown, and Hgain at the
siege of Petersburg. Both my parents
died, and after the war was over / came
West and followed tho Union Pacific
railroad until it was completed. I then
went to White Pine, and in 1871 to Eu-
reka, where l went 10 work MS feeder
ut the - furnace. Ny companion,
John Murphy, was very ovcrbeNring, and
insIIlted me on several occasions, but rs
lie was much stronger man than my
self I took no notice Of it until one day
he struck me. &c did not know that lie
signed his death warrant with that blow,
but he did.
While feeding the furnace the thought
often came to me that it would be an
easy matter to stun him with blow and
throw him into the stack, and I knew
that If it was once accomplished no one
could ever detect any traces Of the crime.
The principal difficulty was the continued
presence OF the ore whcelers, but as they
worked ten hours and quit at six o'clock,
there was III interval OF mn hour, during
which me and Murphy were alone, save
the occasional visit OF the night boss. I
had to wait neArly two weeks before the
shifts changed, 80 thatwc came on at the
same time. When the opportunity final
ly presented itself stepped behind him
and struck him blow oil the head with
my shovel as he IVES stopping to get n
scoopfill Of charcoal. To drug him to
the feed hole and throw him OH the
charge was hut moments work. I do
not know whether he was dead or only
stunned, but it made little difference, rs
the fumes would have slIifocated him III
n moment. By working hard I succeed
ell III covering the body with ore and
charcoal, and asthe Charge in the fur
nacc sunk he was soon out OF sight.
went into the charcoal business,
aud, forininga copartncrship with two
other men, built the cabin in which l sit
writing this statement. We burned coal
here for two years, when the wood be-
coming exhausted, I took my share of
the profits, $1,000, and went East, but
after four years wandering, returned 10
Eureka.
As soon as I finish this I shall take the
poison, md lay down i'll the bunk. I
don't suppose tllat any one ever passes
this way, and I shall probably lay here
and rot, or the vermin will feast on me.
| cannot go to worse hell than what /
have been in for the Inst six years. II
any one finds this statement they can
verify the truth Of it by looking over the
books OF the smelling company. and
they will find mine and John Afurphy's
name on the pay roll, and il r. NJ Wal
lis is still i'll Eureka, he will remember
the fact of Johns disappearance, for he
was the night foreman ut that time.
LEE SINGLETON.
We have inquired into the matter, and
find that John Murphy mysteriously dis
appeared about the time mentioned Mr..
Wallis recalls the circumstances, and
says that when Murphy disappeared he
EHl eighteen days wages due him, AID
the money was never called for.