Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-01-09
Tho o'Neil Tragedy.
THE SUPPOSED ASSASSIN ARRESTED.

1
!, BLooMINaroN, ILL.,, Dec. 3O-As wa
J, predicted in these dispatches las
night, rapid development was mad
last night In solving the mystery o
! the murder of James O'Neil, Thurs
day morning at 80. Two days ag,
it was definitely fixed in the mind
of the detectives and those best poste,
.. in the case, that there was womal
I in it, and also that that woman was
resident of Bloomington, and that tn
murderer, whoever he was, was eithe
Bloomingtonian or one who wa
familiar with the city and O'Neil'
habits. At o'clock this mornine
Capt. Stone, of the city police, accom-
panied by Officer Conway, Office
, Joy, and Detective Simmons, Of Chi
cago, entered the little watch-hous,
Of the Chicago and Alton railroad, q
Chestnut street crossing, and, finding
CHARLES WHEATON, THE NIGHT YARD
i MASTER
of that road, lying on the bench, Of
! ficer Conway said to him: "Whea.
ton, I'm sorry to say have q warran,
for your arrest" Wheaton was per.
fectly cool and collected, and respon.
ded by saying: "What is the war.
rant for" "For the murder of Jim
i O'Neil," replied the officer. Whea.
ton said he was not the man, and
I would be glad to see Jim O'Neil'e
murderer arrested and convicted.
Il He was not the least particle agitated
or excited, and made NO resistance
whatever. He was taken to jail and
turned over to the custody of the sher-
iE The officers, after his arrest W emf
to Wheaton's house, two blocks north
west Of the spot where O'Neil fell,
and made q search of the house.
Among other things, they found a
Ipsir Of Colts army pistols, Of fine fin
Iish, cap-loading, bone handles, dia-
mond-cut finish, eight-inch barrels.
There were no charges in either
Two fine gold watches were also
found. The pistols were at once COM
pared with the bullet which had pass
ed through O'NeiPs body, and it was
found that the bullet was almost q
perfect fit. The fatal bullet was pre-
served in remarkably good condition,
being neither cut nor indented. Its
seven rifle marks were as clean and
perfect as if cut by an engravers tool.
they fitted the seven rifles Of the pis-
tol accurately. The barrels did not
show plainly that the pistol had been
recently used, but gunsmiths say that
one chamber shows marks of recent
firing, and that knife scratch on the
cylinder indicates recent handling.
On the handle of the revolver is en-
graved "Lieut. j. P. Bailey, quarter
master first hussars, U. S. Army"
The circumstance leading to the ar
rest are as follows: It has for some
time been known to O'Neips friends
that he had been on terms of
| INTIMACY WITH MRS. WHEATON.
T, although no one seems to know how
intimate their relations have been.
II Is also known that O'Neil has been
fearful Of Wheaton's revenge, and
that he had conversed with friends
about 1t, although he and Wheaton
were scarcely acquainted. Mrs.
Wheaton is young and pretty wo-
man, who has been talked ABOUT a
good deal in connection with the
names ofmen other than her husband.
She came here with Wheaton about
year ago, from Alton, where Wheat
on had been yard-master, and has
lately lived with him ON Allen street,
two blocks from the spot of the mur-
der. Some months ago she left him,
and he followed her to her homo at
Logansport, and brought her back.
Some time ago Wheaton went to q
lawyer of this city, to open negotia-
tons for divorce. The pair have
lived together unhappily. Mrs.
Wheaton says that she has been abus-
ed. She was also placed under ar
rest, but was not taken to jail, two
officers being detailed to guard her
house and prevent her escape. She
seems to know nothing as to the mur-
der, but does not deny intimacy with
O'Neil.
wHEAToN's RECORD.
For some time ugly rumors as to
his previous history have been circu-
lated here regarding Wheaton. 1t
has been said Of him that during the
war Wheaton was one of Mosby's
guerrillas. He is said to be native
of Texas, and in an interview with
The Times reporter to-day said that
he had spent five years ON the plains
as government teamster. He says
he bought the pistols in st. Louis
pawn-shop. He is tall, bony, and
muscular, fully as large and heavy as
O'Neil, and locally has q great repu-
tation for nerve and activity. An
engineer said of him to-day: "Wheat-
on would tackle any man that walks
these tracks, and was just as good
man physically as O'Neil." To-day,
Wheaton said he would be out of jail
tomorrow, because he could prove
On alibi. He says he knows nothing
whatever Of O'Nell's murder. He
conversed freely and without feeling
or excitement. He has many friends
in the city, who cannot be convinced
that he is guilty. Certainly there is
as yet no absolute proof, although
suspicion rests heavily ON him.
At the Western depot everything is
quiet. O'NeiPs brothers and Keat.
ing, his brother-in-law, all men of
influence, and most deeply interested
in the prosecution, counsel peaceful
measures and urge that Wheaton shall
have a just and impartial hearing.
They say that as yet the links in the
chain of evidence are not complete.
Tonight, Detective Simmons and
Officer Conway have gone to Pontiac
to bring to Bloomington
BRIDGET CoNDoN,
girl who formerly lived here, and
who since the murder, has said that
she thinks she knows who killed
O'Neil. Some months ago she was
arrested on complaint of Mrs. Wheat
on for assault, quarrel having arose
from Bridget calling Mrs. Wheaton
a name which cast reflection on her
chastity. She will arrive on the
night train.
| States Atty. Fifer has not yet de-
termined what course to pursue 90 to
examination. 1t is probable that the
coroner'sJury will be called together
again to hear new testimony. There
is the deepest feeling among the Irish
people, and although there is nothing
evident, yet It'll is gravely feared that
should direct evidence accumulate
against Wheaton, most careful pre-.
cautions would be necessary to pre-
vent lynching. The police authori-
ties are making all arrangements
necessary to see that Wheaton re-
ceives fair play.
A large number of Iowa papers IA
vor tho proposition to abolish the Of
flee of county superintendent of
schools, The iniatory movement in
this direction was made by the board
Of supervisors Of Clinton county and
a great many other counties, through
the board ofsupervisors, have indors-
ed 1t. 1t is believed that large ma
liority Of the counties, will, this winter,