The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-20
N AWFUL CALAMITY.
,,x MEN FELL INTO THE
ho" ho,op,yER AT SHORT CREEK
wer. Drowned-rbe Coroner
.,xe. ON the spot at MID
,,,-D.,aiIs OF the Scene
who were There ana "ii
About the Affair.

mas lAbOrer, Win Eeu haie
.;,4 .-oupd his neck, came into the REG
,srss Office iu greatly excited state,
ssLed for some OF the editors and re-
u,,,er. On being informed that they
were s. supper. he informed the clerk
.hs, he was one of the hands on the T.
W. SKY. road, who had been working
,e.- Short Creek, and that he had WIT
ra,.ed 8 horrible tragedy about three
hours before.
III" Va .,id that after being paid of the
man had gone across the river
- Portland and taken to drinking
Sosvily. and that six of them whose
r.nes we're John Harrington, John
WsI.b John OBrien, Thomas Corcorsn,
n Harrington and Pat Coyle the walk
i,, ho,s had returned TO West Virginia
md had gotten into fat and tried to re-
cross over the river, when the bost cspsIz-
81 s1d sill on board were drowned. The
msD who brought the Information IN,
,s3 he and a man named Thomas
He-een his own name being Thomas
C.-yI hsd Immediately procured a sklff
.od searched for the bodies but owlng 10
,ra fact that they lacked the necessary
tools, only two Of them were recovered,
hose Of Pat Coyle and John . Brlen.
The bodies had been taken to boarding
house called the HOosier House, near
Slorl Creek, where they awaited the
corOner's inquest.
The clerk ri once took the man to
Squire Phillips, 10 whom he told the
.sne story. When asked if he would
accompany the Squire to the scene OF the
c,lsmity he refused, saying that he had
had fight with some OF the men, and |
did not dare to return. At this stage OF
the proceedings one of the ROOSTER
-snorters heard the news and hurried to |
Hu,emsu's stable TO order saddle |
horse. After donning heavy riding |
boots. oyercsat &c, he rejolned the |
SQUIRE, who was accompanied by Con-
stable E1ley, and the cayalcade went |
prs7crng a up Main street about eight
o'clock.
This reminds me of scouting expe-
d.ioa during the var, said the SQUIRE.
How tsr is it from town asked the
reporter.
"Ob. | guess IT'S about i've miles, but
the way the roads are now 1t Will seem
further"
DO you think there'll be sny trouble
in getting sjury"
NO. st all; we'll find big crowd
there"
"Perhsps it would hsve been better TO
have brought Cary out with us. bis
testimony is very Important
"You needn't worry about that. Well
have more witnesses than we need,
To sll Of which Exley said amen, ard
on ,hey went over the horrible road bed
olhslt frozen mud, out OF the city, past
the Top mill and along the river
road out into the country.
The horses were fresh and were good
travellers. so the bride reins were slack
ened, snd the pace became u rapid trot.
The road had evidently been newly re-
pared for two or three miles, and there
was no trouble in keeping up good
rste Of speed but soon region OF ap-
psrently bOttOmless mud puddles was en-
tered upon and As low walk Was tcesssry
The poor horses would sometimes stick
IN the tough, rNpidly freezing mud, aud
the riders no. beng eNsctly aware as 10
when these sutt Zen stops were coming,
would land on the pommels OF their
ssld,es, IN condition OF unsubdued pro.
family. Nile after mile OF this fearful
road were ridden over, each one seeming
worse thsn the former At last the
house Of msn, whose first name was
George, lOomed upon the roadside.
Wnst the owners other name was, his
tory ssye,h not.
"GeOrge" Was hailed and in an
swer 70 the question, How
iar is il 10 where those men were
drowned to-day" he answered in strict
confidence thst he had not the least
ites.
Well soon find it," ssys the Squire,
eteeriu'y, and sgsin the party moved off
II the silyery moonlight night, whose
silence wss I'd broken, save by the noise
msde BY the horses, the hooting of far
OF owl, or the musical sPlashing of the
river on It's banks. The reporter WAS
mls.ng about the liver bill and the war
II Europe, when something took place
Ihst Csn never be faithfully described.
There must have been an unusually deep |
sllk-hole IN the road. The horses head /
q ssppeSred; his other end wss rapidly
hoi;ied into the sir. Then, before the re-
porter knew where he was, the head re-
appeared, sud heaven and earth seemed
10 meet with frightful violence right In
pl. Of the repor.orisl stomach. The blow
Of trip.hsmmer would have seemed |
Ike beng stroked with feather COM
psred with the way that the pommel o: |
tast ssddle went into the REGISTER man. |
The first remark that be made wss In |
rsther loud voice and was upon the same
subject that the preachers have been dis
cussing lately.
Whist do YOU ssy?' ssked the Squire. |
"OL, nothing murmured the un-
fortunate reporter. II only ssked II you !
h>.Id The same views in regard 10 the dis |
tAncethst you did when you stsrted?'
Il didn'G hear the latter part of the !
s'ntenco ST inst says the Squire in 3
rather suspicious tone.
About two miles from Short Creek TIE /.
Some Of the railroads hands hive, WAS
found sud sfter calling out the inmates !
Tie following conversation ersued.
Squire Phillips--"Do You know
walking boss named Coyle?'
Yes sir"
Heard anything about his being !
drowned this stternoonl ?"
~No!l Why, l lett him sll right about
four o'clock"
Well he ard FIVE ether men
We're drowned near Short Creek !
To-day aud two bodies have
been found. The bodies are
those OF Coyle and s mxn named John
q Brien."
Whist Was that LAST nsme2" asked /.
one o. the men.
John y Brien."
We'll, mister, it's damn funny tnat
man should be drowned and he not
Know It. Ny names John o Brien, and
The only one OF that name around