The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-22
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY
Near Littleton, Wetzel County.
Two Women Brutally Outraged and
Then Murdered.
Lt4rLlros, March 81.


Wallace, who rode wildly into town hol
lowing at the top Of his voice that "some
people had been killed." On being
questioned, he stated that he had left bis
father.in.law's house that morning to &c
to join his brother, George Wallace, in
some work that he was doing at Mr.. Con
ways, and, as he wanted to get some arti-
cles from his brothers house before going
to work, had gone there first, and had
found that his brothers. wife and babe
aud Miss Church had been murdered,
and, at once, went to Mr.. Conway's TO
tell his brother, and afterwards to Little.
ton. This is his story.
The evidence indicates that John Wal.
lace, whose wife is lying very i'll at her
fathers house, on last Tuesday night
went 10 Georges house and entreated his
brothers wife to so out with him, telling
her that his "sick wife wanted her"
When they had gotten about half mile
from the houserhe murdered her and the
babe on the lonely mountain below
described.
In killing the woman he used heavy
blacksmith's hammer which he had bor-
rowed from a neighbor several days be.
fore; three blows had been dealt, any Of
which would have been sufficient to cause
instant death, as the skull was horribly
crushed at each pitiless blow. The babe
was found lying across lis mothers knees,
where it had evidently been thrown by
the murderer. About three rods from
where they lay blood was found on a
sharp knot on a rail and from the nature
Of the wounds on the ehild's head II was
evident that tile heartless wretch had
taken her by the feet and literally dashed
the brains out against the fence.
1t is thought that he then went back to
the house, and, after ravishipg Miss
Church, murdered her with the same
hammer. Her head was horribly cut and
crushed.
In short time after Wallace. alarm,
crowd. Of curious and alarmed people
were hurrying to the scene, and before
many hours had passed The bodies Of
mother and babe and the house where
Miss Church's body lay, were surrounded
by hundreds Of excited men, women and
children all eager to learn the particulars
OF the horrible afflir. II was not long
before suspicion settled on the brother',
John and George Wallace, as the perpe.
traitors OF the triple murder; they were,
at once, pnt- under guard, and arrested
by Esq. Morris, Of Burton, on his arrival
few minutes later.
Accommodating evidence made the
suspicion that John Wallace, was
the murderer, q settled fact. It was
learned from his wife that he had
gotten home on Tuesday night, otter mid
might; she says she noticed his shirt was
very wet and had evidently just been
washed. He arose before daylight
Wednesday morning, changed all his
clothing and creased his boots, ito cover
all traces OF blood on them) and left the
house. His clothing was sent for by the
Jury on Wednesday; his shirt was still
damp and his pants had several spots oi
blood on them, Enoch Roberts, father oi
the murdered wife, says that about three
months ago he received letter from
George Wallace 1.-THE husband) saying iii
he didn't come and get his d-n daughter
he would kill her" Ia is said that his
reason for wanting to get rid Of her was
that he intended to join woman in Mar
shall county to whom he was married
some seven or eight years ago. !.
THE PLACE AND SURROUNDINGS
where the murders were committed ia
about four miles south OF Li.tle.on, 10
we,zel county, on a branch Of Fish Creek
called Long Drain. Here ip this lonely
spot, surrounded by very high hills deep
cut by rayines, is the scene OF the murder,
The honse Of George Wallace, ala.
Baker, the husband Of one Of the murder
ed women, ia near the head OF q run
which enters the main stream, situated
on little cove or Hat on the side of the
mountain-the most lonely and desolate
abode the Imagination can picture. The
approach to 1t up the gorge Of the monn'
tain Is dismal beyond description. Thu
path leading to IL follows the run all the
way, and Is In many places oyerhung BY
fallen timber, large rocks, and success,
sion OF small cataracts, which IMPEDE
the progress Of the curious who have th'
courage 10 penetrate the unfrequentet
and dangerous route. In the rear 0
the rude log house ia a high AM
lonely knob oyergrown with scrubb!
timber and laurel. Here on the pinnacl
OF this mountain Is where Mrs. Wallae
and her child were found dead, and fror
evidences Of a contest and scnflle is pre-
sumed TO be the scene OF their murder
The inside Of the house presents a sich
eninc sight. On the floor as you ope
the door are two pools Of blood, and flow
ing across the rough boards is purpl
stream, which loses itself under one Of th
rude beds in corner Of the room. o
the opposite side of the single apsrtmen
| is another bed, Ia which little two yea
old child Of the murdered mother wa
sleeping, and where it was found o
Wednesday, when the corpse Of Mii
Church was discovered. 1t wasremarke
by a neighbor, an old man, living nea
the mouth Of the run up which Geotg
Wallace moved his family only two week
ago, that he had selected the lonely an
secluded spot as the place best fitted 10
the murder Of his family, which in hi