Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-03-29
Shocking Murder and Lynch Law in West
Virginia.

Shocking Murder and Lynch Law in West
Virginia.
A MAN KILLS THREE PERSONS FOR TALK
ING ABOUT HIS FAMILY-HE Is SEIZED
BYA MOB AND HUNG-LETTER TO HIS
WIFE.
SC, SC, &C. !.
John Wallace near Wheeling, W. Va,
had come to believe that the wife OF his
brother George had been talking about"
him. He went to his brothers house and
told his wife that she must go to Miss
Church's, as that lady was sick. He asked
for hammer and she gave it to him.
Wallace and his brothers wife and her lit
tie child started to ChGrch's, and as Mrs.
Wallace was climbing the fence he struck
twice with the hammer ON the head, which
killed her. He then picked up the child,
which was crying, and struck 1t against
stone Death Immediately followed. He
then went back and told Miss Church to
get him something to eat, and as she star
ted out he struck her several times with
the hammer, which caused death. He
then went home and slept over night, and
gave the alarm next morning in order to
screen himself. He stated that his broth
er and wife had been talking about him,
and his wife and he had determined to
kin the woman His reason for killing
| Miss Church is that he was afraid she
would find out what he had done. All this
he confessed after ne was arrested on sus-
licion and confined III Blacks Hotel pre-
paratory to being committed to jail. He
spent Saturday night praying and crying.
About 2 o'clock in the morning twenty five
men broke into the hotel. They approached
the first guard and demanded admittance.
He refused and they drew their pistols and
fired several shots IN the air, and the man
ran off. EnCering the front door Mostly
they began knocking off the lamp CHM
neys with their pistol barrels. and as the
| wind was blowing strong the lamps were
soon eXtinguished and the place was in
| utter darkness. The mob then began
| firing in the ceiling and shouting as if
! they were so many devils. They fired
about in such reckless manner that sew
eral of their party were slightly wounded.
When Wallace heard the uproar he began
sobbing and praying, and as the door OF
his room opened and the first OF the lynch
ers made his appearance he sprang behind
one of the guards and screamed, MY God
don't kill; save me, save me!S The mod
laughed at his cries, and after knocking the
guard down and trampling on him, they
threw Wallace on bis back and began to
| tie his arms. Again he screamed in agony
as great drops of perspiration rolled down
| his face: s!Don't murder, don't kill me !!
For Gods sake give me time to pray.
| [ want to see minister" One OF the
men yelled, "You murderer. Miss Church
wants to Gee you, and by IS she shall ~
After placing the rope firmly about his
neck they dragged him down stairs head
! foremost, and out of the house on to the
| railroad track, where he uttered the most
horrible cries, cursing, praying and beg
ging them to let him go. They paid no at
| tention to him, but began running with
4 took places one behind the other and pre-
\ sentlv began to run. Wallace did not stop
| calling until he had been dragged nearly a
| quarter of g mile. He vainly tried to re-
1 gain his feet and stand up, but whenever
/! he did so the mob would pull the rope
| suddenly and jerk him on his back. After
going nearly mile below Littleton they
| stopped and hung the body to tree. 1t
| is supposed, of course, that Wallace was
| dead by this time. AT six O'Clock he was
| found dangling from limb of an apple
| tree, alongside Of the railroad, his feet
| about three feet from the ground. When
| the early passenger trains on the Baltl.
| mo and Onio passed the place there was
| great connection among those on board
and the trains slackened their speed in or
der to give the people chance TO look at
| the lynchers' work. When the body W as
examined, the spine and neck were found
| 10 be broken, and the body horribly
| mangled and bruised. A corOner's jury
| was at once summoned, and they returned
a verdict to the effect that he came to his
| death by hanging at the hands OF unknown
| persons.
The following letter was found in his
pocket, written to his wife =
''Mrs. Mary Wallace, from a husband
| to wlfe-l will probably never see you
again. | am a prisoner and expect to be
| hung for the murder Of those who l con-
fessed to have killed. Dear Mary, | can't
iell the reason did it, only through the
! hatred | had against George for the way
| he talked about you when we were stay
| ing at his house, and what they said about
| you after we went back to your fathers.
[ am sorry to say that was persuaded by
| Henry Villars, more or less, and was drink
| inc some. | was committed to Jail fol
| further examination. Dear wife, would
like to see you, but cannot see you unless
you get well and come to see me. Darling
| if you can come and see me, come. Write
me line Or two and send to me right
away. Ii [ live to get to Jail L will write
| to you and tell you ali [ have to say.
| Write,soon. From your husband,
! JOHN WALLACE. 81
''P. 81 will trust III God to save my
soul. Good bye, dear wife, goodbye. \ GU
once loved your husband, aud hope will
| never forget me. Let God be your com
forter. God forbid that any shall do as |
have done"