Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-25
KIGER'S KILLING.
The Preliminary Examination Of
the Youthful Culprit-The
Long Array Of Boy Witnesses
"A Personnel of Kiger.

1Ou6 <AAAoy Va ~
"A Personnel Of Kiger.
By half past ten on Saturday morning,
the small room at the Police Court which
serve as species OF Office for the janitor,
was filled with motley crowd OF some
twenty youths, who were present at or
with the South Wheeling
homicide, and are known in that happy
region as "shanty boys" The individual
members of this party rejoice IN the
most wonderful nicknames, such as
peggy" "Mule," Saturday" &c, and
q better natured or rougher crowd would
be- difficult to assemble. They are
nearly all in the habit of assembling at
these "shanties" and having hilarious
times, but have not had, and expressed
themselves as deeply wronged by any
statements to the contrary, any loose
women about the place. Indeed, one OF
them gave free vent to his laceratedfeel-
ings on the subject, remarking that II
"he found out who started the report
he would hit him in the neck" Nearly
all of these boys were witnesses to the
cutting of Hobrecht, and with the ex-
ception OF few who were too excited
to remember much, told tolerably
straight stories. AS body, they were
greatly prejudiced against kiger, one OF
them stating that if he was acquitted
they would collect mob and lynch
him. Mere boyish threats, however,
spoken thoughtlessly.
At the hour mentioned above, Justice
Mix appeared and the examination be-
gan, L. s. Jordon acting for the State
and Capt. B. B. Dovener for the defense.
Edward Kiger, the defendant, was
brought in from the county Jail, and sat
by his counsel, his parents occupying
seats near him and within the enclosing
railing.
The testimony generally, was the
same as that adduced at the inquest
and printed in the REGISTER the next
morning, with however a few eXcep-
tons in the way OF additions which we
note below. The cross-examination
was careful and severe, and developed
information which will materially
aid the defense.
We first give the story rs t. Id by the
various witnesses and alterward the
facts shown by the crOss-examlnatlon
On Saturday evening, the 10th instant,
a party of BOYS numberingabout twenty
and running in ages from sixteen to
twenty-five, assembled at a shanty on
the premises Of a man named Schrumm.
This shanty is in the extreme southern
part of the city and located east OF the
b. & o. railroad and between it and the
hill. 1t was built by the members, by
permission of Schlumln, he to get the
boards. 1t contains stove, and line
Of bench, and is lighted by one oil lamp:
The bows assembled between six and
nine o'clock, Hobrecht and Niger
coming in about seven, the
former sitting on the bench
at the north side, and the latter lying
under it on the east side. Twoboys, both
minors, were sent to the Nail City
brewery for beer, bringing two half kegs,
and the jollity began. Two incipicnt
Primroses and Vests, at the request OF
several did "step' on a piece OF board,
the lower part OF car door. When
they were through, kiger came from
under the bench to lie on the board, re-
cciving as he did so, a slap from Peggy
AtWcll, OH TIE Ddth. iht p'''i" was
living then behind the stove n.the
South Side, and after occupying it
awhile, he removed it to the front or
northeast of the stove, placing it on the
foot of Carl klsss, which was in the way.
He attempted to remove the foot and
failed, remarking that it was too heavy.
During this time ne had held in his
hand large sized pocket knife, the
blade of which was probably three and
a half inches in length, the testimony
on this point varying. Unable to re-
move Kloss' foot, he laid on:. the board,
and Carl took hold of one end and
dumped him off, but did not remove his
foot. Kiger resumed his recumbent po-
sition, and kloss again dumped him,
this time withdrawing his foot. As Il
light amusement, some OF the boys
fired a newspaper ank kicked il about
the floor, though strange to say, in a
room eleven feet by twelve, half the
boys failed to see this.
About this time IIobrecht, from his
seat to the right and back OF Niger,
punched him with poker, and Niger,
without looking, threw his hand and
knife in that direction, striking, though
scarcely drawing blood from the hand
of a boy named Freddy Edele. Edele
asked what he cut him Tor, and Niger
replied: II did not mean to cut YOU
HObrecht remarked that he ought 10 put
away that knife Kiger making no re-
Spouse. Hobrecht repeated his injunc-
ton, saying he "oughn't to have
a knife ont in 4 crowd
any way" Niger then arose, crying,
and said, 81 don't want any OF your
damned lip" "Iou don't?" asked
Hobrecht, also rising "No, don't"
replied Kiger, retreating into the corner.
Hobrecht then rushed at him, striking
him several blows, one witness averring
that he grasped his throat, and another
saving that kiger made several passes
At him with the knife, some ovcrhanded
and some straight thrusts. Hobrecht
drew back, dropped his hands to the
wound, and prepared for another at
tack, but was held back by the boys.
Young Atwell caught kiger's hand, the
one with the knife, and held it until
Kloss showed him out the door. Niger
asked for his hat, which was thrown out,
but he did not wait for it, and il was
afterwards brought in and burned by
Atwell. HobreCht was supported to
seat, and DR.. Hazlctt called in. The Doc
tor dressed the wound, and told the
boys to place the sufferer on lounge,
board or settee, and remove him to
his home, that he was danger
ously wounded, and TO conceal nothing
from his parents. The boys then placed
lIobrecht on one OF the benches and
carried him home, but arriving there
and never dreaming his hurt was so
serious, concluded to keep the affair
secret, and allowed him to walk in and
to bed. Therefore nothing was known
10 the parents until the next morning.
DIR. Hazlett called twice during Sunday
and found the boy suffering great pain
and tossing wildly about in bed. He
told the parents he could not live and
his prediction WAS verified, Franz Ho-
brecht ceased to live at or about ; P. VI.
Drs. Hazlett and Wilson, held a post
mortcm examination over his remains
and found wound two inches in length.
about five inches below and in vertical
line from the left nipple. The knife in