West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-12-20
A CHASTITY HORROR.
JOSEPH NJ. ASHBY FALLS IN
TO AN OPEN SHAFT $50
FEET DEEP.
HIS BODY TAKEN UP AND CORO-
NER'S INQUEST HELD.
other Human Remains Found.

Joseph NJ. Ashby, of Fellowsvillo, in
this County, where he was born and
raised, and where his wife and four
children now reside, has been missing
since the 22d OF lat October. His alb
sence ca lsed little or no uneasineSs in
the minds of his family and friends FOR
some time, they surprising that he had
gone IL Ohio in accordance with tre~
queutly expressed purpose To visit a Sis
ter living at Evansville Correspondence
elected the tact, however, that his sister
in Ohio know nothing OF him-that he
had ..ot boon there. This intelligence
aroused the niSgiviugs of his friends and
led Thorn TO make inquiry nearerbome. II
was ascertaiucd hat hc was last seen
alive on the night of October 22d AZ Tun.
Melton, where he attended a dance, leav~
ing about midnight, son cwhat intoN ca
tel, TO cross over tho hill to the West eud
of the tunnel. The uight was very dark
and the abrupt and ragged foot path by
which he would have To 20, leads over
and parallel with the tunnel, end passes
dangerously near the three open shafts o.
from 10 to 225 feet in depth. sunk some
thirty years ago 10y tho Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company i'm tho construc~
ton OF the tunnel, which is z OF a milo IN
longth. These shafts arc without any
fence or guard around them; and rs all
trace Of the missing man was los from
the time he quilted the dance at the
East end to cross - the W est end of the
tunnel, il was reasonably feared that he
hal, i'm the darkness, walkoi into one of
these YRwniug pits, These fears were
greatly increased, when on examination
about tho mouth of the shaft nearest the
East end, unmistakable evidences were
discovered OF Somctdag having gone
down here. /. was then de ermined TO
descend and search the shaft. For this
purpose timbers and phnl<s were pro-
cured and a platform and windlaSs were
erected over the shaft, and on Saturday
afternoon last, about ! o'clock, every
thing being in readiness, George Will
liams, coal miner of this place, got into
the rudely cNtempoIized bucket and was
lowered 1870 feet 10 the bottom. on get
ii down, the light from his laatern res
voalod To- Williams the body of Ashby
lying upon tho right side
and partially yored by
earth aud loavcs. By oxsrting bis
strength he managed e. raise tho CHASTITY
object of his search and place it in the
bucket. lie then signal,d To tho mon
above for his ovcrcoat, which was low
cred down to him, and which lac spread
mt over tho dead body. chen taking
lis place in tho bucket ne gave the
signal to "h ist away and ia few
minutes the brave George Williams and
the dead body OF Joseph ". Ashby were
drawn up together and landed safely up
on tic platform. The body was fully
ide.tihcd, and was examined by DR.
WIN. NJ. Dent aud DR.. T.. Howell, of
Newburg, and Or. r. Easton, of Eel
louisville, who found two cuts on tn
head and bruises upon the body, but no
bones broken.
justice l.. G. Bikor was notih,l, AMI
came and Lcld An inquest The following
verdict was rendered by the jury.
"An inquisition tall en- at THunclton, in
the county of Preston, ON the llta day
OF December. 1879, before l.. G. Baker.
uNlltt IN anu lDi Sdlu county, NIbu TIC
view of Il q body of Joseph NJ. Ashby
there lying dead, the jurors sworn to IN
quire when, how and by what means the
said Joseph VI. Ashby came to his death,
upon their oaths do say that tho said
Joseph ~. Ashby came To- biz death by
falling 60 the bottom of No. shaft of
KingwoOd tuu icl, on the b ~ O. r. r.,
in the county ard State aforesaid. upon
tho night IF the 22d day Of October, 1879;
and the jury do further say that tho said
y. a .. r. r. co. is guilty Of glos1 neg
lect in allowing said No. ] shan 10 re
main without an enclosure at the mouth
In testimony whereof the said Justice
and jurors herouuto set their hands,
[Signedl Gus. j. $ after, Foys,aan Jno.
Snider, Leroy Shaw, }. l.. Maukins,
j. w. Combs, g.. ". Hartman, w. III
Castool, Thornton Conley, Hezekiah
MillOr, George p. DUR, WIN. Nine,
Thorn j. Badcu.
j., &. BAKEH,
JDsucl."
The body, which had lain forty five
days at The bottom Of the shaft. was i'm %
tolerable state Of preservation. u was
placed iu neat coffin on SuudaJ ami