Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-28
A SENSATION THAT HAS SHAKEN THE
CITY T0ITS FOUNDATIONS,
Still no Clue to the Guilty 0ne-NO Arrests
as Yet-A Chain Of circumstances
Runs Toward One Man-What
Mr.. Maxwell Has to Say,


excitement displayed was very great.
Men neglected their business and lOitefed
around on Twelfth street, anywhere be-
tween Main and Chapline streets, hop
ing IL hear additional news to that pub
llshed by the morning press. All kinds
of surmises were INDUCED, and the air
Was
RIFE WITH RUMORs
detrimental to the good standing Of GER
tain parties who have charge OF the
office of the gas works. Some attributed
the burning OF the books to the declara..
ton published by MI Graves in one Of
the Sunday papers, while others more
charitable declared that the work was
that Of an enemy to the present inCum-
bents. BE this rs il may, We leave il for
the detectives to bring 10 light. As is
always the case after thing LAS been
made public, everybody remarks; IL
told YOU SO. knew there was some
thing wrong" This, however Is not 10
the subject, nor is it OF vital importance
To the public, who are yearning for any
information that can be gotten 10y the
reporters. Well, to the point.
THE SECRETARY INTERVIEWED.
Having been informed that our asser-
ton in Yesterdays REGISTER To the Ell
feet that strange 10 say, although Mr..
kmg soon put in an appearance, after
the alarm was struck, Mr.. Maxwell had
not arrived up To IL o'clock, at which
time our reporter lett the office did not
suit Mr. Maxwell, the Secretary, our
reporter called upon that gentleman,
whom he found standing on the door
step, in front oi the office, about /
o'clock Yesterday afternoon. Upon be-
ing informed of the object of the visit,
Mr.. Maxwell turned and went into the
office followed by our reporter. After
being seated, Mr. Maxwell on Il chair
leaning against the east wall oi the room,
and our reporter, near the counter on
which the books were offered a. a
sacrifice, the following conversation
took place.
Mr.. Maxwell have helped this
affair on by your Cd infamous article,
published this morning.
RepOrrer-lIold on, Mr.. Maxwell Al
though We published that YOU did not
put i'm an appearance up To- II o'clock
last night, we do not feel that you are
justified in using such language toward
Us. Did YOU come to the office AT all
last night?
Mr. Maxwell No, sir | did not. |
have nothing To say.
Reporter What edyou to remain
away
MIR Maxwell Mr. King and Dennis
Gilligan came To my house, No. 81 Fit
tccnth street, after ten O'Clock Sunday
night, and told me that there had been
a fire i'm the Gas office No. II Twelfth
street, and that the books, composed Of
the meter books, registers and COM
plaint hook, all in pile ON that slab
there MIR Maxwell pointed Ia the cOun-
teri had been burned. asked him
King ii il were necessary Tor me To
come down, and he said not; that Andy
Sweeney had got the books and put
them away somewhere.
Representatives, you, Mr. Maxwell,
al the Office any time during the day
preceding the night OF the fire?
Mr. MAXWELL was at the office some
time before noon on sunday, hut left
about T. o'clock.
Reporter I'm leaving the office, did
YOU 8,Strn the front door?
Mr.. MAXWELL thought | fastened
the front door, hut ann not positive of
having done 81. will not say that ]
am iniallblr and could not have made
the mistake, hut la my own mind, am
sure did 81.
Reporter pid you learn what hooks
Were burned
Mr.. MaXN ELL fluid that nearly all
the first section book was destroyed, but
{ have bills made out from the book for
last month, with the index OF meter al
January III, together with the names Ui
consumers. find that the second and
third section books are not damaged To
any extent.
Rcportcr-Whatare We to understand
by section book?
Mr.. Maxwell The city is divided into
three sections. The first section is all
that portion al the city north of Twelfth
street The second section Il composed
al all that between Twelfth street AMI
the creek, and the third all south of the
creek. For each section there i a book
i'm which is taken the stage of the meter
each month.
Reporter What has becomrot all the
backs and papers 1.-THE office
Mr.. Maxwell-They are now in the
hands 81 the Mayor, and | await an in
Nc~tlgatlon
Reporter There Is a rumor, Maxwell,
that you wcrc at Andy Kings residence
nu SUNDAY night. Is thep any truth IN
/ tlic rumurH
MIR. Maxwell There is; | went down
10 Kings house, corner ui jacob and
Nineteenth streets some time between
| two and three o'clock and STAYED until
about four o'clock or probably after. |
Wrut home and about q o'clock ur after
my daughter and I went o. ~cc King :
/ hrnthcr-in-hw. James GrnUn, who hSd
got hurt last week. Ny daughter left
/ lor home about o'clock aud | remained
with my two small children until about
/ . o'clock, when | went home, after
which did not leave my r,sidenre and
when King came 70 my house was ia
best
l Rcporter Are Won in the habit oi
visiting Mr. King and his family
| Mr.. MAXWELL ~ down t. Mr..
Kings very nearly every sunday alter
noon On a friendly call.
Rcporter-What Is there in Graves
/ conduct toward yOus
Mr.. MaXwrll-lou SAW what was in
that paper. referring o. Sunday
paltr.i well, he has been throwing out
dirtv insinuations against Us. make
no charges AGAINST any one. Every
thing Is rvady Tor investigation.
With this interview, our reporter
sought out Others and talked the matter
over.
NJ Pollock. one % the gas trustees,
saws that a. SION As COHncll meets and
arpoints an investigating committee,
the trustees will afford every facility in
their power to speed the investigation.
A. IA Graves. Nr Pollock has heard
that he was discharged from the South
Wheeling glass works FOR metdhns With
affair of nointerest "a him.
cur reporter next sought Tor MayOT
- "a f,nul h5u, Al Tho city