The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-10
WELLSBURG.
A PLOT TO MURDER SHERIFF CURTIS
REVEALED.
Tom Cheek. who IL Accused Of Being n
Party 10 the lheehdlRFies In ana
About Bethany Under Arrest,
wELLsBuRo, November $.

'-hAAAS@ShssNI
Editors lntellIgonCer:
On Friday evening, November 7th, a
party OF twelve men assembled at the old
camp ground on Castleman's run, Brooke
county, and proceeded on horseback to
the residence Of Thomas Cheek, in Jack.
town, Pa. distant from Bethany thirty
miles. They LEFT the camp ground at s
P. NJ, arriving at Jacktown at "a. N. this
morning. Arriving at Cheeks house they
took him out and put him on horse, and
started towards West Virginia, the party in
the meantime maintaining the utmost quiet
and being unknown to Cheek. They had
not proceeded far until Cheek said that at
was all mistake about him burning Beth.
any College," About 9 o'clock the party
passed through the town OF West Alexan.
der, where Cheek yelled for help. None
came to hand, however. On striking the
State limo and crossing, DR.. W. X. Curtis,
who is deputy for his father, the Sheriff,
In cases oil emergency like this one, ap-
peared upon the scene and arrested Cheek
upon warrant issued upon the Sfidayits
OF J. 7. and d. +. Suddoth, OF Bethany.
Cheek was taken before Esquire Billings,
ot Bethany, and held in the sum OF s. 900.
Last Thursday two women, Mrs John.
SON and Mrs. Wilson, were arrested here
for shop.liftiHg. After being committed
Mrs. Wilson sent for DR.. W. X. Curtis,
and told him that she had statement to
make that would be OF very great service
to him. Unfortunately she had gotten
into bad scrape and desired to get oT
as easy as possible. She was conducted 10
an apartment where she could not be
overheard, and stated to DR.. Curtis that
that Tom Cheek and DR.. Parkinson were
the chief actors in the burning OF the
property in and about Bethany-that
they had had meetings at her husbands
house. That they had keys with which
they entered the store OF George @, Curtis,
10 Bethany; also keys for the safe OF the
same. She says that the way they got an
impression to make keys was as follows:
Tom Check borrowed bundle Of keys
from Mr.. Cowan, clerk in Curtis store,
among which were the store door and
safe keys, saying he wanted to
unlock bureau drawer. According to
her statement these parties visited Curtis
store in the night time as often as two or
three times week, carrying of such arti.
cles as would not be readily missed, and
small sums OF money out OF the drawer in
nickels and other small change TO the
amount Of two or three dollars each time.
She said that Cheek, at the timo OF the ar.
rest OF the youngman Fletcher, some time
since, had box Of goods obtained from
Curtis store; also that Parkinson had
box OF stolen goods. Mrs. johnson told
tue same story as told by Mrs. Wilson
without having known that Mrs. W ilsOn
had made statement. The evidence thus
far against Parkinson and Cheek, as OBJ
tanned from number Of witnesses, is sub
stantially the same in the most minute
particular, and points to Cheek and Par
kinson as being the prime movers in the
burning ot property at Bethany. PaIkin-
son has waived hearing until he can con-
suit an attorney. Cheek will be taken to
Wheeling this evening on the 6:32 train
tor safe keeping. Sometime since friend
OF Sheriff Curtis informed him that plot
had been laid TO murder him and that he
ought TO be on the lookout.
This startling information led DIR, W,
K. Curtis, Of Wellsburg, to try his hand
at working up and finding out II possible
the parties who were trying to destroy
Bethany and the lives Of its citizens. The
Sheriff and his son also have been very
diligent.
Esquire Billings informs me that he has
q warrant for the arrest OF one James
johnson, alias ]. O. Wright, who belongs
to this Brooke county gang. He is sup
posed to be at New England, Wood coun.
ty, W. Va. A suitable reward will be
paid for his arrest.
There Is much connected with this case
that cannot be properly revealed now.
We trust that a beginning of the end OF
the Bethany troubles is at hand.
George philabaum has Just been Jailed.
he Is supposed 10 belong to the gang Of in.
cendiaries, &. Is. C.