The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-11
ATALK WITH CHEEK,
NE Gives an Account OF MIs Capture and
the stories A10at About Him.


the Stories A10at About Him.
A representative q this paper while at
the Jail Yesterday had a talk with Thomas
Cheek, who is confined here subject 10 the
reQulsition of the Brooke county authori.
ties. Cheek is tall, dark aud rawboued,
very black hair and. whiskerS, and a rather
pleasing blue eye. He said he was born
and raised In Cnlpeper county, Virginia,
some 40 years ago, and this fact is well at
tested by the proyinclalismS he uses pc.
cuiar to that section, and his style Of pro.
nunclation. He came to Brooke county
about % years ego, and worked around
among farmers in the capacity Of laborer.
lie is married and has four children, who
are with his wife in Jacktown, Pa.
"well, Mr.. Cheek" we said, "this is
rather serious charge brought against
you. What do you think Of itP"
"Wall, l hardly know what the devil to
think Of it. am here, though, aud will
have to see what comes Of it."
"When did you leave BethanyT
"On the first day OF last April, when !
removed to Greene County, Pa, at which
place l have been ever since. was not
In West Virginny since. l was up ut In.
dependence, Pa, this fall to see Bill Boyd
about some land which neighbor wish.
ed to buy, but that Is the only time l was
near thar"
uWhak TINA WAS that?n
"Wall, really can't say exactly. 1t
was somewhat about the tune Boyd was
hurt; know that"
"What have you been doing since you
left Bethany?"
"a little Of everything, hauliu' coal,
workin' round, &C."
"What do think Of the charge made
against you in regard to the threats you
made against Sheriff Curtis life?"
Never made 'em. l didn't know that
me and Jake was bad friends, until l saw
that stuff in tie papers. Me and him had
allus been the best friends In the world,
and so has Aleck Campbell. ! didn't
know that neither Of them had anything
agin me-"
"What do you know OF these women
now in the Wellsburg jail?"
~ don't know nothin'. The Wilson
woman ! never saw but twice in my life,
and the johnson one, used to see around
Holmes Curtis house, as she worked there,
and me and him were in partnership in
the livery business. have seen the vii.
son woman's husband couple Of times,
as he hired u buggy from US once or twice.
| think he is coal digger"
"What reason had they for making these
charges against you"
THAT'S more'n can say. 'spose Dr.
Curtis tolo them what to say, and got the
thing fixed up agin me by promisin' Ia
git them of for the stealin' they were
Catched at in Wellsburg, last week. don't
know any other reason. They wanted To
get at me, and they must prove somethin
somehow"
"Have you consulted any lawyer or en-.
gagged any yeti"
mo, sir. have partly engaged one,
or rather talked with one o little while,
but you may say that nothing has been
done by mo yet. l don't think this
thing'll amount to nothin'-I don't see
how it kin. l haven't been around thai
or seen anybody since | left, and l expect
to come out all right"
"You expect to prove an alibi them"
~ think kin easy"
as the story true in regard to to your
having some young men up in this city
for robbery?"
"Oh, Lord, no. That was my brother
Jim-'twasn't me, at all. That is just a
specimen OF his goin' round"
| HHow ahnnt vOnr arraAt9n
"Well, l low about 2 o'clock Saturday
mornin'. was walked by some one calm
oh Toni Igot up and went out, and al
once knowed Billy Curtis, Cowans and
one or two students. Some Of them were
new ones, but the others minded. They
made great fuss, and told me to be quiet,
or they would blow out my brains, and
choked my wife and children to keep them
quiet. They said they had the right to ar.
rest me, but they hadn't, and II had
known" there his brow corrugated and he
looked absolutely fendish) "that they
were comm they wouldn' have took me
neither. We gotto West Alexander about
Z O'Clock Saturday morning, and they told
me il l made any fuss they would shoot
me. l said all right, we'll see, and as we
passed Squire Watts Office l called out
that was being carried off, but they
struck my horse and drew revolvers, but
they wouldn't shoot nothan,n he added
contemptuously. "When we got down to
McCammon's they thought we were in
YirRinny and put mo under arrest, but we
hadn't got thar yet. know the country
first rate. And agin, them lies about the
lynchin' in Bethany, there want any.
thing OF the kind. We went through all
right. l was committed to jail here, an
here app"
Other conversation took place in regard
to his arrest, the fear of conviction and
also rs to George Fletcher, who is said to
DO an Legitimate child OF Cheeks wife,
and who was under arrest at one time fol
some OF the devilment done within the last
two years. He told his story In defiant
sort Of a way, in which very little fear Of
consequences was apparent.