The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-06-09
HOMICIDE AT a rICNIc.

The picnic given BY the Leasure Boz
Club, Of South Wheeling, on Saturday a
ternoon, while otherwise very pleasar
and well.managed affair, was the scene {
dlSgracelul and bloody atfray, in whic
the President Of the Club, Mr.. Danie
Smith, a respectable boiler at the La Bell
mill, was fatally injured. The picnic wa
given at Cummins' Grove, q beautiful spu
just below West Wheeling, on the Obi
side Of the river. Everything passed Of
smoothly during the afternoon, and tn
best Of order was maintained, the mem
bers OF the various committees exertinl
themselves TO make 1t pleasant for every
body.
HOW THE TROUBLE DR0AN.
About Z o'clock Ia the evening, however
when the picnic was about to break up
and large number Of the crowd had al
ready left the ground, row was iuaugu
rated which proved to be most serious it
l consequences, Just how this row start
ed is not clear; there are many conflicting
stories concerning Its origin. It Is certain
however, that young Jim. Smith, q strip
ling Of twenty years or thereabouts, had q
good deal to do with It.
There ia leud Of long standing between
young Smith and paddy" Nichols, q
younger brother Of our Street Commits.
sioner. Nichols was on the ground with
Wm., alias "Poopy" Clator aud his brother
Jasper Clator, the three having gone down
on the evening train on the Ohio
side after attending the picnic ol
the flint glass workers on the Island. Upon
coming together at the picnic, the old
quarrel between Smith, Jun, aud Nichols
was renewed. Mr.. Dan. Smith, hearing
tn his son was involved In fracas with
Nichols, started at once toward the crowd.
Meeting the young man on the way, he
learned that Jimmy, while escortfng a
couple OF ladies' TO an eminenCe command.
ing good view of the boat race, then
shortly to come of, was approached by
Paddy" Nichols, who drew q pistol and
would have shot Smith but for the inter.
ventiOn OF Charley Craig, a friend OF the
latter. Craig, according to young Smith,
threw himself on Nichols, hurliny him to
the ground, and while he held him down
" POOpy" ClatOr came Up and took the
pistol from him. Craig held Nichols
down until he promised to let the quarrel
with Smith drop for the present, when he
was permitted to get on his feet again.
Whnn StntNh kAnHI La,
that Nichols had attempted TO shoot him,
he become
ALMOST FRANTIC WITH RAGE,
and started to find Nichols. Taking
from his pocket large sized penknife, he
opened the largest blade as he proceeded,
and declared he would have revenge on
Nichols. Jimmy Nichols, Jacob Detwi.
Ter and another party, whose name we did
not hear, stopped him aud attempted To
'iissuade him from his purpose, but he
refused to listen 10 reason, and becoming
at their interference, undertook
TO evade them when he was again stop.
ped. lie struggled to free himself from
he gruup, and In the struggle, whether
by accident or otherwise Is not positively
known, cut Detwiler in the muscle OF the
arm. The wound, which was about three
inches in length. aud rather severe, was
dressed by DR.. Pipes at his office.
Alter getting away from the party Smith
proceeded along the road to the ferry
landing, where he met Paddy" Nichols,
who
ATTACKED HIN WITH STONES,
knocking him down and kicking him while
he was down. Smith succeeded finally in
getting upon his feet again, and was adj.
vanCing toward Nichols with his knife, in
q threatening attitude, when the two Cla.
tors came up and drew their pistols, and
several shots were fired, one OF which took
effect in Smiths right side, the ball enter.
ing below the sixth rib, and taking down.
ward course, penetrating the bowels
Young Smith, who had in the meanwhile
been attracted by the firing and joined in
the fight with his gun, says that the fatal
shot was fred by Vim. Clator, who at once
fled, in company with his brother and
Nichols, TO this side OF the river.
The wounded man was picked UP In an
unconscious condition, and carried to the
ferry boat and taken to this side OF the
river, whence he was removed 10 his
home, at No. 1906 Wood street, in the
Eighth Ward. Drs. Ford, Hazlett and
Pipes were called In and examined his
wounds. Besides the pistol wound, there
were found a severe confusion on the head,
evidently made with stone, and several
severe bruises about the face and BODY.
where he had been kicked and beaten by
the rUughs. The wound in his side was
not prObed, the physicians being OF the
opinion that the patient was too weak TO
submit to the operation. Accordingly the
wound was closed and banGaged, and re-
storatives applied 10 revive the sufferer.
The doctors agreed that Smith's chances
for recovery were very slight, indeed, and
that he WAS liable TO expire at almus,
any moment. The vile aud children OF
the sufferer were overwhelmed with grief
~ this announcement, and crowded about
his bedside, sobbing aud moaning in a
heartrending manner. Smith had recoy-
cred consciousness, and impl Ired his
friends not to grieve for him; that he
FULLY REALIZED THAT he WAS DYING,
but as he had done nothing wrong he was
not afraid to die, although it was very
uhIu toI uIM W uc LIu5 tdkeH away from
his family. It was sad scene, and deeply
affected all who witnessed It.
Daniel Smith was about iOrty.tive years
OF aye, and an industrious and respectable
mechanic, having been for many wears
employed as b1iler at the La Belle Mill.
He is described as quiet, well behaved
man under ordinary circumstances, bu,
possessed OF violent temper and quick to
resent anything that he might coustrue
into an insult. He was not drinking
man, Us the phrase goes, although he oc'
casiOnally INDUCED In a social glass. He
was an influential member OF Nelson
Lodge OF MAsons, and also OF a South
Wheeling lodge Of Odd Fellows. Having
led thrifty life, ho owned good home
and his wife and six children-tive boys
and one girl will be left in fair circum
stances.
THE TWO cLAToRs
live in East Wheeling, and are well knowt
in the community. Nichols Is a brothe
Of Street Commissioner Nichols, aud live
on Jacob street, South Wheeling, jus
above Brice's drug store. Upon au infor