The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-11
ATrrMPTED MUnDER,
Gsorse scott, Of Dellalre, Tries TO sheet
flames n. M'coartn's, Esq. Of Thi'

George Scott, Of DellalFe, Tries 10 shoot
James D. MecouFtney, Esq, OF This
city.
Quite a sensation was created at the
New Mcclure House last night by the at.
tempt Of George Scott, Of BsllRire, to shoot
James MecOurtney, Esq, President Of the
Bellalre mill, and a resident Of this city.
From eye witnesses Of the transaction We
learned the following facts In the case:
Mr.. MCCourthey wa, in the office Of the
New Mcclure and Scott camsin an lntox.
icated condition and asked to speak to him,
MCCourtnOy answered, "ln a moment"
and moved over 10 speak to another per.
son, when Scott followed him and again
preferred his request in q more prememp.
tory manner.
Mr.. MCCouFtney followed him Into the
washrootn hard by, and almost immedI.
ately the two emerged again, Mr.. Nc.
Courtney holding the right hand Of Scott
with his left and striking him with his
right, An attempt was made by the by.
ISLANDERS 10 separate the men, but Mr..
MGCOurtney called TO them 10 stand back
as he knew what he was doing, and adding
the man has pistol and Is trying 10 shoot
me, " whiCh,WaS ioundto DO q TACT, and the
weapon was iorcibly taken from Scott by
those near him, Scott was then taken 70
the space without the washroOm, In the
alley leading 10 Twelfth street, washed of
and told TO 60 home, but In q few
minutes he returned, appearing at the
front door Of the office, when he
was again led out by the proprietor, Mr..
Norton, aud told to leave the premises,
and in Il few moments Officer MaIoney
came along and arrested him, and taking
him to the lookup searched him. Upon
his person a sum Of money was found and
also a loaded revolver Of the kind In gen.
erAl Use,
A reporter Of this paper called al the res.
idence OF Mr.. McCourtney, on Chapllne
street, above Twelfth, and finding him at
home, questioned him rs to the circum.
STANCES surrounding the affair. "Well,"
he said, after pause, and also taking o
little time for deliberatlon, ~ was In the
Office OF the New Mcclure engaged In q
business conversation with Mr.. Eshelman,
OF New Orleans, when ! was approached
by Mr.. Scott, who asked me 10 step aside,
as he wished 10 speak to me q moment.
replied that would be Ut leisure
in q few minutes, and would
speak with him then. ! then left
both Of them and started to speak to Judge
Moore, Of the Supreme Court, when he
again came up and said that no only need.
ed mo q moment, Gthen went with him
into the wash-room near by, and he ex.
claimed: Are yOu.armedP Ireplied, no.
well, intend to kill you,' he said, and,
taking a revolver from his hip pocket, he
presented itht my head or breast instant.
ly seized him by the hand, or rather the
wrist, and struck him, knocking him down
and out fthe wash.room, and followed up
my advantage until the bystanders inter.
iered aud took his weapon from him, when
| relinquished my hold on him."
"Mr. MCourtney," We next asked,
"Scott was discharged from the mill some
time ago, was he not?" Eyes, sir; the
factory boss, at my instance, discharged
him on account Of excessive drinking
about six weeks ago." "Is be not stock.
holder in the Bellaire Mill7" we asked.
Yes, a small one. He Is a mailer by
trade and has worked in the mill for some
time, but his habits became such that we
could no longer keep, him there, and he was
discharged. The part Of this transaction
don't like, " he continued, "is this: that
man meant murder; he has been think.
ing this thing up for some time, and be.
lieve be had notion to put his ideas into
execution when he first approached me
this evening, and | tell you 1t Is no com.
Portable feeling to one 10 think that man
has design upon his life"
At the time Of the occurrence Scott was
In very intoxicated condition, and was
ready for anything.
After a lew other remarks upon the
affair, we left to hunt up Scott in the lock-
up, and II possible 10 ascertain from him
his motive in acting Us he did, We found
him occupyinga cell alone, and lying in
a sort Of drunken stupor upon the wood.
en- slab that serves the purpose OF a bed.
Upon our repeated calls he partially
reused himself, and In an lncoherent man.
ner responded to our questions, He
imagined that we had come TO effect his
release, but upon explaining 10 him the
object Of our visit, he grullly said he had
nothing to say, and relapsed into his
former position and silence, mumbling
Eau revoir" as we left.
The affair caused great excitement in
the city last night as 1t became known,
and was the general subject OF converse.
ton. Both Of the men arc we'll known In
the city and vicinity, both being promi.
nent men. The current Of public opinion
ran altogether with Mr.. McCourtney in
his action In the affair, as his position was
well understood, and the cause Of scott's
removal also.
Scott will have hearing this morning
at the Police Court, and Il Is also very
likely that State warrant will be issued
Tor him, in which event he will have q
serious time, as the statutes prescribe
that when q person Is caught In the at.
tempt to commit crime that is capitalIy
punishable the offender shall serve, Il
convicted, from one to Eve years In the
penitentiary.