The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-30
FROM NEAR TOWNS.
SHOOTING scRAPEs AT ST. oLAIRs.
WILLIE AND srEUBENvILLE.
Downing, the Alleged AeeompiIee OF
Weir, In the Murder or Riggs, Dis.
charged by the Mayor-The Jef.
ferson County Christmas
Row = BeIlaIre News.
wEIRs WICKED WORK.

Examination OF Downing as an Accessory
10 the Riggs Murder nj St. Ciairsyl1le-
A Plain Case OF wilfuI Murder, bu
Downing not Implicated In the Mayor,
Opinion.
ST.. CLAIRsvILLR, December 29.-Yester
day William E. Downing was taken before
the Mayor to answer the charge OF aidint
and abetting in the murder OF Geo. Weir
Hon. R. E. Chambers appeared as the
prisoners counsel. 1t being necessary tc
prove killing,
William Crymble, sworn. testified that
he was standing close to the shooting
Weir said he was going to the peniteptisry
for i've years; repeated this several times.
Said to Riggs, "Watch me, watch me"
Riggs said, Don't pull that out Of your
pocket" when Wier did pull out revol-
yer and shot him in the hip; Riggs run,
when Wier shot again and hit him In the
breast; Riggs run to the middle OF the
street, when Wier shot again, hitting him
In the back.
Gross examined-They were five feet
apart. Wier had Ia revolver in his hip pocket.
l grabbed Wier, but thought It wasn't safe.
DR.. Geo. Cloee-Was about twenty yards
off. Heard shot and saw Riggs running
Went to him and asked him II he was
hurt. He said he was dead man. Took
him into barber shop. He died in few
moments. Examined wounds. Were
four wounds, one in wrist and breast and
two in back. He died from wound In
breast. One other shot in back mortal.
Isaac Shallcross, Engineer on Narrow
Gauge Railroad-Wier told me two or
three days after his burglary case was con.
tinued at this term OF court that he was
going to kill that Sterl. Riggs before he
went to the penitentiary.
Christmas lust before shooting. Seeing
Riggs coming he told me he "was going
to kill that s. OF b. before an hour"
Wier had hand in pocket then, and kept
pulling his hand up and down asked me to
go up street, said he wanted TO do some
thing; said Riggs squealed on him. This
talk occurred about one square from place
OF shooting. Wier ran revolver In my
face, suppose hethought It fun Il didn't.
Jas. McMillan-Sold revolver to Wier.
Downing was with him when he bought
1t. It was before the continuance OF Wier
and Downing's case, but after he was be.
fore the Mayor for burglary. Nothing
was said to me about the use OF 1t. Had
to send away for 1t. He traded another
he bad bought from me aud gave me So
beside.
Jas. A. Barues-Was in the barber shop
near noon; Weir and Downing were there.
They went to the window and Downing
handed Weir revolver; Jackson ordered
them to quit handling the revolver, which
was loaded; they were talking Of the re.
yolver; said II was 80 some caliber; was
in about twenty minutes; one OF them
said the revolver had FIVE loads in It; Weir
went out first.
Jas. Jackson (barber) Weir and Down.
ing were in my shop; Weir said TO Down
ing, "Ive been looking for you, ! wanted
to see you;" told them to quit handling
the revolver; Downing gave the revolver
TO Weir; Weir went out first. (Revolver
produced) / think 1t Is the same; have
seen the revolver before in Weir's posses.
sion.
P. S. Cowen-Downing told me that
"Me or Wier will have to kill Sterling
Riggs" Weir said, in Governs. presence,
that he would rather 90 to the peniten-
tiary for killing Riggs than on Riggs tes.
timony." It impressed my mind 80 much
that told Riggs. ...4
Mrs. Riggs (wite)-saw Downing hand
Weir revolver Wednesday evening, ft.
teen or twenty feet from our window;
husband came in two minutes after me,
about s o'clock p. N. My husband came
In the back way. l told my husband OF
the boys being there; was afraid. they
would burn the house. saw them after.
ward in the back yard.
Samuel Geller-I have heard Weir and
Downing talking to each other, saving,
ave will fix Riggs" or something to that
effect. It was in the back room Of my
saloon. Weir said often, in the presence
OF Downing, that he would kill Riggs. I
have seen Downing with that pistol; saw
him borrow 1t from Weir.
Here the State rested.
The defense called James Young and
VIM. Walker, who testified that they did
not hear the talk mentioned by Cowen.
It might have been when they had not the
opportunity.[
J. Il. Patterson testified that Downing
was present at the school entertainment
on Wednesday night, (the night fixed by
Mrs. Riggs, he thinks, before 8 o'clock.
Mrs. Downing, Williams mother, testi-
fed that William and Sterling Riggs were
on good terms. William was at home in
bed at the time Of the shooting.
Ruggles Burlington was examined in
rebuttal: He got with Downing Just be-
fore going to the entertainment, and they
went there together and the entertain.
ment was going on when they went in
and he understood they had had one per-
formaHce.