Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-02-25
WAS III
THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING The
DEATH OF John REFS.
The Problem for Squire Mix to Solve
Is There Probable Cause to Believe
Frank Horne ard Walter Riggs
Guilty Of Murder2

Again the Eighth ward has been rous,
ed from its monotonous dizziness, n
again one Of its Justices is called upon
10 hear a charge of murder, and under
the most peculiar circumstances FRANK
Horne and Walter Riggs, two we'll
known young men OF BelIaire, are
now lying in the Eighth WARD
station house to await the completion OF
a preliminary hearing on the charge oil
the murder Of John Refs, a German em-
pIoyed by Christian Patterson, VINO
lives at Whisky Run.
About 1880 O'Clock on Monday night,
Justice Leander Mix was reused from
slumber IN learn that a death had &C.
CURED under circumstances which de-
manGed his immediate attention. Ii
seems that Matthew Altmyer, u mailer
in tLc Benwood mill, went into Fred.
Bishops saloon, near Benson's Ferry,
while on ms way home. There he saw
two men sitting at the stove, drying
their clothes. His attention was partic-
ularly attracted to them bv their
CONTINUALLY CURsING
some unknown Dutchman and
then laughing irivolousIy. After
soma little conversation with
other persons. he turned to them and
asked what was up. They asked il he
were a reporter, (eyidentlY DESTROYS OF
avoiding publicity, and upon being
answered in the negative, they told him
a story of being in a skif, which upset
and one of their number, "a damned
drunken Dutchman," was drowned.
They said the boat had sprung a leak
and had gone down and they had all
they could 10 TO save themselves. MIR.
Altmyer regarded their story as
DECIDEDLY SUSPICIOUS,
the more so that they gave names, Char
lie Jones and Charlie Sixties, which he
/ soon learned were fictitious. Alter
thinking the matter over he decided to
send for Justice Mix, and that junction
airy arrived at the spot. He was
put in possession OF the
particulars Of the affair and questioned
the men. The larger n (iorne) sald
they were crossing the river with some
puichmau, and he Hornet was rowing.
The Dutchman said he could beat that
rowing and wanted to take his place. In
making the change in position, the boat
MAS overturned and all three were
struggling in the water. Horne and his
friend had secured holds on the boat,
but the German was less fortunate. lie
had seized hold Of first n and then the
other, and had been
KICEED AWAY ~ THEN.
lie had scratched Horne's neck in his
eudcayors to save himself, and had even
pulled off mis- shoe. Finally he had be-
come exhausted and had
SUNK IL TIE WATER.
They had chung to the boat until saved
by a man in skill.
The Justice asked why two sets OF oars
had not been used, and the reply was
that the forward rowlocks were broken.
This VAS afterwards found to be untrue.
They were also asked il they had been
drinking, aud they said they had drank
some cherry brandy. Finally, it was
elected that they had come to this city
to SEE the walking match, II had START
ell on their return about 100 o'clock,
taking several drinks en- route. At the
West Wheeling ferry they found u man
and skill, arranged to pay him 10 cents
each To- he taken across, and were on
their way when the accident occurred.
There were a number Of inconsistent
cies aud irregularities n their state
ments, aud the Justice decided to put
them
UNDER ARREST,
at least ON suspicion. For this purpose
he dcputlzed Matthew Altmeyer rs
sprcial constable. Horne, who Is u
large and powerful man, said there was
no man or no two mcn in the city Oi
Wheeling could take him alive, but he
Was persuaded, 10y the resolutc look on
Altmpycr's face, that he had best 20.
Rigss made no resistance. and they were
locked up in the Eighth ward station
house.
TuE P~RELIMISARY HEARING
began at 80 o'clock yesterday alter
noon. Prosecuting Attorney being AS
sisted bv !. Il. Cowden, Esq, and the
prisoners being defended by Messrs. ii.
N. PcndlrtOn, II. h. FERGUSON and r.
q. Cracrait. The testimony was as toi-
lows:
CHRIS. PATTERSON,
Sworn know John Refs, and saw
hIm after ! O'Clock last night ut the Il.
4 O. depot; he boards with me at
Whiskey Run, below West Wheeling.
NV wife and | lett him to get some
shoes. aud he waste meet us At Benson 5
Ferry and take us home. In about Il
a -. 49,. ~ fA tho larry and
waited over two hours. Called John,
and getting no answer, went to hunt
him, but could not lind HIM. lie had
i'm the boat a basket, box, and two
buckets, containing groceries and pro-
visions Tor our family. While We were
standing at the ferry, some bread came
floating down, which my wife recognized
as mart of her bread which had been IN
the basket. Refs had so or So
with him in Il poCket-book brought
from ~Gcrmany-it was grey with
brass clasps. Refs was seven years
from Germany and about u years old.
MRS. MARY PATTERSON,
swurn-Shr told the above story and
SAID. in addition: | work at the Stamm
House: gave Refs a basket, bucket and
49,
a box, when he got into the boat.
ICorroborated story Of calling for Refs
and finding the bread exclaimed:
MY God, | believe Johns been
drawncdl' When We got TO the ferry
there was a steamer below it, but o
above il. Refs Was sober when VT lett
him and was Of sober habits, ! never
knew him to be drunk. He Vas a good
boatman and crossed the river ire
uucntly every DAY aud never allowed
any body TO row the boat when he was
in it. The boat belonged to my hus-
band.
FRED. BISHOP,
sSorn-I keep a saloon near Benson's
Ferry, aud came in last night 10 find
these two men Riggs and Horne)
there. Their clothes we're wet, and
they said they had been in the river;
that they had got in a boat with a big