Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-02-24
THE cLAYsvILLE ARSON.
A Profound Mystery.

of Mr.. VIM. Worrell, four miles from
this place, in East Finley township. AT
2 O'Clock yesterday morning one oil his
daughters was awakened by the crack
ling of the flames and the sparks falling
from the roof through a hatchway Of an
adjoining room. She immediately
aroused the rest of the family, there
being nine in all. Everything was con-
sumed but the furniture OF n room.
The house was u very commodious two
story L house. Loss from $1,000 to
$1,000. No insurance. 1t Is supposed
10 have been set on fire."
Since the publication OF this state
ment Of facts, painful rumors have been
in circulation concerning the possible or
probable origin OF the fire, and suspi-
cions have been strongly excited against
James Worrell, a son Of the owner oil
the property, a young man OF about rs
years OF age, who lived with his father.
These rumors gathered force every day
until the 18th inst, the day OF the cleo
ton, when threats Of violence were free
ly uttered, by citizens Of the township.
based upon the assurance that young
Worrel was, without doubt, the guilty
party. The rumors seemed utterly IN
credible, as they were 30 completely ut
variance with every dictate Of humanity
and every sentiment OF hlial duty and
affection. So improbable were they,
that the Reporter concluded 10 wait for
further information, rather than risk the
publication of that which might bring
sorrow to a large circle Of friends, and
possibly ruin to one who may be inno-
cent. We were startled, however, by
the publication on Saturday morning,
the 2lst instant, of the the following
outrageous statements by the Wheeling
Intelligencer. W. are not Of those who
believe in mob law, neither have We the
slightest respect for that class OF news
papers which, for the sake OF a sensa-
ton, would imperil society by giving
inconsiderate people the least excuse for
violence. II the statements made by
the Inklhgencer are true, then no legal
punishment would be too severe for the
perpetrators Of such a crime. But are
they trueP is a newspaper a proper
tribunal to determine for the public
the guilt Of an individual against
whom q suspicion restsf' 1t Is bad
enough that the public mind shall learn
the dreadful details of crime as they are
developed by q court OF justice; but
when a paper presumes to give q theory
in advance, which claims TO develop the
motives, the plans, the attempted exc
cuiion and failure OF q most diabolical
design, and fixes the crime upon one
who has not even been a~rraigned, and
against whom rumor alone bears testi-
mony, it is not only an outrageous abuse
OF the freedom OF the press, but an out
rage against the dearest rights Of the
citizen and society at large. Whether
James Worrell is guilty or not, We do
not know; hut OF this we are satisfied,
the Hiteligencer has no right to pro-
nounce him guilty before he has had a
trial under all the sanctions OF the law.
There follows the sensational account
rs published in Saturdays Mteihgencer,
Feeling outraged by this wanton
usurpation OF the press, we visited Clays-
vile on Saturday to gather, II possible,
the facts which might be laid before the
public without prejudice either to So
ciety at large or to the individuals in
terested.
James Worrell, the party implicated,
has been a resident OF the neighbor-
hood OF Claysville from infancy, and is
well known 10 everybody in the yicin-
ity. He has always borne a good char
acter as a peaceable, quiet, inoffensive
lad. As he was fond OF books and de
sired to secure a literary education, nc
was sent to the Cahonsburg Academy.
Here he is reported AZ a good student
and faithful in all his duties. Upon last
July he returned home and entered
upon the work Of the farm in the har-
vest field. He worked very hard, AZ
we are informed by his father, during
the day, and spent a good portion Of
his nights in preparation for the Fresh
man class OF Washington and Jefferson
College, which he entered in September.
During his stay in Canonsburg he be-
came acquainted with an estimable
Young lady OF good family, who still
resides there, and before he left the
academy they were engaged 10 be mar
ried. 1t was not contemplated that
they should be married until next spring.
In September he entered college, which
he left in about six weeks ON account
Of i'll health. He was not a successful
III his studies at the college as he had
been in the academy, probably owing 10
dyspepsia. At Canonsburg and at
Washington he maintained the character
OF a quiet, ~peaceable, u~nsssuming gen
tleman.
As has been stated, the fire occurred
on the night OF February LIST. Ii is sup
posed TO be and was probably the work
Of an incendiary. About six weeks be-
fore it occurred Dir. Wouell, the father,
says his house wa entered and his
pockets were robbed OF six dollars.
James Worrell, the son, claimedto have
lost bis watch and two dollars at the
same time. Rumor says the watch was
pawned by somebody in Wheeling.
Rumor also says the watch chain vas
found after the FIRE in the ruins. The
father says the n found is chain that
belonged TO q daughter. On the even
ing before the fire James was the last TO
90 10 bel. All the family, eight in mum
Der, but James, slept up stairs. The
fire was first discovered by the girls in
the attic. The father was awakened by
the girls who came 10 the outside door
Of his Dom. He says II was not tied
with a strap az reported, but he says the
door on the inside leading TO the hall
vas unaccountably locked. After the
alarm the father ran down the outside
way by the porch stairs and then enter
ed the house 20 awaken James. He
says James answered from the outside,
having escaped through the window by
which he cut his hands. Rumor nays
the father has minated that James xas
the incendiary the father ssyshe thinks
1t Was an incendiary fire, but hss no
suspicion as TO who did IT, nor ~ he
think that the son In guilty, since be
cannot conceive Of any motive which
would induce him 10 do t. Rumor
kays that the o wa infatuated by
the charms Of bad woman
who led him astnay, and the
motive OF the crime Of destroying his
family was 70 furnish q home for her.
Rumor says that the father only held q
Life interest in his farm, which after his
death should 60 to his children, and that
therefore, the motive Of the boy In de-
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