The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-25
WAS IT lruRDERY

Three Men Start to Cross the River In a
Boai, and One OF Them Drowned-sus.
picIon OF Foul Play on the Part OF the
Other TWo-walIer Riggs and Prank
Horn Held for a Hearing.
We announced yesterday morning that
man had been drowned In the Ohio
river, Monday night, but'gave no particu.
lars. Yesterday morning we gathered the
following information in regard to IL: It
appears that two young men from Bell
aire, named Walter Riggs and Frank
Horn, had been up to this cityto witness
the Won Blumen Irish.American walk,
and between seven and eight o'clock start
ed for home very much under the in.
fiuence OF the ardent. At the Belmont
ferry they encountered John Refs, Ger
man, who with skifS, was awaiting the
arrival Of two friends to take them over
to Whisky Run, where oil Of them lived,
and him they induced to take them over
to Ohio for ten cents. When in mid-river
the boat upset by some means and Refs
was drowned. The other two chung to
the capsized skitf, and foated toa point
near Benson's Ferry, Justify shouting for
helpall the time. At this point they were
taken from the river in half frozen con-
dition by William Dixon, who
had heard their shouts for aid,
and taken to Bishof7s saloon, above the
ferry, on this side Of the river. Here
they were provided for, and under the
genial influence Of hot whiskey and o
blazing fire, they related their experience
TO the loafer's wont to gether around
saloon, boastingly telling how
they had shaken of the did Dutchman,
who, in his dying struggles, had chung to
them with the energy OF desperation.
Mr.. Mathew Altmeyer, who had heard
their story, thought all was not right, and
after consultation with Justice Mix. ar
rested them and locked them up in the
Eighth ward station-house.
Yesterday afternoon L. S. Jordan, Esq,
and ]. Il. Cowden appeared for the State,
and preliminary hearing was begun at
Squire Mix's Office. Tho prisoners were
without counsel. The following is the ex'
animation:
Chris. Patterson sworn: Knew John
Refs. Saw him short time after sunset
at the Baltimore and Ohio depot in this
city. He boarded with mein boat house
at the mouth OF Whisky Run, in Ohio
My. vile and ! came over TO town to pur.
chase shoes in Center Wheeling. He was
to meetus at the West Wheeling ferry.
boat, near the Belmont mill, to take, us
over in his boat. When we came TO the
point OF meeting we waited over two
hours, and shouted for him, and went
and tried 10 hunt him up. He had several
articles in. the boat Refs he'd so or S25
with him. He had pocket-book, with
brass clasp, in which were $50 or SIS. HI
brought 1t from Germany.
Mrs. Mary Patterson, wife OF Chris. Pat
terson, sworn: Knew Reisi boarded him
saw him at the B. & o. depot at Mon.
day night. ! work at Stamm House; gave
Refs several packages OF meat, bread, DC.
to take in his boat. My husband and
then left him, to meet again at VOLTS fer.
ry, but he didn't come; we noticed severa
Ipieces OF bread floating in the river, and
told my husband that John Refs was
dead. REFS was sober when he left us; he
was in the habit OF taking me back and
forth In his boat to my work. Witness
described pocket.book the deceased car.
ried at the time OF death.
Fred Rishof sworn: Keep saloon in
the Eighth ward; saw Riggs and Horn
in my, saloon between seven and eight
o'clock last Monday night. they told me
they had been in skiff near the Belmont
mill aud 1t had upset, throwing them all
out, by which one, q stranger, was drown
ed; they said that they had, in attempting
to change oars, upset The skiff.
A heavy piece Of mill cinder was shown
to witness, which, he said, dropped out Of
Horns pocket when they came into my
saloon; they were very much drenched
with water; they expressed sorrow at the
death OF Refs; Horns neck was scratched,
which he accounted for by the fact that
in the struggle alter the capsisine OF the
boat Refs chung to his (Horn's) neck and
in his efforts to relieve himself OF the in.
cumbrance was scratched.
William Dixon testified that he did not
remember Of having seen the accused be.
fore; had taken two men out OF the river
Monday night. About o'clock he was
at work in his shop and heard some one
calling "Helpp "Murderp went to
door and asked what was the matter.
They said for Gods sake 10 bring q skiG,
as they were freezing and drowning. /
then got skif and overlook them oppo-
site to the ferry float. They were cling.
ing to the skiG, which was bottom up; and
they were nearly exhausted. / took them
into the skif and landed them hear the
ferry, where some persons ashore took
charge OF them. Willie In the boat they
told me that there had been another man
in the boat. l asked them where he was.
I asked them as to the upset, and they re.
piled, "Some Dutchman undertook to
take US over the river, but he was drunk
and We upset." They were nearly frozen
and were anxious to get to fire. Two
other men caught the skiff.
Chris. Patterson recalled: Recovered
the skitf this morning; the skiff Is mine;
saw the skiff and Refs last about o'clock
Monday evening; he was going to Wolf 8
Ferry at the time"
Frank Horn was then examined about
the neck by DR.. Hazlett, aud several
scratches were seen below the left ear on
his neck that were evidently produced by
the nails on a mans hand.
At this point the further examination
was continued until Z P. NJ, at which time
Messrs. II. H. Pendleton, E. G. Cracrait
and II. B. Ferguson appeared for the &C.
cused.
Matthew Altmeyer sworn: Never saw
them before last night; came down street
from Helmbrights billiard hall, and went
to Benson's Ferry; went into Bishoff7s
Saloon saw these two gentlemen partially
stripped. They were talking about some
dead Dutchman." Mrs. BishofT then told
me the story of the skill ride aud the death
OF Refs. They were joking about the man
ner in which they shook Refs loose from
them in the water. asked them,
Whats wrong?' They asked me il /
was q reporter. Frank Horn then said,
helmet . man at the Belmont Mill, and
hired a Dutchman for ten cents, to take
us across. All at once the skifr leaked"
"No," said the other, "it upset" Horn
then said: "He pulled me under