Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-04
THE WEIR MURDER CASE.
THE TRAGEDY AND ITS AcToRs-THREE
DAYS SPENT IN AN EFFORT TO GIT A
JURY-FoRTY MORE MEN SENT FOR
NOTHING DOING YESTERDAY.


JURY-FoRTY MORE MEN SENT FOR
NOTHING DOING YESTERDAY.
ACT THIRD.
The third act in the CHASTITY tragedy
of last Christmas day commenced in the
common pleas court room Monday. This
time last summer the defendant, a bright
and attractive young man, walked these
streets freeman, and was in sftua-
ton, had he been so minded, to have be-
come useful member of society. To
day he is arraigned to answer the high
est crime known to the law.
GEoReE-w. WEIR
The defendant, George W. Weir, is a
young man who has arrived at majority
since confined in Jail. He is the young
est son of Gen. James Weir, the Oldest
living member of the st. Clairsville bar.
He was educated in, and, we believe,
graduated from, the public schools of
st. Clairsville After quitting school
that bane of young men. idleness, over
came him, and from that strong drink
and adventure and crime natural
ly followed. For two or three years
previous to his arrest for the crime with
which he is now charged, his associa-
tions had been with the criminal class,
and, although only once or twice in the
clutches of the law, he was generally as
sociated in the public mind with all
manner of lawlessness and deviltry
which took place in our midst
THE MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME.
Last summer the house of Martin
Fink, in the west end, was burglarized.
Efforts were made to ferret OUT the rob-
bers, but unavailingly. After some
weeks had elapsed, the officers discover
ed some matters connecting Weir and
his victim, Sterling Riggs, with the
matter, and, with much difficulty, pre-
vailed upon the latter to make confess
sion. Weir was arrested and recognized
to the fall term of :. the common pleas.
but on the pretext that witness, who
was then fugitive from justice, was
absent, the case was continued to the
next term. The defendants father be-
came surety for his appearance, and he
was permitted to run at large. In the
meantime, it appears he had made di-
vers threats against the life of the de-
ceased, but, although regarded bad
boy, no one thought him capable of the
terrible crime of Christmas. day. His
victim evidently had no fear of him, for
he walked the streets unarmed, al
though it is said Weir had stuck pistol
in his face on more than one occasion
previous to Christmas day.
STERLING RIGGS
was about 35 years of age, and married.
He had lived around about here for
many years. He was man much
above the average physically, and of
unquestioned physical courage. Al
though not an habitual idler, like Weir,
he was regarded dangerous charac-
ter, and his name was generally associ-
ated with crimes committed hereabonts.
THE TRAGEDY.
Christmas was bright, pleasant win
ter day. Business was generally sus-
pended, and people gave themselves up
to quiet enjoyment of the day with their
families, or greeting their neighbors in
the streets or at their homes. About
noon the band came out on the street,
and, after playing one or two airs near
the National Hotel, moved down to the |
corner of Main and Marietta streets.
Il, vi, o,N,.aaraA N thA arnUn /
attracted by the music. He had been
drinking freely, and, it appears, said to
some one in the crowd that he would |
shoot Riggs within an hour. This oc-
CURED about l o'clock. When the music
had ceased the crowd dispersed, and the
assassin came up street. Shortly after |
ward he confronted his victim on the |
sidewalk, at Patterson's drug store.
Riggs was standing with one foot on a
box, alongside the building, converslng |
with some one. Weir stopped few feet
above him, and, there were several per-
sons on the sidewalk, remarked to some
one: "There stands the son of - who |
is going to swear me into the peniten- |
tiary, and l am going to kill him. Watch |
me-" or words to that import Some |
words then passed between the assassin |
and his victim, the latter saying, among |
other things, "Don't you Shoot" and OBJ
serving that Weir had his hand on his |
hip pocket, started to walk away. He
had got buta few steps beyond the curb |
stone when the assassin drew his pistol, |
and before the startled bystanders real
lied what was up sent a ball into his |
back. The ball knocked him off his |
feet, but staggering up he ran across the
street, receiving two more balls ere he
reached the opposite sidewalk. There
the dying man was caught by DR.. Close
and helped into Lew. Wooten's barber
shop, adjoining the county treasury,
where he died in few minutes.
The assassin then walked down to
alley, into which he turned.
where he was caught by John Rice and
William Webber. Marshal Umstead
and officer John Riggs arrived on the
ground moment afterward, and con
Quoted him to Jail. Upon being arraign-
ed before Mayor Riley, the prisoner waiv-
ed an examination and was conducted |
back to Jail, where he has been since con-
fined. At the spring term of common
pleas he was indicted for murder in the
first degree. A motion to change the
venue was overrnled, and July 5>ixed |
for the trial. On that day the defendant
moved continuance, because of the ex-
citement consequent upon the attempted
assassination of the President. The
Court sustained the motion, and fixed
Monday, August 1, for the trial, and or
dered special term, as authorized by
law.
MONDAYS DoINGs.
Judge Okey arrived on the noon train
Monday. Court assembled at 1 o'clock,
and, after the preliminaries of opening,
the prisoner was brought into the court
room by bailiffs Green and Bailey, and
seated at the table with his counsel.
Tho oourt fDou;rad aJe thn state read dv |