Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-10

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for the quarrel with George. You, Mr.
Danford, asked me about the case; don
mind telling you that Riggs had threat
ened to shoot Weir il he fooled aoou
him any more, If | told you that l tolt
you through a mistake; have not talked
with anyone about this case, since yol
| talked with me in July, that l mind OF
I James McMillen Examined.
Live in st. Clairsville; am in jewelry
business aknow Geo. Weir; he purchased
pistol from me month Or
six weeks before the shooting
(The pistol was here shown the witness
and he said it was a pistol OF that kind
that he sold TO George.) 1t was 3S
calibre pistol; sold him pistol before
that, and be traded it in on the last one.
Cross-examined-It is nothing un'
usual for young men about st. Clairs.
vile to have pistols; l sometimes sell
three or four in q day.
samuel Cellar Sworn.
Live here and am acquainted With
Weir; had talk with him, and ne said
Riggs was going to send him to the pen
itentiary, and that he would ax him for
it or SHOOT him; heard George and
Downing talking about it good while
before the shooting.
Cross-examined - The conversation
was after George had been arrested for
the Fink burglary; he talked great
deal about il; he seemed to be worked
up about it; he never drank very much ;
think he has drank beer at my place;
seen Weir and RIGGS together at my
place before the arrest; don't recollect
warning Weir to be careful of Riggs;
don't reeolleet expressing any sympathy
for George.
-. i. n. Riley Festities.
Am Mayor of st. Clairsyille. The wit
ness then described from the map which
had been prepared. the location OF the
poin' connected with the shooting. The
revolver was also shown him, and he
said he had seen it before; that it was
handed to him just after the shooting
by Talford Patton, who said he had got
ten it from John Rice, and Rice had
taken il from Weir.
Medical Testimony
DR.. Close was the next witness called
He testified that ne resided in st.
Clairsville; that he had practiced for six
years; that he was in town on the day
of the shooting; that he seen Riggs
when the last shot struck Ism; that he
was in front OF Barnes shoe store; after
Riggs reached the pavement | went to
him and caught him at the Treasurer's
office, asked him il he was hurt much;
Riggs said "Tes, Doctor, Pm dead
man." he then sank down and We car
ried him into the barber shop; he died
in thr g or forr II inutGs; made par
tial examination OF the wound at the
time; examined his clothes and there
", r, no weapons in his pocket. riggs
ClT hing was here shown the witness
and he recognized it as heapparel Riggs
had on aI the time.) A piece ofthe pants
buckle and piece OF his clothing were
carried into the abdominal cavity; as
sisted at the post n,Ortenl examination;
there were four gun. shot wounds on the
person; witness described location OF the
the first wound; don't know that the
second one was necessarily fatal; hrst
wound was in the breast, passing down.
ward on line with the nipple, between
the second and third ribs; the second
shot lodged IN the right hip, four inches
from the superior spinous process oil the
linn; the last shot was in the back, to
the right of the back bone, entering the
abdominal cavity and lodging IN the
bowels.
Cross. clothing was
not used in the post mOrtsm; the pistol,
when fired the first time, was IN front
and 4 little 10 the right OF Riggs; the
ball WAS not DETECTED until it struck the
rib; the second shot entered above the
hin bone and passed through
the cavity OF the spinal canal;
there was no DETECTION OF that
ball; the ball went inward,
forward and downward; the wound IN
the back went forward and upwards;
the ball entered below the ribs, pene-
trated the abdominal cavity and wound
e,l the intestines in three places; that
was fatal wound; Riggs died from the
wound in the breast; Riggs would have
lived several days before he would have
died from the effects OF the other wounds;
wound on the wrist was made oy the
same shot that produced wound IN
breast.
Or L. J. VESTS Story.
Was present at the post mortem ex-
animation; have balls taken from the
wounds. The witness here produced
the ba ls and explained where they were
fornd 7 The examination OF DIR. West
was substantially the same as that OF
DR. Close. GA cross examination the
witness stated that Riggs Was the mest
powerfully developed man he ever saw
DIR, Hewetson's Testimony.
Have been a practising physician be-
.Vpen twenty one and twenty-five years;
Was present and assisted at the post
morIss of Sterling Riggs His testi-
mony Il q not differ from that OF the TWO
doctors previously examined.
Or Henry West
Have been a practicing physician
ahaut fifty years; was present anu as
sisted nj the post mOrtem OF deceased
iound wounds about as has been de-
scribed by the other physicians.
Conrt then adjourned for dinner.
All 30 O'Clock court reconvened and
the prisoner was brought in aud the
State
Recalled Thomas Taylor,
who testified as follOws:-Just before
Weir stalted mp street he said. '.hele Il
going 10 be hell Of a racket up street
I'm going to kill the son OF a b be
fore an hour.
No eross-examination was had.
At l:S5 the State rested their tcsti
monv, and the witnesses for the defsns
were called.
weirs Testimony.
The prisoner was then placed on the
stand, and he testified as follows:
was II years old on the. eighth day Q
June last; have lived all my life in Thu
town have known Sterling Riggs abeu
eight years; was then a schoolboy' OF
day Of shooting when the disorderly
case was up came up street and starteC
M stairs into the Mayors office; Jaci
Riggs was ordered to keep back TIT
crowd and pushed US back; bacSec
ont and took my position at the ives
side OF the stairway; didn't notice R'gg
when | went mp; remember seeil:
William Crymble. James Ferren ant