The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-06-17
SUICIDE
or john MePSArce IN the Greek YeStsr.
day Morning.


day MOFnInE.
About the middle Of the forenoon yes.
terdsy q man named John McPearce was
6shsd out Of the creek at the eastern end
OF Nineteenth street. A coat and hat hrd
been found lying on the bank aud these
led to asearCh Tor the peTs1n who was sup
posed to be drowned in the water, but
who 1t was vas only u matter OF C%oDieC.
ture, As o o as the body was landed on
the bank Squire Felbsr was sent for to
hold an inquest, which he did with the
following named persons: o. ], RaWlinR,
foreman, Westlay Fry, Philip Dick, Ed
ward Costello, ], f. OlRtor, Peter Roth,
Samuel Reynolds, Thomas HoRg, George
L. Gould, Henry Ssvering, Abraham
Stamm, Christ, Smith.
II was found that the man whose name
was found to be MrPea'Ce had last
been seen about II O'Clock Wednesday
night, lettering around amongths brothels
Of East Wheeling, and that he had also
been engaged In quarrels with different
parties, He had bsen put out Of the house
Of Jennie Gray once or twice and had
been drinking oil the evening. There was
o suspicion that In mi Of these quaFrela
he had been struck and hurt by some one
and maybe 80 seriously injured as TO have
alarmed his antagonist to such an extent
as to have induced him to throw him into
the creek at the point at which he WAS
found. To determine, therefore, whether
any violence had been done the man, DR..
l.. d, Wilson, County Physician, was
called 10 examine him and report, This
was done, aud the physician reported that
from all indications the man had come 10
his death by hls own deliberate act, and
the jury so reported in their return to the
JustiCe.
0urreporterIOund the body OF MCPearce
lying In one Of the most miserable hoyele
In this city, on Wood street between
Sixteenth aud Seventeenth. He Wae
stretched across two chairs with q copy Of
the FreGid Companion thrown over his
lace. Tue garments he had on when he
was found were yet on his person, and
the floor beneath the CHAIR was wet with
the drippings from these. Around the
door were collected o half dozen slckly,
ragged, filthy children, curious to see what
oaCh stranger who called In at the wretch.
I'd house might "GhanCe" 10 be after. The
liuha Il the suicide were tied together
with an old twine string, while bis hands
were similarly hound. The hovel, we say,
was the most miserable that one could
think OF, aud llB appointments were still
more wrCtChed. A cook steve was the
most prominent article Of furniture in the
room, aud one chair was occupied BY an
old Crone who sat do2lng In q ,wbo
aroused herself sufficiently to give our man
tho benefit Of her knowledge Of the affair,
" was not al home last night, but when
| did come | was told that John had been
there. They said he had been drinking,
Ito went from here down to Jennie Gray'e
house, when w heard OF him quarrelling,
We slso heard that he had been fighting
With some Of the HoltsClaws, and with
'LiCe Black, jim, Gray's man. Nothing
more was seen Of him after that"
"Dsnnis."
care you his mother?"
mo, his mOlherin.law. He married nv
daughter Henrietta, some thirteen OF
fourteen years ago. They had four chill.
dten, only one Of which IL alive now. They
separated about four years ago end have
not lived together pinCe."
"Bnt who does that infant belong to-"
said we, directing her attention 10 a child
some twelve Or fifteen months old.
"Oh that came %sinCe," said the ancient
dame evAslvly, while the other woman be.
gan crying Snd said she felt cure thal
NPoor dear John had been murdered"
This post mOltem grief was in keeping
with the rest Of the furniture, q little
sCanty,
McpeAtCe hGs served one or two terms
In the Penitehtsry for stealing, and has
lived q sort Of dissolute life. Lately he
has been working with his brother.in.law,
Bill Austin, al stone cutting.
The suppoEition Is that he went Ia
Grey'a and having been thrown out Of the
house into The street, he went to The
creek TO wash himself, and taking OF his
coat and hat Tor that purpose he slipped
Into the water and was too drunk 10 keen
himself from drowning. The tracks lead.
Ing to the wafer all indicate this and the
jury were ollhat opinion. ,