Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-11

lie
his person; clothing was shown and
identified by witness, who described To-
cation of wounds. Riggs died from
effect of first wound; don't know that
the second wound was necessarily fatal
the first wound was in the breast; pass
ing downward from point in line of the
nipple, between the second and third
ribs; second shot took effect in right hip
four inches from the superior spinous
process of the liam; last shot was in
back to the right of backbone, entering
the abdominal cavity, lodging in the
bowels.
Cross-examined by Judge Chambers
Clothing was not used in post mortem;
pistol when fired the first time was in
front and little to the right of Riggs;
the ball was not detected until it struck
the rib; second shot entered above hip
bone and passed through the cavity of
the spinal canal the ball went inward,
forward and downward; wound in back
went forward and little upward, the
ball entering below the ribs, penetrating
below the ribs, penetrating the abdomi-
nal cavity, and wounding the intestines
in three places that was a fatal wound /;
Riggs died from wound in breast; would
have lived several days before dying
from other wounds; wound on wrist was
made by same shot as that in breast; no
ticed Riggs standing at Kinks with his
foot on box as 1 passed up street, and
when 1 got to Barnes shoe store heard
firing; did not see Riggs.
Drs. ]. E. West, Hewetson and Henry
West testified as to wounds substantial
" the same as DR.. Close. After which
court took recess until Il o'clock.
After dinner court re-convened and
the prisoner WAS brought in. The at
torney for the State said they wished to
recall Thomas Taylor, who testified as
| follows: / wish to state that this morn
ing when you asked me if there were
more threats began to answer when
was interrupted. Just before he start
ed up street, he said, There is going to
be h up street, I'm going to shoot the
son of b. before an hour"
Cross-examined.
| At 25 minutes before 2 o'clock the
State having introduced all their testi
timony in chief, rested, and the witness
es for the defense were called.
Testimony for Defense.
| GEORGE W. WEIR
Direct examination-I was 81 the Stf
of June; lived all my life i'll st. ClairS
vile; seen Sterling Riggs all my life
time knew him to speak to him yrs.ago
On the day of the shooting, as l came vi
Fink's corner 1 was going to dinner; a:
l passed Patterson's, Mr.. Riley and Jacl
Riggs were sitting in front of the stor5
Mr.. Riley said to Riggs, "you go up anC
bring Pres. down; l walked ap, and h
jerked him out. rather rougher than
thought an officer ought to, and he bro
him down the street, and crowd OF III
after him. started to go into the May
or's office, and | think l must have gont
up a step or two, and Mr.. Riley gaV'
Jack Riggs an order to keep the crow(
out, and he said stand back" and push
ed us back, and | backed out and said
"that settles it, does it Jack?" backed
out and took my position on the ives
side of the hallway; at that time had nj
idea Sterling Riggs was there; had JUS
came up from where he passed me golnl
home to dinner; lie wasn't in my mint
at the time; didn't notice him; l re
member Bill Crymble, Jim Ferren ant
Bob Buff were there at the time; guess
was about the drunkest that day l eve
was in town in daylight; think Crymbl
either came down or up the street ant
made the remark, whats goinI
on here?" Think l said there's 60
ing to be trial. l named tn
.party, and he says, whats it about?
said it don't amount to nothing;
won't be half the case mine will be a
the next term of COURT was just joking
like; believe he remarked something
back, and l says, ooh, yes, there's mai
in this town thinks he will get me a
there in the penitentiary three or fiy
years" just that way; Bill kind of laugh
ed and says, "oh, / guess not, and look
ed past me and l could see he was smil
ing at some one across me, and l turne'
around, and when | turned my elbow
hit Sterl Riggs-he was standing tha
near-when l turned with my shoulder
as pivot, my elbow touched his elbow
was surprised and a little bit alarme'
seeing man that hated me as he did
aid threatened me as he did, and | step
ped off couple of steps and thinl
says "boys there's the cause o
it, Sterl Riggs" He gave m
n vicious look-just looked u
vicious, and 1 just says to him, "Ster
watch me on the day of the trial" HI
had his boot on the box that sits owe
the coal hole. He says, George, 1 cal
watch YOU" He turned pale and wa
agitated and nervous, and L took it alto
gether and thought he was going to d.
something; he stepped off the box AM
Strengthened himself up, and l pulle'
the revolver out and fired; saw he wa
going to do something; don't know
whether he carried revolver that day
within six weeks of this difficulty hal
seen him with revolver three differen
times, and heard he was carrying on
for me; at the time he Strengthened up
apprehended an attack from him; from
time / turned and saw him until thu
shooting was over, don't suppose
was over 10 to II seconds; remember
fired subsequent shots after the first one
couldn't say just where he was when th.
last shot war fired; Riggs was left-hand
ed and carried his revolver in his lef
pants pocket; was always very goot
friends until he ran away and cam'
, back before he ran off-think it. was |
. few days after he robbed that barn owe
mere Ill Lne cOunITy-ne says TO NE,
see strange man in tOwn-you keep al
eye on him, and let me know if he goe
to Riley's Office.
After he came back the first night h'
was very friendly; when he was away
knew he had jumped his bond, which
considered very unprincipled trick
and so expressed myself; he appeared tt
have heard about it, and the next nigh
he talked to me at Downing's corner
said IL understand you are doing gooC
deal of talking about me-" of course
tried to get out of it; didn't want to have
any trouble with such man as him
talked it over and he says, more thar
this, guess you are trying to help thest
parties against me, you could have tole
me you knowed this this arrest was go
ing to be-here am in devil of fix. ;