Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-11
WEIR WRIGGLING
AND TRYING TO GAIN A POINT Win
THE JURY.
The Testimony for the Defense Continued
The Father Of the Prisoner on the
Stand - So Far a Yep Lame
Defense - His Old Threats
Still Stand Against Him.
HARD IoTELL WHICH WAY II WILL GO
,Dsc.,rr Reported for the Register.

moraing. The prisoner was brought In
and the examination for the defense was
resumed.
VIM. 6 Downing Was First Called
Reside in ST. Ciairsville; have lived
here eight or ten years; remember the
shooting OF Sterling Riggs; was IN our
house at that time; remember the ourn-
ing of wilkins barn; remember an
evening or two after that two parties
.stapding at our house; did not -knoS
them; was at the mouth OF alley way al
Fink's house; Riggs came from FInk's
corner. he said There's the General
giving me away TO Boo wilkins, and 1t
The q ahmed son OF b dOut stop II
I'm kin him; he's pulled that thing out
on NE again, and the next time he does
i he'll have to use il, and that damned
onick;" remember of Weir being arrest,
sd for burgiarizing Fink'S house and the
preliminary examination; We were
Round over and gave bond; Welr and l
went to see Riggs on the evening OF the
same day at his house; We went down
TO see what he'd done this for; believe
he testified against us and We went 10
see hin about il; George and l were all
who WENT to Riggs house: George asked
MN what ne put this job up on us
fnr. he said Its nothing
more than you tried TO do
10 me" both OF them were angry; after
W. sorted Starl called me to come back,
"a: lie Santei To see me; went back
>..u.... ..,. a,ierwarh on the same day,
AID L,. tuld ule lac would never appear
against no in the cast; don't remember
tia, he said any thing about Weir; ate:
I received that information from Riggs |
demanded a separate trial, in accordance
with hIs proposition; told George OF the
conversation had with Riggs; he had
been told OF I By the party who was
present when heard it from Riggs; re-
member OF Rigs going away from town
for time: remember OF his return be-
fore the arrest; was with Weir when
Weir told Riggs he had learned he was
going 10 turn states evidence, and Weir
asked him about it; Riggs said 1t was a
damned lie and wanted 10 know who
told him; Weir told him, and Riggs said
he would see the party; Riggs seemed
to be angry; seen Riggs in the evening
after he came back in Fink's yard; was
no conversation then in my pres nee
about Riggs informing on Weir; don't
remember anything Of that kind.
Cross -examined-Weir and l plead
guilty to u larceny OF some wool; on the
day of srOOting | was at home. (Attor-
nrv for the State here asked the witness
whether he was arrested and tried as an
accomplice in the murder OF Riggs. At
torneys for the defense objected,
and the Court sustained the OBJ
ie,tion.) Gave George his revolver that
day al the barber shop between 10 and
IL O'Clock; Riggs snG | were friendly all
the time up 10 tie time he WAS shot;
NAV have. been WeIr's cOunsel that de-
manded separate trial; seen Weir at
Flnk's frequently.
Re.rxamIned - Riggs was Indicted
with me in the larceay case; alter the
time OF the preliminary trial Oi the Fink
case don't believe ever saw Weir and
Riggs together; seen bath OF them IN my
fathers mouse, but no; -ether; seen
both there not long before the killing.
James Downing Sworn
Live in 81. Ciairsville; was present
with Weir and Wm. Downing AZ Riggs
house on tie day of the preliminary ex-
animation: Riggs Was there; George
asked him why he was TRYING to put
this ipb up on them; Steri said, You We
been trying TO put this up On me;
thought pOtn OF them were angry; Riggs
went into the house and then came ont
again; Rigs said something abou' kick
lug tae gus out OF Weir; Steri told
vii. to ZONE back, that he wanted to
talk the matter over with him. Riggs
tod me- 10 tell Will 10 come down, there
was some swearing by ali the parties
that day when We were there; was not
much talk after Sterl came out oi tne
house; sterl appeared to be mad; bad
been acquainted with Riggs good
while; he lIvei on our tarm before llvir 9
on Mr. eta street; he carIied q pistol
ever since I went any place witn hum;
ne ALWAYS took HlS pistol with hlm wheh
he went 10 bis work; wasn't very long
before the killing that | last knew him
10 carry a r'-'u:; >. uLF 90. -. .. = l H.-N
Oh our cnr..er Nita tieOrgs Neu. Cnsrlle
Clark and some otter boy; W. all went
over 10 Fink and went in; Weboer and
a big crowd were there; after we came
out | seen Riggs in the street on the
crossing; he walked past us; didn't near
anything pass between Welr and hlggs ;
Riggs asked some one for q cigar and got
il, Weir was about two feet from Riggs;
Rigs went towards his home; WASH I
veTv long until the crowd started up
STREET. know Samuel q. Christy; didn't
see him that day; George Weir, Charlie
C. ark and started up stresL toge her;
Gsorse said, BOYS, let's 90 up street;
6il not hear him say there's going 10
be 4 h of a racket" think was In
position TO hear what he said; did not
hear him say he Vas going to Kill ;ht
damned son of a b.; George stopped al
Seldwi rs shop to talk TO Sam Gelleri
after got TO the Mayors office we start
ed 10 yo into the Office, George going IN
front OF US; Jack Riggs told US We could
not 20 up there, and Weir said "tna'
settles IL" Charlie Clark and l then
started down to the billiard room; was
not present at the shooting; heard OF II
al Clark's as we came back from the
billiard room; seen Riggs stand,
!Ls IN 'front.' OF hlfh ao VIC
uD; Weir vas standing at the Mayor :
oAcs dor: saw Weir that day little
alter - o'clock in JacSson's barber
s4op; next saw him in our house; ne
vas there about half an hour; did not
hear Weir say anything that day about
Riggs
Cross-examined-I went to Riggs
house with George and Will to keep
them from getting into trouble; wanted
70 see my brother get out all right; !
hai no p stol; don't know whether VIII
orGeorge had any; Riggs was good
WORKING man; didn't want to haye any
ronOle ther, tried to keep them IRON
golHgt) Riggs house; had been drink
lnG sons the day OF the shooting;
wasn't drunk.
Rs-eIsmined - Know q good deal
ao9a; hlggs; know that he shot at
couple Of peIs sons one night (Objected
u by the Stats, and the objection was
sustained,) always thought he was a
dangerous man; never heard people say
anything good OF him; never heard
much said about him.
Charles Clark Called.
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