Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-18

with Riggs; after he turned states eyi-
dence / heard conversation on Finkss
corner between him and some strang-
er; they were talking in a low tone:
they afterwards spoke louder and
heard Riggs say that ''if the General
ever undertook to shoot him be would
have to do it damned quick" and dis
played revolver; didn't hear Riggs
make any threats against Weir.
James Weir Sr-My son George is
about 2l years ofage. Six Of my chill
dren are are dead. George graduated in
the ST Clairsville High School. l am
SO years of age. i knew Sterl Riggs.
| seen Riggs down about Downins's.
If recollect right he swore to me he
would kill George. Think this talk
was before George was arrested for the
Fink robbery. / told George what
Riggs said and cautioned George.
Gloss examined-I met Riggs over
towards Downing's. He asked where
George~wasi tried to reconcile them.
/ didn't know they had beenfriends for
long time. / understood that Riggs
was appropristing some products Of
some ground. (The witness here wan.
idered away from the subject ana talk
ed ia a rambling and unIntelligible
manner. He continued: 1 don't take
notes of these things to . very large
extent 1t passed my memory. NV
memory is failing with age, getting
weaker every year. | can't place
things right in my mind. The talk
with Riggs strikes me was some time
between November or December and
some time in January.
Re examfned-I don't trust much to
my memory. met Riggs who asked
me where George was. He wanted to
do several things with George, said he
wanted TO make George ea. mud. He
meant he wouid kill him. He under
took to Set up some considerable in
jury George had done to him.
Re-crnss examined have no rec
objection of George saying that be
would make Sterl eat mud. In the
neck of the woods where l was brought
mp it is we'll understood what that
means. Much Ofthe testimony of this
witness was so disconnected and ram
bling that it was difficult to make any
thing out CT it. The above is about
the substance ofit.
Anna Lockard-I lived last summer
and winter at Thos Cochran's in st
Clairsville. Never lived at Sterling
Riggs; was there about week last
April a year ago; was there during
my brothers trial. have knnwn SterI
Riggs good many years. While l
was al his house seen him have a
small pistol never seen him have
but the one pistol. Ican't tell pistol
from . revolver. He has told me he had
revolver in his pocket. He has shot
at me or some one with me; sounded
like pistol or revolver. was living
then at Judge Cochran's.. 1t was or
8 weeks after / lived at Riggs. 1t was
an evening or two after that he told
me he had the same revolver in his
pocket then he shot with. / don't
know whether he shot a. me or Will
Downing who was with me. said
the next time be did it would inform
on him. had talk with Riggs about
the Fink robbery; he told me. he
Riggs took the money; he did not
tell me anything about the boys; he
said Will Downing had nothing to do
with it.; he did not show me any thing
that he got at Fink's; he showed me a
sack of money. He wanted me to run
off with him. He was afraid I would
blow on him. He had told me of the
burglary before that had been at
his house that evening and he said he
wanted to tel me something and walk
ed across the commons with me. He
asked me il would give him away and
/ told him wouldn't. He never talk
ed to me about Weir. Never had any
talk with Riggs after he turned states
evidence. The talk was in the summer.
Ithink / was living at Sterl Riggs at
the time OF the Fink robbery. ! have
seen q great many things at Riggs /
seen small burglar saws, jimmies and
different kind OF keys.
Cross-examined-Don know when
my brothers trial was; don't know what
month the robbery was; 1t was while
Jim Williams trial was going on; it was
April. Sterling Riggs and were good
friends. 1t was in Parks field he shot
at me, west of town, right back of the
house; Bill and l were sitting down in
the open field didn't see Riggs; didn't
hear the whistle of the ball we both ran
and came home; Riggs was behind =
hedge; don't know how far the hedge
was. 1t was Sunday afternoon; don't
know how Riggs knew we were there;
Sterl told me he shot at Rsand laughed
about it; said he didn't shoot at me, but
at Downing. We were sitting close ~
persons would talking together. Sterl
came down to C0chrans to tell me about
it, and laughed about it There was
trouble between Downing and Riggs. ne
was jealous of me and Bill, but pretend
ed that he was jealous Of Bill and Mrs.
Riggs. He told me he didn't want me
to go with Bill Downing, and he didn't
want Us to tell toe much. 1 was in
Geller's saloon with Riggs. May have
had a conversation with Geller in his
back room, at the saloon; don't remem-
Der; have been living at McDOnald's,
a private house, in Wheeling, since left
Bellaire; lived with Jane Workman in
Bellaire; am acquainted with Jane
Workman of Bellaire. / may have told
her received $50 to swear Downing out
of the penitentiary. take glass Of
beer. Know Charles Montrose don't re-
collect telling him that same thing.
said to them l knew nothing about the
murder case. Don't know whetbsr +
said I received $50 to swear hfM out
of the penitentiary. Steri said be book
the money, and said, Downing and
Weir had nothing to do with it. He
said, IL am the man who t0ok It."
wouldn't run away with him. He urg-
ed me hard to go. several times, and at
his own house. I knew he was q mar