Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-01
MURDERED.
A Young Wife Brutally Shot by a
Hired Man.
Mrs. Joseph Copeland, Of HopsdaIe, O., the
Nctim-The Murderer Confssses His
Guih-Threats Of lynching, But
Better Counsel Prevails
and He viii
BE PERMITTED TO PULL HEMP.
SpeeiaI Dispatch to tAe Reais.er.


HoPEDALE, o., August 31.-This staid and
quiet little village was thrown into fever
of. excitement by telegram stating that a
former resident of the vicinity had been
murdered few hours before.
The facts, as understood by your corre-
spondent, are as follows: Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Copeland having linked their desti-
nies, moved to Kewanee, Coles county, Hin
ois, for the purpose of locating, which
they did some three or four years ago.
They visited friends here last winter, and
upon their return were accompanied by a
Mr.. I. c. Bell, an old neighbor, and young
man by the name Of Sylvester Machinson,
he going for the purpose of finding en-
ployment which he did a few days after
their arrival.
A few days ago Mr.. Copeland and Mr..
Bell were called away on business, and
upon their return found the body of Mrs.
C. in the yard, mangled and bleeding, with
two bullet holes in her breast and severe
cut on the forehead, supposed to have been
made by heavy instrument.
The object OF the murderer was evidently
to obtain money, eighty dollars belonging
to Mr.. Bell having been taken. Suspicion
at once centered upon young Machinson as
the guilty one, and he was arrested and the
money and a revolver, with two empty
chambers, were found upon his person.
The body of the victim was brought
here yesterday and laid to rest in neigh
boring cemetery, amid host of sorrowing
friends.
Further Particulars.
The Enquirer publishes the following ad-
ditional facts in regard to the murder: At
Hewanee, farm hand who had been at
work in that locality called at farm house
in the neighborhood. Here he found a lady
alone, and after some delay he bruttlly
murdered her by blows and by pistol shots,
robbed the house of some money and de-
parted, but some hours later Joined in the
search for the murderer, the body of the MUIR
dered lady having been found. He was sub
scquently arrested on suspicion, and finally
on Monday confessed his crime. The dis
covery of this atrooity, together with the
arrest and confession of the murderer, hap
pening at the same time as the discovery
and arrest of the bank robbers, naturally
has given Kewanee an excitement that
rarely falls TO the lot of 8 rural town.
The examination of Makinsqp, the MUIR
derer of Mrs. Copeland, was held this fore
noon. He waived examination and pleaded
guilty, and was remanded to the county
iail. Fully five thousand men were on the
streets at an early hour this morning, de-
termined that Makison should be hung be-
fore he left the place, but by the eNertions
of some of the best citizens, coupled with
the assurance of States Attorney Gilchrist
that the law should be fully carried out he
was allowed to be taken by the officers to
the county Jail.
An hour from the time he was removed
il would have been impossible to have
taken him from the cOurt room without
the citizens having taken him in charge
and hanged him on the spot. Before taking
him to the court room he made full con-
fession of the crime and gave all the parti-
culars, telling where the stolen property
was concealed, which was found as he de-
scribed. No attempt to violate the person
of Mrs Copeland was made. He claims
that he can give no explanation why he
did the deed, as Mrs. Copeland was good
friend TO him and had been very
kind to him many times. Before being
taken from the Jail to the Courtroom for
examination he begged the officers to allow
the crowd to hang him Immediately he
wishing to die as soon as possible. MAXI
sons confession was secured by a Pinkerton
detective who was locked up in the same
cell with him, and who made Makison be-
lieye he was Welch, the bank robber. A
mutual interchange OF confidence led to
full disclosure by the mUrder of all the de-
tails of his awful crime. MakisOn was TAX
en- to Cambridge Jail this afternoon, some
twenty miles away, and there conhned' he
was willing 20 be handed over To the mob,
saving that he knew he should be hung
anyhow, and wanted to have it over at