The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-04
AN INTERESTING CASE. Z
4 Convicted Murderer Granted a New
- w. ----- Irlnl. -


A Convicted Murderer Granted a New
.l Trial.
state rs. ". Seymour Douglas, Grant
county; writ OF error allowed" ..,.
The above Item appeared In the yepor. OF
the Supreme Court proceedings o. Saturday
last. Douglas is no. serving life sentence
In the Peni.entiary at Moundsvile for the
murder OF young nail carrier named Ilizcr,
who carried the mail on horseback between
Petersburg, In Grant county, and Mooseteld,
Hardy county. The murder OF young Hizer
was one 0! the most atrociUus, cold.bloodsd
and ,atiy premedItassd ever committed 10
the country. The particulars IN far as our
reporter has been able to gather them,
ar. as foltOwS: One OF the merchants OF
Petersburg informed Douglass, aud probably
Others, one day IN the summer OF 1877, that
he would, on the following day, send a con.
siderable SUN Of money In the mall 10
MooJeheld. The young man started
on b u trip that day at the usual
time, but falling toI'cach Mootetield, word
was sent up from that place asking why the
mail had not been sent. The news Of young
hszers failure TO reach Sloore!ield spread
rapid y. and soon u large pout OF citizens,
Douglass among them, started out Oh the
hunt OF the missing messenger. Upon ar.
irwin: a. point in the road between the two
post stations where the road struck the South
branch Of the Potomac, gloomy, unfrt-
qnen.ed spot, hedged in by high mountain
peaks, covered with thick growth OF pine
trees, and one In all ways fitted for the dia.
bo!ical work, they di;covred the dead body
OF the unfortunate boy, with several bullet
holes In different parts OF his body.
The body way found on the opposite
side OF the river from that where the
road ran, and from the direction taken by
the bullets It Is supposed that after the fins,
shot was fired the boy, IN his endeayor 10 es.
cape from the murderer, attempted to gain
the opposite shore, but the tiend crossed the
stream at ford JUS. above, and meeting the
escaping and wounded boy ut the waters
edge, deliberately she: bin TO death. The
horse rode by the mail carrier was found in
the vicinity OF the tragedy hitched 10 q sap
ling. During the excitement incident TO the
finding OF the dead boy, Douglass left the
crowd unpEeceived by any OF them, for, rs
yet, no suspicion was entertained of his
guilt, and the fact o. his leaving the pursuit
just Us its object had been obtained, without,
1t is said. ever looking at or
approaching the murdered boy, was one OF
the first things to direct suspicion towards
him. Additional evidence was discovered,
prior 10 his arrest, and adduced at the .ina!
triGl, and while the entire evidence WIS cir
cuHlsiAntial, still it was so complete, and OF
such IN uninterrupted chain, that the jury
had but little difficulty in arriving at q yer.
diet OF murder in the first degree.
Motion Was made for new trial and
when, on the Bid day OF October, 1877, the
Jude. passed sentence upon the prisoner,
the Sheriff was ordered 10 retain the convict
In the Grant county Jail until February 9TH
1875 IN order that the motion for new
trial might be decided before he was taken
to the penitentiary. .-.
When the time arrived for the Sheriff to
convey his charge TO the Penitentiary the
Grant county JUL did not contain an Inmate
filling the bill. Douglass, fearing the result
OF the motion for new trial. or probably the
result OF the trial, escaped from the concern
and went TO Texas where he had lived for
years, and where bis second wife Is now liy.
ing. When arrested he was &, his old home
In PetersbUrgh on visit only. Word YVES
promptly sent to the authorities OF l.avepaSsas
county, Texas, where Douglass had been iy-
ing, OF his escape, and offering reward for
his return. lie was well known 10 the
Sheriff OF that county. having at one time
nc;edin the capacity OF deputy for that officer.
Knowing Douglass's skill in the use OF q pis-
to, and his nerve and pluck to put it into
execution, the Sheriff concluded to reso., to
rEse TO his effect capture. This he succeeded
in carrying out, and Douglass was brough,
! back, and safely lodged in the renitcntiary,
August "a, 1878, from whence he will, we pre-.
sumo, be taken US soon as the necessary pa.
peEs are made out, back 10 Gran, county, 10
be again tried for the ofensc with which he
is charged.
Douglass is still young man, less than
| thirty-one years OF age, OF fine personal ap.
] pea.auce,with nothing about his countenante
10 lead one to believe him capable of com.
hitting the horrible crime with which he is
| charged and bas once been found guilty by
twelve of his peers, unless il be the exp.es
sion OF the eyes, which are dcmon.liEe in
| their glance. He is we'll educated, and OF
fine natura! abilities, is n printer by t-ale,
and was At one time editor OF /. he Gspape.
From letters received from the prisoner
mother, sisters and wife by him, it is shown
that his family connections are highly chilli
waited and people Of rare intellectual sbil,ie.
and accomplishments.
| D5uelass's record at the prison. during the
almost four years he has been confined there
is iirst:.ate. lie is member OF the Episcopal
Church, and manifests q deep interest in The
welfare OF his iellow-prisoners. He ha.
always maintained u strict re,icence in re
gard TO the crime OF which lie was convicted
invariably rersisting through oil the iona
years, that the Supreme Cour; mus. grant
him new hearing.