The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-11-25
4 CELEBRATED CASE,
SENTENCED TO a LIVING DEATH.
4 Convicted Murderer, After Serving Three Tears
Of . Life Sentence, Il Granted Anew Trial.
4 History of the Host Interesting
Career Of william Douglas.

A week ago today the Supreme Cous. o!
Appeals granted u new trial 10 Williatl
Douglass, the Grant county murderer, who
has been confined III tho peni.cntiury al
Moundsville since 1910, having been con
v!cted OF the murder OF u young mail carried
named lilzer, and sentenced to imprisonment
for He A wri! Of bBbcas corpus was Issued
returnablc to-day, and 10 Sheriff Brown, Of
this COUNTY, was lhtrusted the duty OF bring
Ing the prisoner into Court.
Dougnss's case is the most remarkable one
In the history Of criminal trials III this State
and his personal history Is interesting. HI
was born in lMppalannock county, Va j, Sep
tcmber 9, 1851. A fter obtaining fair ed uca.
t!on, he learned the printing business and
atterwatd went to Texas where he was mar.
RED to Miss Sallio Howell, OF l.ampassas,
December 81, 1878. His vile died December
Is, 1874, nine days after giving birth u a
child. The child only lived until tho Both OF
the following July. Douglass was married A
second time, N0remberH 1870, 20 Mis- Yltfeat
Hoy, also OF l.aupassas, who Is still living
there, and has never failed to write 10 hef
husband every month since his imprison.
ment.
Douglass was newspaper man, having
published the l.ampassas Dispdtch during the
years 1881, aud was City Marshal OF lam
passas, and Deputy Marshal under the late
Sheriff Sweet, IN lsI5, and until May l, 1870,
Young Hizer was murdered April 5, 1871,
under circumstances which have already
been narrated In these columns. DOUGLASS
WIS with the party that found his body, apti
was arrested the day after the murder und
confined In the Grant County jail, from
which no escaped. TO reporter OF the IN
retLlGENcER, who interviewed him Ia the
paint shop OF the Webster Wagon COMPANY.
In the Monndsviile prison, yesterday, Doug.
ass said that tho Grant County Jail is built
OF brick and the coils lined and
cross.linel with heavy oak timbers.
It has double doors, the inside one male of
heavy bar iron, and the outside one OF thick
oak. He escaped by unlocking the door OF
bis cell, ascending to second story, and
letting himself down by the aid Of a blanket,
This WIS on the night Of April oath, 1873,
and be remained In Grant county until Nav
18th. A number Of parties were seurclipr
for him, but without avail, as no one knew
where he was hidden for many days after his
escape. lie had no effective weapons with
which 10 resist capture II he had been dis.
covered. He returned to Texas, and was re-.
captured tn Lampassas county july 4th 1873
He arrived at the Mouudsville prison August
2lth, following. t'''i
II have not read review Of nv case rs
passed upon by the court" said DOUGLASS.
"and cannot state on what grounds the new
trial is granted"
In reply to the question whether new owl.
dence, favorable to his case, had been dis.
covered since his former trial, he said; ~
have not consulted with my attorney on the
subject yet. Since my conNnemeD, hare nv
health has been good with the exception al
q severe sick spell In the winter and spring
Of 1881. / did not full recover from the
effects Of that illness until last summer,
do not think lam as heavy az when | came
here"
A gentleman who knew something of the
history OF Douglass's trial. told d repofte,
some time ago that Douglass would get Il new
trial. lie said the trial in Grant county was
full OF irregularities, and that no record WINS
made Of any plea entered by Douglass, This
alone was sufficient to annnl all proceedings
in the case.
The history of the case attracts more than
usual attention on account of the standing
OF the prisoners family. His mother, a sis.
ter OF State Senator Barbee, is still living
near the old home. His father was post.
master ut Petersburg at the time Hizer was
killed, and brother is now editor Of the
South Branch Gu7.te, at that place. vi
The most interesting feature Of new trial is
that 1t may end ina conviction Of murder In
the first degree, and sentence TO death by
hanging. This chance WAS preferred, how.
ever, to certain confinement for life, which
to man OF Douslass's age and temperament
is rs bud as speedy death.
The Sheriff Of Grant county will take
Douglass to that county ut once, and bis
trial will be held early next week.
johns, OF Harrison county, the convicted
telon who was also granted Il new trial last
Saturday. will also be turned over to the
sheriff Of that county this forenoon.