Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-17
THE CASE OF DOUGLASS
Assassination Of Mail Carrier--Ihe Flight
Of the Murderer to Texas-His Re-
capture and lmprisonment-A
Writ Of Error Allowed.

In the last but one reporter the supreme
Court, given in the REeIsrER was this item:
Estate VS.. W. Seymour Douglass, Grant
county; writ of error allowed"
1t was passed over at the time, but to it
there hangs an interesting story. The man
Douglass is now in the penitentiary at
Moundsville, serving out life sentence for
the murder of young man named Hlzer,
a mail carrier between Petersburg, Grant
county. and Moorefield, Hardy county. 1t
was stigmatized, at that time, as most
atrocious and cold blood murder and the
substance of the evidence at the trial made
up the following story:
One of the merchants of Petersburg in
formed Douglass, and probably others, one
day in the summer of 1877. that he would,
on the following day, send considerable
sum of money in the mail 20 Moorefeld.
The young man started on his trip that day
at the usual time, but failing to reach
Moore field, word was sent up from that
place asking why the mail had not been
sent. The news OF young Hizer's failure to
reach Moorefeld spread rapidly, and soon
a posse Of citizens, Douglass among them,
started out on the hunt OF the miss
inc messenger. Upon arriving at
point in the road between the two post sta
lions where the road struck the South
branch of the Potomac, a gloomy, unfre-
ouented spot, hedged in by high mountain
peaks, covered with thick growth OF pine
trees, and one in all ways fitted for the oil.
abolical work, they discovered the dead
body of the unfortunate boy, with several
bullet holes in different parts OF his body.
The body was 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 first shot was
fired, the boy, in his endeayor to escape
from the murderer, attempted TO gain the
opposite shore, but the tiend crossed the
stream at the ford just above and
meeting the escaping and wounded boy at
the waters edge, deliberately shot him to
death. The horse rode by the mail carrier
was found in the vicinity Of the tragedy
hitched to q sapling. During the excite
ment incident to the finding OF the dead
boy, Douglass left the crowd unperceiyedby
any OF them, for. as yet, no suspicion was
entertained Of his guilt and for the fact of
his leaving the pursuit just as its object
had been obtained, without, it is said, ever
looking at or approaching the murdered
boy, was one Of the first fittings TO direct suS'
picion towards him. Additional evidence
WAS ulSIONeIeut pllOl W AAiS SsAH 49,
duced at the final trial, and while the en-
tire evidence was circumstantial, still 1t
was So complete and of such an uninter-
rupted chain that the jury had but little
difficulty in arriving at the verdict OF muir
der in the first degree.
Motion was made for a new trial, aud
when On the 3rd day Of October, 1877, the
Judge passed sentence upon the prisoner
the sheriff was ordered to retain the con-
Il. n ratl nt EAh
ary ), 1873. in order that the motion for
new trial might be decided before he was
taken 10 the penitentiary.
When the time arrived for the Sheriff to
convey his charge to the Penitentiary the
Grant county jail did not contain an in
mate filling the bill Douglass, fearing the
result of the motion for new trial, or
probably the result of the trial, escaped
the concern and went to Texas, where he
had lived for years, and where his second
wife is now living. When arrested he was
at his old home in Petersburg on visit
only Word was promptly sent to the
authorities of Layepassas county, Texas,
where Douglass had been living, of his
escape and offering a reward for his re-
turn He was well known TO the Sheriff OF
that county, having at one time acted in
the capacity of deputy for that officer.
Knowing douglass skill in tho use ola pistol,
and his nerve and pluck TO put 1t into exc
cution, the sheriff concluded to resort to
ruse 10 effect his capture. This he succeed
ed in carrying out. and Douglass was
brought back and safely lodged in the peni.
tiary August -, 1875, from whence he will,
we presume. be taken as soon as the neceS-
sary papers are made out. back to Grant
county, to be again tried for the oiienSe
with which he is charged.
Douglass is still young man. less than
81 years of age, Of fine personal appearance,
with nothing about his cOuntenanCe u lead
one to believe him capable of committing
the horrible crime with which he is charged
and has once been found guilty by twelve
of his peers. unless it be the expression OF
the ewes. which arc demOn.like in their
glance He is well educated and of fine
natural abilities IS printer by trade, and
was at one time editor Ut a newspaper.
From letters received from the prisoners
mother, sisters and wife by him, it is
shown that his family connections are
highly cultivated and people OF rare intel
lcCiual abilities and accomplishments.
Douglass record at the prison. during the
almost four years he has been confined
there, is first rate. He is member OF the
Episcopal church, and manifests deep in.
tercst in the welfare OF his fellow prisoners.
He has always maintained "a strict reticence
in regard TO the crime of which he was con-.
yicted, invariably persiSting through all
the long years, that the Supreme Court
,,,s. Grant him q now hpariDp