Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-13
FATAL FRAcAs.
The Alleged Murderer Arrested at
- BeIlaire.
|. Wilcox Charged With the Murder Of John
Rucksr at Graysyife-The Body
Disitered and the Wound
Discovered.

/, Wilcox was arrested at Bellaire last
night, charged with the murder of J. Ruck-
er at GRANVILLE, Monroe county, on yes.
terday week.At first it was supposed Ruck-
er died q natural death, and the fight
which preceded it was kept unusually
quiet, getting generally about yesterday.
The facts, as given BY the Independent, are
as follows:
A murder occurred in the unusually
quiet village of Graysyille, in Monroe
county, last week, and has been kept I'M
usually quiet ever since, but the facts
were related to reporter to-day, and are
about as follows; !. Wilcox keeps a store
in G-aysvflle, and on Monday, March 5th,
John Rucker sent one of his children to
the store for corn. The child returned and
reported that Wilcox had no corn to sell,
and was again sent to the store and again
returned without the corn. Then Fucker
went to the store himself and asked Will
COX for q bushel of corn. Wilcox told him
he had no corn. Rucker told him he
was a liar and continued to talk in loud
and bOisterous manner in the store. The
Quarrel went on, 1t is alleged, until Ruck-
er finally wound up by calling wilcox
cd id lying son.of-a-b-h. This
enraged Wilcox 80 that he ran from be-
hind the counter, and grabbing the large
poker that was sticking in the stove, struck
Rucker over the head with it. The man
went to his home soon afterwards, and
never came out again. The melee occur
red on Monday, and on Tuesday evening
the man died. Although there were vhis-
peripgs among the few acquainted with
the facts about the quarrel, nothing was
said. and the Rucker man was buried.
Then the talk became more public and the
cause OF Fuckers death was pretty freely
discussed in the stores and on the streets.
Still no arrest was made, but on Saturday
last wind Of the affair had reached Woods
field, and the authorities there secured the
services of two or three physicians, and
they proceeded to the graveyard and ex-
humed the body of John Rucker. The
physician found that Fuckers skull had
been fractured, and pronounced death to
have been the direct result OF the wound
on the head. This was kept very quiet,
and ii is supposed that wilcox
is now in custody OF the
officers at Woodsfeld, though no arrests
had been made up till this morning.
Rucker, the dead man, was about 40 years
OF age and leaves a wife and three chill
dren. On the day Of the difficulty he had
bought half pint of whisky, we are told,
and had treated some OF his friends. Our
informant was OF the opinion that he was
not drunk. but from the trifiing matter
that started the fatal quarrel ii is presumed
that he was somewhat under the influence
of drink. 1t is alleged that he did not
bear the best reputation, but was not con-
sidered dangerous man, though he was
quarrelsome when drinking. Wilcox is
said to be pretty fair sort Of a man, but
very quick tempered. He, Of course, did
not intend to kill Rucker, but his incessaut
abuse so incensed him that he grabbed the
poker and struck him without any thought
of the result. There is grea; deal OF ex.
element in that vicinity, and Wilcox is
probably behind the bars by this time.