Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-12
Curious People Wbe Visit the PEN
itsntiary to Gazs on the
Vilest CrimiRaIs. 70
A Little Mound of Dirt That Marks
the End of Murdsrsss'
Life Sentence.
A Sensation That Has Completely
"Torn Up" MOundsyiIIs and
Immediate Vicinity.
Special % The ReQister.

MoUXDYI1IE, August 11.-Visitors TO the
Penitentiary are, as general thing, desiF
GUS of knowing and having pointed out To-
them the most noted of the criminals and
worst characters among the. conyicts. afhe'
greater the crime committed the greater
the attraction. The number is few who
visit the prison in true spirit OF phlian-
thropy. The qualification of idle curiosity
is the principal incentive. We heard
gentleman and lady, who had been shown
through the Penitentiary the other day,
remark: We'll, we got to see how they
make whips brooms and wagons, but we
didn't get tolsee single murderer Or rob-
ber." They appeared to be disappointed;
but had they taken the trouble to have en-
quired, their curiosity would have been
gratifed. Some of the most noted OF the
criminals that were formerly hunted out
and enquired after by the curious are no
longer inmates of the prison. Webb,
whose exploits are familiar to your readers
after being pardoned out left for some
point south.-po doubt his home, which
was rumored to be in Kentucky, ard of q
highly connected family. There Is but one
person about here, we believe, 10 whom
Webb confided the
History of His Life,
and he chose a worthy confident. rage
who so successfully made way with $780,
coo in bonds, from Loundes, of Harrison
county, is lost among the great mass OF
human beings in the outer world. 1t was
reported he had been arrested for larceny
in some of the back counties, and was
serving term OF Imprisonment, but the
report has never been corroborated. Mrs.
Melings the CaDell county murderess serv-
ed her term of sentence, which was for life;
ard little low mound of dirt without the
prison walls marks her last resting place,
and tells its own story. Douglass, the
Grant county murderer, is one of the most
noted criminals, now within the walls. To
look at him while he so skilllully manipu-
lates the paint brush in the wagon shops
one would hardly imagine him capable OF
having committed the crime for which he
is now
after having escaped the gallows twice. A
mild hammered nan can be seen in one OF
the shops whose experience in the uncer-
tainties of this world has been bitter one
There is nothing about him that bespeaks
the criminal only his stripes; but his case
fully illustrates the adage that honesty If
the best OF policy" The circumstances in
his case we state in brief: He had note
in bank; being unable to meet it at its ma.
turty and having assurances that he could
do so easily a short time after, and dread:
ing to ask his endorsers for contiIVed
favors for fear of refusal, he in an unSusTa~
ed moment used their names without con-
sulting them, fully intending to meet the
note when due, and thinking they would
know nothing OF his action, but also, he
was taken sick long before he could perfect
his plans. The note he had forged was
protested, when the facts IN the case were
developed, and although he paid the note
rs soon as we'll the crime was not excused
and stern law enforced and he is now serV-
ing six years sentence for his indiscre-
ton.