The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-08-05
A HORRIBLE CRIME UNsARTHE D
A Skeleton Found in a WeII-Death-Bed
Confession OF One OF the Murderes.

WHEELING, W. Va, August 4.-The
little town OF Natamoras, Ohio, 81 miles
below this city, has Just experienced 0
singular and unparalleled sensation. In
1864 New York syndicate sent man,
whose name at this date cannot
be- recalled, to Matamoras to
prospect for oil land. He came with q fine
team and had about so, 900 in greenbacks.
He went from Matamoras to Archer's
Fork, q short distance above, and stopped
with man named Ward, whom he took
into MS employ. He and Ward prospected
about the country for some time when sud
denly he disappeared His team remained
at Ward s but that individual said he had
ahsconded with his employers funds and
had lei. him the team in payment for his
services This story was secuted, but
there was no evidence OF other facts and 1t,
therefore, had TO be accepted. Soon after
ward Wards circumstances underwent
great change. He was poor man and
owned small and sterile farm which he
disposed of, moved to Matamoras, where
he purchased hote property, and branched
out ami zlngy. About three years ago
Ward. while walking into the yard from
the house, threw his hands and up ex-
claiming,
ION. MY GoDn DROPPED DEAD.
With his death all talk Of the disappear
ance OF the New Yorker ended until II was
brought back in thrilling way recently.
James " est, for-naught about
Matamoras, who had suddenly come into
possession of money a long time ago, was
taken down with an illness which proved
ty be fatal. Finding bis
end approaching, he said:
II have a terrible disclosure to make;
send for a minister" The minister came
and West found out the long hidden mys.
terry concerning the stranger. Ward had
come to West and told him OF the prospec-
tors money and how easily they might OBJ
tain il. The two men decided to murder
him, and took into their confidence q uian,
Kirk bride, butcher in MstamOras. The
three waylad the stranger one dark night
at Archer's Forks, and while Ward aud
West held him, Kirkbride cut his throat
with butcher knife. They then robbed
him OF his jewelry and about $50, 900 in
money. On one finger was gold ring
which fitted so tightly they could not re-
move it, and they therefore decided 20 allow
it to remain. They buried the body ur-
der manure pile for few days, and then
dragged ii up and
THREW IT IN A WELL
on Ward $ place and then filed up the we'll
| Ward gave out that the we'll had caytd In,
| in order to cover the crime, The three
divided the money equally and kept u cir
mouths shut. West saiG In conclusion they
might find the skeleton in the well, and
could identify it by the gold ring
Shortly after making this confession Yves
died. The disclosure created the mast in
tense CONSERVATION and excitement in Mata
moras, though no prompt measures were
taken to Institute the search suggested,
kirkbride was there and denied aud ridi-
cucd the story, but after some little Tune
had passed the flled-up well was LOOKED
for, found and searched, and the excNvp-
ton brought to light a skeleton with gold
ring clinging to the bony finger. At this the
town went wild, and kirkbride was placed
under arrest to answer the charge.