The Osceola times., 1883-09-08
MURDERED FOR MS MONEY.
The sudden Taking of OF New Yorker
Explained.

The sudden Taking of of a New Yorker
Explained.
Wheeling, w. Vs. Dispatch in N. Y. Herald.
The little town Of Matamoras, Ohio,
hi rty-five miles below this city, has Just
experienced singular and unparalleled
ensation.
In 1864 New York syndicate sent
man. whose name ,ahnot now be recalled
Matamoras TO prospect for oil land.
He came with fine team, and had about
/ IN $4,000 in greenbacks. He went
rom Matamoras 10 Archer's Fork, a short
distance above, and stopped with a man
named Ward, whom he took into his
employ. lie and Ward prcspected about
the country for some time, when sudden
Y he disappeared.
His team remained at Wards, but that
Individual said he had abscoRded with
his employers funds and had left him
he team in pa ment for his services
This story was secuted, but there was no
evidence Of other facts, and it therefore
had to be accepted. Soon afterward
Wards circumstances underwent great
change. He was poor man and owned
a small and sterile farm, which he dis
posed ofand moved TO Matamoras, where
he purchased hotel property and
branched out amazingly. About three
years ago Ward, while walking into the
yard from the house, threw his hands up,
and exclaimed, "Oh, my God !" dropped
dead. With his death all talk of the dis
appearance of the New Yorker ended
until il was brought back in a thrilling
way recently.
James West, good -for-naught about
Matamoras, who had suddenly came in
TO possession of money long time ago
was taken down with an illness which
proved to be fatal. Finding his end ap-
preaching, he said: 81 have a terrible
disclosure to make; send for minister" -"
The minister came, and West poured oHt
the long-hidden mystery concerning the
stranger Ward had come to West and
told him of the prospector's money and
how easily they might obtain it. The
two decided to murder him, and took
into their confidence a man named Kirk
bride, butcher in Matamoras. The
three waylaid the stranger one dark
night at Archer's Forks, and while Ward
and West held him, Kirkbride cut his
throat with butcher knife. They then
robbed him of his jewelry and about
$4,000 in money. On one finger was a
gold ring which fitted so tightly that they
could not remove it, and they therefore
decided TO allow il TO remain. They
buried the body under manure pile for
few days, then dragged il and threw it
into well on Wards place and filed up
the well, Ward gave out that the well
caved in in order to cover the crime.
the three divided the money equally
and kept their mouths shut.
West said, in conclusion, they might
find the skeleton in the well, and could
identify it by the gold ring. Shortly af-
ter making the confession West gave II
the ghost.
The disclosure created the most intense
CONSERVATION and excitement in Mata-
hlof'is, tnougn no lrohip' hcaoutc was
taken to institute the search suggested.
Kirkbride was there, and denied and
ridiculed the story; but after some little
time had passed the filled up well was
looked for found and searched, and the
excavation brought to light a skeleton,
with gold ring clinging to the bony
finger.
At this the town went wild, and Kirk
bride was placed under arrest to answer
the charge.