Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-09-23
A POOR HOUSE POINTER.
An Inmate of the Marshall County Iu-
firmary Flees From Cruelty 10 Meet
DeaIh by StarSatIOn-Ihe Tale a
skeleton Told.

Special to the Register.
MoUSpsvILLE, ". VA, September %
Not a great while ago a discovery was
made by young man of this place, the
circumstances of which, no doubt, to this
day, Aaunts his memory like a horrid
nightmare, and each recurring thought OF
il makes his flesh creep in terror, aud
brings a chill to the Very marrow OF his
bones. II is no hidden mystery, but the
story was freshened and brought before US
by the reading of the article in last SuH-
days REGIsrER, commenting on
Our Poor House
ard its management. The story is not
without its moral, if taken in that connec-
ton.
one autumn day, and as we at the outset
of this article remarked, not long ago, sS
the young man referred to was wearlIy
vending bis way over the hills that form
picturesque background 10 the historic
hats of Grave Creek, thinking, no douotoi
home and mother, or idly dreaming of the
future, his attention was suddenly attract
ed 10 an unusual spectacle short distance
before him that awakened quite different
train Of thought and state OF feeling than
that he had been Indulging in. What IS 1t
that for q momeBt causes MIN 70 halGthen
Nith rapid steps to advance, only to start
lack with dilated eyes and horror depicted
On every ineament Of his countenance!
The CrouchIDg Form
Il Wild beast or q yenOmOus serpent,
ready 10 lasten its poisonous iangs IN the
intruder No: but il is that which seldom
fails to strike terror to courageous heart
II is the hOrrid. grinning, CHASTITY spectacle
Of human skeleton spread upon the eart6
before him. The long bOny fingers seemed
10 beckon him, and the hollow eyed, grim
ing skull open its jaws to explain the
nrystery. How came this skeleton here?
Had foul murder been committed2 Whose
frau is il, and such other thoughts fitted
ike lightning through the young man 5
b,aip. and a feeling akin to fear begun to
steal over him. The rustic OF leaf, the
au,ter of a bird, the slightest noise was
msgnifed, and awakened some new terror.
The woods seemed full of phsntom forms.
The Horror of the Situation
was too much for the nerves Of the young
msn, and with quick glances around he
made ali haste to put distance between
himself anu the object Of his terror. Reach
ing the public highway, bat short dis
! ta9ce off he met two acguaintsnces, lu-
| formed them OF his discovery and gave IN
| structions how and where the skeleton
| could be found. Equipped with spade and
mHttCCk L0ey NlslLeu Lu6 spoe, N%S
! hole in the ground and chucked the bones
| in it. Subse luent Developments nave
proved the skeleton to have been that OF q
| German, q pauper who had strayed 70 thar
| lonely spot, not great ways from the IN,
| Urinary, where he met his death; now ana
| by what means will ever remain mystery
! But is not all this sad commentary on
| the account taken OF our poor Ihey
wander on like sheep and die It's true, q
| doctors and undertAker's bill IS saved oy
| the county. No further account OF a pau
per's unexplained absence is taken. It Is
/ only
| one body less 70 clOthe. Where IS thar hu-
/ manity, the boast Of . civilized community,
/ that such wrongs are permitted to go un-
\ hPeded by. While the above is but one in
/ stance Of neglect what might rigid in-
[ vesligstion develop? The very soil that
| groEed the crops, that fed the poor, msy
have b, en- enriched by the bodies OF estray
paupers; but no, such is to horrible to con.
template. We beard prominent couoty
ctfcial publicly remark the other day, that
when the oveTseers of the county met IN q
body, as they do every year, the main enort
made by each in comparing notes, was 70
vie with each other in keeping the Door
the most econically, ard 10 the individual
who had outdone sll Others he Was worthy
the distinction Of wearing the red ribbon
If onIy fractional part Of the money that
is fritiered aEay annually in various pub
lie extraysgancies was devoted 20 oetterIng
The uocr's condition, there would % no
such ciamor as is now going up Tor re-