Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-05
OUTRAGEOUS LIE.
The Mafamuras Murder an Utter
Canard.


OF all the lying and damaging tales ever
put in circulation that in relation to the
Matamorss murder is the most fragrant ever
perpetrated. On last Monday evening the
Bellairs Tribune published what it set forth
to be the murder Of an Eastern oil specu-
lstor by three men in the vicinity OF Mat
amoras. This information the Tribune gave
as entirely reliable and obtained from q
private letter from Matamoras. The REG
IsrER doubling the reliability Of the story,
characterized it as "gaudy," but the Tribune
on Thursday followed up its original story
with the announcement Of the arrest Of
one of the parties alleged to have
been implicated in the muir
der and stamped it as entirely true.
On the same evening, that the seco-d
Tribune article appeared the REGISTER met
Colonel D. d. Johnson, Of Long Reach,
Tyler county, West Va, at the Mcclure
House, and Is it was presumable he would
know something Of the story, as he lives
quite near, the reporter asked him about
It. Colonel Johnson said he knew the
story and leading the way to seat he told
the version afterward printed. He is q
responsible man, well known throughout
the State and vicinity, and deeming his in =
formation reliable and beyond doubt, the
REGISTER printed the story as he gave it.
But il now turns out that the entire story
was, IN each and every particular, base
lie and utterly without foundation OF fact.
Yesterday afternoon, a party of four
gentlemen came to this city, from Mata.
mOras, to not only deny and disprove the
affair, but to ferret out and punish the
author, whoever it may be. These gentle
men were Mr.. Andrew Kirkbridge,a genial
faced man, who was given a prominent
place in the false tragedy, Mr.. J. w. Ward,
the only son and representative OF Jesse
NJ. Ward, the second principal, Mr.. J. NJ.
Swallow, son-in-law Of George West, the
proprietor Of the Yellow House, at Mata.
moras, and Mr. J. w. Richard
sou, the attorney OF the gentle
men mentioned. The party called
at the REGIsTER office TO have themselves
set right and to denounCe as a malicious
lie, the entire story of the robbery and
murder of the unknown oil operator.
Mr.. kirkbridge came in person and so far
from being under arrest, was never in such
a predicament IN his life, and never eX.
poets to be. The story as published was
taken and dissected, item by item, show.
ing the utter fslsity OF each individual
statement. How such mOnstrosity could
have ever been put into circulation is a
mystery, but hey are determined TO lind
cut and 20 Obtain satisfaction.
In the first place no such oil Spectator
by the name of Smith, or any other name,
was ever known to mysteriOusly disappear
in that neighbOrhoOd, no team belong n to
a stranger or other person was ever lelt
with Mr.. Ward aud not called for. Mr..
Ward was not poor farmer, but was tue
owner of al excellent quarter section Of
lanu on the Little Muskingum river, and
was known to be q judicious, honest. saw
ing farmer, and had an industrious and
frugal wife He did not dispose OF his
farm, but he did buy the hotel
property and remove to MatsmOras
in the year 1865. He was never
accused Of numbering and robbing the SO.
called Smith. He never had but one
nephew in this country and that one WAS
only there a short time, on a visit, and
could not have exhibited the watch or have
gone West with a sum Of money obtained
mysteriCusly Or otherwise. Naturally the
story OF Stewart aud the other young man
fall through with this. Stewart was Mr..
Wards bosller at the hotel in Matamoras,
and when Mr.. Ward returned to his farm
ON the Little Muskingum, Stewart entered
the ell plOyment of Ernest WarnOcke rs a
teamster there contracting the disease of
lulck consumption, dying at the residence of
his brother at Lebanon, Monroe County. No
citizen there ever heard OF his making
confession, as reported. No such man IA
James West ever lived at or near Matt
mOras, or died there, recently or 81 any
time, snd no West Or any other person
ever made a confession such as was re
ported. Aftdavits and dep1siti)ns t.
prove this, as well as the other statements
are row ready and will be produced a, the
proper time NAH by that name lives
below MatamOras some dlS'snre and near
Marietta. but he is alive AMI well al
could not, of course, have been meant.
As to the we'll in which the skeleton is
Sliced to have been fOInd, il is still on the
'arnl ard was filled up by an overflow OF
The creek II has never been since touched,
nut Mr.. J. w. Ward gives full permission
% sny enc who desires to search it. Mr.
K.rkhrrGA, who was dragged in "a the muir
ierrr, is a we'll known and mild hammered
citizen of MatamoraS, and is here in person
80 deny the accusation and say he is still
1t liberty. He moved into MstamOras in
lS67 and never met Mr.. West until that
time. How he could have been wantOnly
tragEed into that tissue ot lies is not ap-
parent. In short, the entire story, in what
ever form il has appeared, is q lie. wilful
and malicious, but for what end it wa
ent up here has not yet been made to ap.
pear.
The REGISTER is convinced OF the truth
IF the statement made by these gentlemen
md OF the falsity of the story of the muir.
der, and gives publicity to this article t.
catch up and correct the lie wherever il
may have gone. In justice to the gentle.
men mentioned. all papers having printed
he story should at once publish this cor.
reptinp