The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-12
TIE ASHLAND CASE,
INTERVIEW WITH MEALS FATHER.
10 10 Strong Ia tho Faith that his Son Had Moth.
lag to do With tho Crins-nis Whsrsabouts 7,
sg on that Dreadfsi Sisht-Delisf that tho
3. ReAl Criminals arc not Caught.

Inc Huntington Adlertiser Of this week
has an interesting interview with the
father Of Neal, the remaining. one Of tho
trio accused Of completely in the Ashland,
kyr tragedy. II lt.cop6rms theory which
many people have held all along The
Advertiser says: q
We had a call Monday last from Nathan
Neal, OF Boyd county, ky.,,' the father OF
VIM. Neal, who Is accused OF the murder
Of the Gibbons children and Emma Carico
at Ashland, KY, Id January, 1881. Mr..
Neal is strong in the faith that his son Is
innocent OF the alleged crime, and Is in
pursuit Of evidence to confirm this theory.
In reply 10 inquiries he said that on the
night Of the murder bis son came home
lew minutes alter l9 o'clock midnight;
that his i wills testified that he came
at that hour and brought with
hlmsh:s dinner bucket and a lighted torch
which the mill hands testify he lit at the
mill before starting; that he found Miss
Martha Hurd, cousin OF his vile, sitting
up suffering with the tooth ache, the wife
having retired; that he made the usual
inquiry. about his midnight meal and was
told 1t was ready on the table in the ad-
joining room, and won't in there and ate
MS supper: Returning he inquired for his
pipe. and was told the children had been
playing with 1t during Il 9 day, and, on
searching for It, 1t could not be found,
Whereupon he undresssd and went to bed.
Miss Hurd remained up an hour and a
hall and then retired. ,fl5 4
+ NEAL ASLEEP WIEN THE FIRE WAS eEEN.
In the morning the family were alarmed
BY the light OF the burning Gibbons house
shining in at the windowe, and were i'm
pressed with the idea that the world was
coming to an end. Mrs. Neale sprang cut
Of bed and shook her husband 10 wake
MN, when he arose and ran cut barefoot to
see what the matter was and then returned
and put on bis shoes or boots and ran over
to the burning building 10 assist in putting
1t out. Mrs. Neal is supported in these
statemeAts. by .Misa Hurd. lie says fur
ther that Ellis, the inlormer, stated that the
crime IVES committed Just alter midnight
this is the original statement after
wards, it is said, he changed to 8 o'clock.
me hre actually happened at between s
and 9 o'clock. 4 eaT.,7
Our reporter inquired Of Mr.. Neali
What did George Ellis say about this
matter when be was about 10 be hanged
by the mob?' aEs7s s,i,
well, old Doctor Hazleson, who SAW tho
crowd bring Ellis out Of the jail and put
INN on the cars to take him to Ashland to
hang him, says the mob put the rope
around Ellis neck in the jail and in rush.
Ing him out it was jerked 10 tight that El:s
was kllled before he was put on the traiu;
that he saw them throw his body up onto
the car and he never moved, but was dead
enough and that the report that he reiter-
ated his story about the guilt Of himself
and Graft and Neal on the gallows is false.
This Or. Hazleton told me and Hiram Rice
about week after the hanging Of Ellis"
&,. THE COAT WAS Net MEALS.
-'How about the coat that was found and
said to be VIM. Meals coat p
That coat never belonged to my son at
all. The coat wes a fine coat such as my
son never owned or wore. 1t was not my
cons coat atall." $-% @iftts
How about the bloody towel ?" .
u know awomsn who says she hid
towel with blood on it corresponding with
the one found. It was not my sons towel.
His towel was brought home by him and
was lying on the floor in his house next
morning: This was proven by Miss Hurd
on the trial. / am OF opinion that big
money, is being used to convict my son in
culprit." .I,,yTT,,. i 7;l.:li{ l. =
II the witnesses Mrs. Neal and Miss
hurd are entitled to credence it would ap.
pear that VIM. Neal could hardly have
been away from his home at tue time this
crime was committed. We give Mr. Neal,
sr.s statement as matter Of public inter-
eat. The case is to be tried February l.