Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-08
If 1T WAS A MURDER
Tue Man and Motive Have Not
eeen Disclosed.
Progress Of the Pstticord Inquest interest
ing Testimony Of the Inmates of
the Ship Mansion.

Yesterday the taking of testimony in the
inquest was not resumed until about IL
o'clock, owing to the jurors being unable
10 get into the city, caused by the trains
over the Hemp6eld Division OF the B. q
O. Railroad having been detained by q
freight wreck near West Alexander. Dur
Ing the taking Of evidence in the forenoon
the Coroner decided that too much time
was being lost by writing out the evil
dence, and Colonel Rheinstrom, short
hand writer, was engaged to take down the
evidence after dinner. Throughout the
day the witnesses did not throw any light
upon the cause of Petticcrd's death, but
hey left the impression on the minds OF
the audience that foul means might
have been used to cause it. No two
witnesses told the same story, IS will
be seen by the evidence. In fact, in num-
Der of instances the inmates of the house
tell exactly opposite stories. To-day's evil
dence will probably bring to light facts not
before thought of IN connecuun with this
case.
TUE FIRST WITNESS
vas George Umbell, who depOsed as fol-
lows:
Went to Ships with young Petticord
last Monday morning 10 gather some in
formation about his father. l asked
young lady who was standing there II she
knew anything about him; she told me
that she had seen Petticord fall on the
step on Main street in front Of the Shtpp
house on Saturday night; we left him
lay there till William Shipp came home
when we sent him for DOCTOR" Then
We took him into the house and put him
on the bed. The blood was running out of
one ear. did not know the girls name,
She came in TO the court house yesterday
with Mrs. Shipp. would know her again
Il | SHOULD see ner. She said she saw him
lali on the step. l understood her TO say
that he had fallen FROM the outside upon
The step. Susan kaufman, the woman
With whom he Was talking was brought IN
and identified by the witness as the per
son who gave the information. Witness
continued: Squire Ankle and VIM. Petit
cord were with me; Mrs Ship was pres
emit; she told me he never spoke after he
!elI.
souED DOVES TALE.
Susan Kaufman, sworn--"Am from
Johnstown, Pa. live at Madame Ships,
1923 Main street; never saw John Petticord
before last Saturday morning between 7
and o'clock; he came after some money
that Mrs, Ship had Of his; she had 500 be-
longing to him; he got it; he thea went
into the sitting room and called for the
girls; he remained till his son came after
him, about o'clock in the afternoon; there
was another person with his son; he was
kv hn kahl IN hn
counting his money when his son called
away from his son; he left with his son and
the other man about 3 o'clock;
when next saw him he was at
the bottom Of the stairs leading out to
Twentieth street; he was lying on his face
on hisright side. His feet were between the
door leading to the front room and the
steps; heard no noise and did not know the
man was in the house, TILL saw he was at
the bottom of the stairs. Mary, the girl
whom he was with. came to my door cry
ing and told me to open the door and to
come quick. She was crying so violently
that could not understand her, and it
wss not until Iopened the door that she
told me Mr.. Petticord was lying at the foot
Of the stairs; she cried, He fell! he feli!'
| asked her who, and she said mr.. Petit
down stairs; Joe Barum was the first one
saw after got down stairs; Amanda Woods
was also there; | was 10 my room before
Mr.. Petticord came to the house; as near as
can tell | was there fifteen minutes; a
man was with me whose name / do
Lot know; his first name was John;
NO MAN EXCEPT MY FRIEND
was in the house when l went upstairs;
Amanda Woods wanted 20 help Petticord
out, and Barum caught hold of him and
lifted him out on the floor; | went to send
some one for a doctor; | did not know he
was hurt, but supposed he was; heard no
loud words, and did not know anybody
was upstairs; Petticord was upstairs dur
ing the day with me; while Petticord was
wing at the foot of the stairs | asked who
had been upstairs with him, and Mary
Vandyne said with me-; l am house
keeper over there; she told me that he had
gone up with her, and in coming down had
Iallen down to where they found him; l
lold Mr.. Ankle that l did not know
whether he had fallen on the outside or
not, as l did not see him fall; did not tell
Rim that Petticord had fallen on Main
A., treet, where he lay for some time, and
was then carried into the house. Witness
was shown Geo. Umbell, but failed to lden-
lily him as one OF the men who had called
with young Petticord at the Ship
house on Monday. Saw young VIM. Petit
cord on that day; Squire Ankle asked me
how Petticord had come to his death did
not tell him that he had fallen on the
pavement; did not say he had lain there
ill VIM. Shipp came home and went for
doctor, who had him carried in and laid
on the bed; Mrs. shiPp sent for 0 4s.I
Barum before came down stairs; Petit
cord was not at the house on Friday or
FIR day night to my knowledge; l was In
the sitting room on that evening; l was
up stairs only about five minutes that
evening. Mary Vandyne has been there
almost three weeks; she was there about
thres weeks before she came to board; she
md work there, but Mrs. Ship discharged
her; no one in particular has been paying
attention to her since she has been in our
house; Mary told me she had helped him
down the first flight of stairs and he had
refused further assistance; she turned to
90 back when she heard the noise of his
falling; he tore loose from her and would
not let her help him down tbs second
tight.
SQUIRE ARELE SAID:
81 went to Mrs. Ships about II o'clock
Monday, with VIM. Petticord and Geo.
Umble; we went in the front room; there
were a couple of girls in the second room,
and when we entered VIM. Ship called
mis- mother into the room, she said: 81
know nothing" Then Susan Kaufman
said, ~ did not see him fall, though | saw
him Immediately afterward at the front
door, he was left on the pavement until
the officer came and carried him in" VIM.
Shipp accompanied Us to DR.. Blum's house.
To Juror-She did not say he fell on
the stone step, but suggested it and three
times she said he fell at the front
door on Main street, she never mentioned
any stairs. "Yes sir" she said, "he fell out
outside of the house.
AMANDA WOODS STORY.
1--we at Mrs. Ships. saw John Petit
cord st Mrs. Ships between and A. NJ,
saturday. i saw him again between 6 aud
7PM. No body but girls and no men
were in the house. He talked to
Mrs Shipp and talked to me awhile in the
kitchen. After talking awhile he wanted
bed and Mary Van Dyne took him up
stsirs. l can't remember what time. No
men were in the house when he went to
bed. saw him after he fell down stairs.
was waiting in the setting.room for the
bread man. i heard some one fall down
stairs and said to Mrs. Ship: THAT man
fell down stairs" The door was open from
the room to the stairs. His right arm was