Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-25

y
fifteen bloody murders were committed In
this county, and ye:, either by sott,hearted
iury, or through some legal technieality, not
one murderer has suffered any severe pun
ishment. Not one has ever received ten
year sentence. But once, III Taylor Strau-
der's case. was the death penalty
returned by a jury and yet he
is now free man, through
a constitutional technically. But woe to
the poor wretch who commits a theft OF a
loaf of bread for he will feel the full weight
ofthe arm OF the law. A negro burg lar
caught before he could steal, or white boy
who snatches money on the streets, gets
eight years as his portion, but the red
banded murderer gets off with less than live
years-two years seems the customary SEN
fence. Ii has been twenty years since an
execution has taken place in the county, yet
who will say there has not, in that time, been
wilful, deliberate and premeditated muir
der?
This is but an expression Of the septi
ment of the community as picked up yes
terday, By REGISTER reporter, on his
rounds. He heard the bitterest denuncistlon
of the system of legal comedy that makes
courts and juries the Jest Of criminals: tie
heard conservative men talk Of the lesson
of the Cincinnati riots aud say vigilance
committee, headed BY Judge Lynch seemed
the only refuge of an outraged community.
He heard the verdict of the Schnelle case
resurrected and denounced by men who
we're willing, at the time to pass 1t by
And beyond and above all these were eX-
pressions by rash and hot-blooded men,
which should not be given to q community.
Further particulars of the Msrling out
rage were in eager demand and they are
given, in full below.
ATRlP TO THE SCENE.
Yesterday quite number Of wild rumorS
we're tlyisg through the city, among Others
that Mr.. &arling was dying. For the pur'
pose of giving the readers ofthe REGISTERa
perfect ard complete account OF the rob-
berry, and also OF Markings condition, re-
porter-was hustled into a buggy yesterday
afternoon and sent TO the scene OF the rob
berv.
Mr.. Earling resides on what is known as
the Isaac Kelly place, on the Bethany pike,
about six miles east Of this city. The house
is situated 70 t. wards OF the road, and Is
surrounded by shrubbery which at one time
vas considered the finest in that section OF
t country, though now in very bad plight
from iuatteutior. The reporter drove up
10 the house and on entering the side gate
found the rear portion of the house in a
very dilapidated condition, the steps and
railing Of the porch having been torn down
Old
the room in which the robbery and out
RACES were committed he found Mr.. Mar
ling sitting, or rather reclining on chair
in front OF a large fire, while several of the
farmers, including one of the gentler sex,
were administering comfort to the injured
man. Upon stating his business, Mr.. Mar
ling gave the following as an account Of the
affair, he said:
MARKINGS VERSION.
Il was sitting in front Of the fire Monday
evening about half past seven o'clock, Just
Ia irg finished my supper, when suddenly
Il e door was forced open and found my
self seized from behind by two pair of arms.
| a tempted to rise and in so doing
was struck on the back of the head
with club, which knocked me off the
chair and partially stunned me. The gen.
tl,man here showed the scribe an ugly
looking cut and bruise on the back of the
head Before could regain my feet or
clear my mind. the men pounced on me
ike beasts and in less than two minutes /
was firmly bound, hand and foot-my
hands tied behind my back-and o gag
forced into my mouth. They then picked
me up and threw me out into the middle
of the floor, just ike a sack of grain would
De handled. A thorough search of the
house and cellar was commenced By the
men
How many men were there?" asked the
reporter.
THREE RuFFIANS.
81 only saw three. | think that was al
there was"
When did they burn you with the red
not ironsY'
After they had searched about halt an
hour they came back into this room and
one of them, a slim fellow wearing cap.
approached me and said:
Il want to know where you have hidden
the 500 which Murray gave you the other
day. know you have it -, for he
told me for he told me YOU received it from
him for rent.
II tod them that II was portion of the
money they had taken from my pockets
This, they did not believe aud the spokes-
man said: - We will make you
tell, and that - quick. Heat that poker.
protested that what had said was true.
but they would not believe me. When the
poker was
HEATED TO A BRIGHT Rad
heat, they took down my pants to place the
red hot iron on my Resh. After burning
me- in a dozen places they ceased, simply
because the poker was too cold to burn the
flesh in the manner liked by them, and |
thought the torture was com pleted, but !
was sadly mistaken. The men went OF
into the other portion OF the house and
were probably gone an hour. On returning
they tried every means in the world to iud
out if | had any money hidden away, but
after my repeated denial they became per-
fsctly frenzied and seized the poker aud
placed it in the FIRE. After a wait of about
Is or 20 minutes until the poker was
nearly white heat they pulled up my
shirt and laid the hot iron on my abdomen
On this portion Of my body only two appE-
cations Of the hot iron were made, but on
my hip, thigh ard the small of my back the
iron was laid on until il was
roo COLD TO BURN WELL.
The robbers then secured my arms aud
feet more securely and left me lying in the
middle Of the floor"
What time was thatT
Il do not know, only that one Of the ROB-
,e, s remarked: 1t is about II O'Clock; We
rad better go,
Mr.. Marting showed the reporter the !
,urus. some Of which are frightfIli TO look :
L, being deep long and, in several in