The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-05-02
ped his cloak about him and showed other
signs of wishing to be lot alone. ..'.370
Ills WHIT M ArtrfvD


His wish was gratiled by Colonel Cocl
efill and ILLS friend, though they could nc
help noticing his strange actions. Hsk ker
continuously talking to himself, mumt
ling over sentence after sentence, no,
loud, now low, and sometimes geuturin
slightly 40 ho did 80. After u few hour
they became accustomed 10 this and cease,
70 pay attention to him, when all at ono
Colonel Cockerill heard n gurgle OF th
throat as though the man was smother
ing. Ho called the attention OF his frient
to THE, and putting bis hand TO the stranp
er's coat TO open 1t and give him air hI
found II covered with q warm mois. LIQUID
Lie at once called 10 tho driver. to stop, tina
one OF tho passengerg wan! wounded it
some way and that he Thought he hat
cut his throat. The driver ha!looed back
that there WAS no stepping place neare,
than Chillicothe, which was now but n tew
miles oil, and that he would hurry on.
When the Alsge reached Chillicothe It wai
found tnat the mans throat had been cut
from ear to ear aud that he was Just alive,
LIE tried to say something, but there was
no one present to understand him. At last
German WAS brought in and i! was then
found that the stranger was German. He
spoke only lew words to his fellow coun.
tryman, and then gasping, died. The in.
terpreter then gave the dying mans words
to the crowd. They were that he had got.
ten to the stage at the last station and that
during the night these two men had
jumped upon him and murdered him. Ths
crowd received this statement with great
excitement.
'I' DANGER OF LYNCii1SG. +"
Angry looks were cast on Col. Coz ksrill
and bis friend. They saw at once that
they were in danger of being lynched.
The crowd demanded that they give an
account Of themselves. They told the
story just as have told it, but tho crowd,
which knew than not, laughed and eered
atthe idea Of its being true. "You are
delegates 10 the convention" said they,
I'VE will $50 II you are no! delegate 10 the
gallows." "You are going to Columbus"
said another, II rather think you will 20 to
jail" Here sober minded man in the
audience asked them if they knew anyone
in Chillicoths, and on Cockerill'H replying
that he was known to Allen G. Thurman
there was great laugh. The affair looked
desperate, and had it been in a western
town it is likely they would
have been hanged at once. A
moment later, however, and Allen G. Thur.
man entered. He went at oncs to Oockerill,
and saying, "How do you do, Colonel, i
am glad to see you. Are you going to the
convention :" shook hands with him yery
cordially. Colonel Cockerill replied that
as to going to the convention be did not
know; these men said he was going to Jail.
He then went on 10 tell OF the so.cailed
murder. AS he closed Mr.. Thurman said
to the people: "My friends, this must be
a mistake. These gentlemen are men l
have known for years, and l will be their
surety. II you will let them 20 on to Col.
umbus will be responsible for their re-
turn at the close OF the convention"
Mr. Thurman was very popular in Chill
licothe, and this speech put matters on
different basis. Colonel CockerilI and his
friend were allowed to resume their Jour.
ney, and in few days they again re.
turned. When they came back they found
the affair cleared up for them. Inquiries
had shown that the man with his throat
cut was crazy fellow who had attempted
suicide several times before The night
before the above adventure he had es-
capped from his keepers, and having gotten
into the stage had quietly cut his throat.
Had it not been for Thurman, however,
and had the lunatic come from distance,
it is hard to see how they could haYe es.
capped"