Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-16
AFFINITY OF CRIMES.
A LARGE PRIVATE BANK FAILS.
The Business Shock That Caused Senesa-
tiOnin Indianapolis Yesterday Morn
ing--HeaY Liabilities,

TRFIS, o., July Isl Exclusive l--The
neighborhoOd in the vicinity Of BettsvilIe IN
in the northeastern part of this county is In
an excited state over the developments that
have caused the acme Of pain in two fami-
lies. About four years ago William Scholes,
the son of a wealthy farmer and stock
raiser.w was married to Miss Efie Summers,
belle of the vicinity, and the child Of
wealthy Parents Everything indicated q
happy marriage. Young Scholes moved to
farm and the young couple began mar
ried life under the most favorable circum-
stances. Fortune favored them and they
prospered, adding daily to their wealth.
Nearly two years ago a child was born to
them Of which the father became passionate
IL fond and to whom the mother appeared
devoted. Mr.. Seholes, who was considered
a connosSeur in stock, was absent from
home a great deal buying and selling, fire.
queutly going East with his purchases.
About wear ago he employed proposes
sing and
HANDSOME YOUNG FELLOW
to act as head man on his farm and care
for his interests while absent. II the cour-
teSies passed between the employe and the
wife Of his employer were Of more warmth
than the position OF each dictated, no one
knew it. There is no evidence that any
thing improper was ever noticed, although
the hired man frequently drove his mistress
about the country. Late in June the young
man informed his employer that his mother
was dangerously i'll at Steubenville and he
wished to visit her. Permission was given
and he left. A few days later ScholeS went
East with load of stock, expecting to be
gone longer than usual, as he wished to
look at some bloOded stock in the extreme
East The wife On the following day
called at neighbors and said she was
going TO her home to remain during her
husband ; absence, and as the house would
he vacant requested them to
give occasional notice to the house.
No one seems to have seen her
leave her home and as nothing unusual ap-
peared about the premises, no one visited
the house so tar as Is known though ten
ants on the place were daily at the stock
barn, few hundred yards distant. Sun
day evening Scholes returned and found
the house
Dark and Shut.
He forced window and was almost over
powered by fearful stencil. Investigation
revealed thealmoSt wholly decomposed body
of an infant nude on the floor. HorriGed,
he searched for his wife, expecting to find
her a corpse, but no trace Of her was found.
He left 81, 900 in bonds andcurrency in the
house when he started East. That had dis
appeared. The neighborhood was aroused.
II was aScertained that the farm hand had
been seen in the vicinity the day following
Mr.. SchOleS' departure for theeast The wife's
parents had not seen or heard from the
daughter The query is did Mrs. SchOleS
take the money, kill the infant and elOpe
with the hired man? Is the body ofthe child
found on the floor that of the SchOles' infant?
Rats had so eaten its face as to make 1t un-
recognizable No clothing WIS left to
bear evidence The general impression is
that Mrs. Scholes eloped with ihe farm
hand. but a division exists as to the linden
tity Of the child. The case rivals that of
the celebrated Bach mystery in the adjoin-
ing county Of Wood a year ago.