Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-04
MUCH MYSTERY
Enveloping the Death Of Iohn Pet
tlc0rd,
Which To-Days Inquest May enlighten
Various Versions GNen-A Visit
to His Home.

There was some little excitement about
the city, yesterday morning, over report
that man had been murdered, on Satur.
day night, in q mansion de jole, in the city
When run down and thoroughly inyesti-
gated, the affair turned out to be quite
different, but 1t Is still invested with sufti-
cient air of mystery TO warrant thorough
investigation by the county officials. Yes
r,rdsy morning, Alonzo Petticord and
George Hummel, one the son and the other
he adopted son of John Q. Petticord, of
EN- Grove, came to thecity and sought
Constable Wilcox, asking his aid in inyes.
tigating the sudden and somewhat mys.
FERROUS case of the death Of their father,
which resulted, on Sunday morning, from
il juries received here on Saturday night
Wilcox made the investigation, but they
were dissatisfied and got Justice Arkle to
20 over the ground again. This he did, &C.
cCmpanied by REGISTER reporter, and the
following is the result:
On thursday John Petticori, who is
horse dealer by occupation, came to the
city and became intoxicated. He had
some 500 il his pocket, and after going
about some time be went to Mrs. Ships
where be stayed until Saturday. Ga the
afternoon of that day the two men men
tone above came to look for him and
found him at Ships. He demurred to
going home, but finally started, aud the
three went as far as the Arcade IS DON.
Here Petticord changed his mind and re
| fused TO return, aBd MS the train was about
To so, his sons left him and went home.
BE then went back to Mrs. Ships, and, as
| be wss rather intoxicated, slipped,
| lust as he got to the door, aud
ard fell heavily to the ground,
striking his head on the doorstep. The
door was opened and he was found lying
there in an insensible condition, where
upon Officer Joe Barum was called in.
| Petticord was taken inside and DR.. Blum
called in to attend him. The physician ex
amined his head and finding he had re-
ceiSed a severe blow, advised his immediate
rem oval home. The officer searched him
and found about $50 on his person. A hack
vas called and be was driven rapidly home.
He never recovered consciousness and died
at O'Clock, yesterday morning, the sup
posed cause being conclusion OF the brain.
PURSUING THE CASE FARTHER.
Last evening about 8 o'clock Coroner
Shuttle, accompanied by a RsGIsrES re-
porter and Constable st. Myers, left the
| city in a hack for Mr.. John PetticOrds
residence, in Elm Grove, for the purpose
| oiexaminiDg the remains. DR.. Storer, the
| attending physician, who wns mst en-
route stated that he was called IN 10 wait
| On Suudsy morning about eleven
| p'c'ock Il found the patient ia al
| unconscious condition, AMI spprtItiy
| differing from conclusion OF tue OcAll
| The family informed me that he Was
brought home Saturday night about eleven
| v'clo,k in an unconscious condition aud
| xtremtly cold, aud had never come TO.
| When called on him reaction bad set IN
! and The body was very warm. Respir t 0
vas extremely difficult. l found snalI
| lump on the back OF the head, which was
the only indication that discovered dur
| ing hasty examination. The man ra' in
| dying condition when I first called on
| him. At my second visit which took place
| about o'clock Sunday afternoon, found
| no change for the better, nor discovered
any appearance of violence about the head.
| The re ports that were communicated 10 me
! about the man
| FALLING on TIE PAVEMENT
end causing so severe a conclusion of The
| brain | did not believe at first as it is al
most impossible for such to have been the
case" The doctor talked at great length
| on the subject of conclusion Of the brain.
| He could not say whether the dead mans
| skull was fractu- or not without holding
4 post mortem exsSiinstiou. Upon reach
my the house of"John Petticord, where
the remains were lying the repor.
ter was informed by those who
were with the injured mau since Saturday
| night, and also by those that dressed him
after death, that he Sled during the entire
time prior to death, at the right ear, aud
| the only indication of life IN the body, ex-
cepting the breathing and warmth, was the
slight tHitChing of the muscles of the
| lower jaw, about On hour before he died.
| few moments before death he moved his
| left hand few inches. Upon washing the
| remains,
| SEVERAL DIsCyLoRED PLACES
we're found on the neck Immediately I'M
! der the chin. and on the left breast over
the heart. The Coroner decided that it
was advisable to hold post mortem exam
Inatiop, but owing to Drs. CraGratt aud
Storer being indisposed, it was continued
until this morning, at which time Drs.
| Storer and Cracrs # will make a post
morten examination, an an inquest will
| be held.
OFFICER BARUN's STATEMENT.
Officer Joe Barum called at this office
| and made the following statement, last
night: PettIcord came TO the city on
| Thursday and spent that night and Friday
right at the house KEPT by Ann Wooster,
No. 25 Twenty first street. On Saturday
morning he went to Mrs Ships and was
taAen from there by his son, a short
line before noon. About 6 O'Clock
he Tesppeare1 al Mrs. Ships and
sent up stairs. He was very drunk
nd in attempting TO return, fell down
be stairs and laid there, unconscious.
| Dre of the girls went over for Barum, who
clicked him up aud carried him to table
| and sent for DR.. Blum. Petticord had $50
IN his pocket when found. A carriage was
'slled and he was taken home.
This is Barum's story, and the only com
WeDt TO be made upon it is, that he should
| hsve reported it st once to head lusrters,
{ nd it seems very singular that he did not.
ACKER's Dyspepsia Tablets never fail.
For Sale by Edmund Booking, c. Menke
miller, Wheeling, and F. z. thinner,