Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-01
BAoGED.
Tho Supposed Murderer OF Joha
COT
CAPTURED kT LAST IN MISSOURI.
Acrime Which Startled the People Of Fay
etts County Yeas Ago, Again Re-
called by an Arrest by De-
teetiye Bvsnett.

CINCINNATI, February g-Detsctive All.
W. Burnett last night brought to the Gen.
tral Police Station o man named James A.
Parker, aged twenty-seven, who 10 charged
with the murder OF John Gos, on Deem
Der Is, 1877, in Fayette county, West Vir-
ginia- The arrest was made by Detective
Burnett, Chief OF the Eureka Detective
Agency OF Charleston. W. Va, last Tues
day, in Montgomery, No., after search Of
two years. The story Of the murder 10 -
follows: Gof, the victim, was half.wit.
ted fellow who worked for John Coleman,
from whom, on the day Of his murder, he
received $50. The last known OF him hs
prssed over lonely path with Parker.
Parker emerged from the hollow alone and
said Gof had turned down another direc-
tion. COT WAS not seen alive aitsrward.
The next day Parker left the place and
came TO Cincinnati. Two weeks later COTS
body was found IN the woods with
his head mashed and his throat cut.
The supposition is that he was murdered
for his money. 4 web OF circumstantiAl
evidence was woven about Parker, and 10.
tectives were set upon his usck.
Psrker's story.
He was approached last evening by 70.
porter, whose business Parker did not
suspect, snd askcd 10 relate his story.
Parker Is = PLAIN, straightforward farm
hrud. apparently too frank and friendly TO
be even suspected OF such a murder. lie
told his story last evening with straight
forwsrdness. When asked why he had
left Virginia, he said he had been talking
Of it for weeks before. lie said he knew
nothing OF the murder when he left and
had not heard OF IL until he wAs told by
Detective Burnett after his arrest last
Tue sdsy. lie Chains that he made no
,gIort 10 hide bis whereabouts from his
ncpuaintarces in Virginia after he left
'ltrc, but on the contrary, corresponded
18th several Of his lady friends there. He
N.rrped In Cincinnau over night, and
wi lie here was robbed OF nearly oil his
money. Then he went TO North Vernon,
Ird.. where he was confined at the hotel
several days with diptheris. Recovering
ne obtained work building a fence on
f,ru near there, and received financial aid
from hrs uncle, Mr.. Witt Oyerstreet, .
CT m mission merchant Of ST. Louis.
The Arrest.
He afterward went to 81. Louis, and stay
Ell Win MS unClt hWulIt, Dut HOt
ing employment. there, he went TO Troy.
Mo-, thence to Hawk Point, and finally to
Montgomery City, near whore he obtained
employment as farm hand. There. In
In course OF tin e, he met 4 Miss Thurmond,
and after six months acqusin tance mar
ried her, about Two years ago. child,
now one year Old, WAS the result OF this
union. When Detective Burnett arrived
at Montgomery last Tuesday 10 make the
aIIest lie found lark ef -sseAGsd In shins-
ling little cottage, which he was building
for bimself and wife. The Msrshal Of the
town accompanied him TO make the arrest
and Parker thought he was only joking.
They proceeded 10 Jefferson City on Tues
day, and arrived in this city last night en-
lou,- TO Fayetteville, Faye.te County, West
Virginia, where an indictment awaits him.
PaIker does not seem 70 be very much
armed over h. arrest Iie attributes u
oil to personal malice on the part OF some
Jealous rivals for the good grGces VI some
young ladies OF the neighborhood, and TO
mistakes OF til. officers. IL 10 alleged .
knife was found near the body, and idsn.
tilted a. Parker. lie simply denies that
the liberalization lie correct. They left on
their Journey 20 day.