Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-11-26

been caught that night. Lynching wal
freely talked of among men who would
ordinarily deprecate any violation of The
law. But 10. MeConnaughey was on;
of the most popular citizens OF the town
and in his capacity Of Marshal has gain
ed more than local reputation for cour
age and a strict adherence TO duty. And
in the town of Bridgeport, where ha;
al ways been more or less of lawles:
element of society, under his regime
honest men have learned to sleep in Sc
curity. Strong men shed tears of griei
and anger, but after it was learned
that Conoway was in custody, better
feeling prevailed, and the people viii
quietly await the course OF the law, bui
should Joe McConnsughey die, as is mos
likely, SO long as the law is on our stat
utes that the cold -bl0oded murderer shal
hang, there will be q demand for NJ
quibbliDg, but fair and impartial tris
shall be given, and the dead be shoWI
justice while it is being meted ont to the
assassin. who said he would rather hans
than have Joe McCoDDaughey arrest hin
again"
ON SABBATH MORNING,
About Q o'clock, fearing the worst, the
anti-mortem statement of the Marsha
was taken, in the presence of Drs. Cooke
and Fisher, and he was so low at the
time that be had to be reused at eact
question, yet was in full possession O1
his faculties. He answered questions a:
follows:
QUESTIONABLE yeu aware that you art
gsiag to die soOn2
Answer-That is my Judgment, as
have been advised by my physicians.
think am.
Questien-Do you make this statement
with that end IN view?
| Answer do.
Question shot youp
Answer-Silas Conoway. son Of Sam
uel Conoway.
Question-Where and when?
Aaswer-On Saturday night or Sun
day morning, on the street between JohI
Pelt's saloon and John Turner's. HI
was standing between Myles Carn'.
store and Pslt's saloon, in Bridgeport
Belmont county, Ohio.
Question-With what did he shoo
you?
Answer-A gun loaded with shot.
| Question-Had you seen Conoway be
fore on the night you were shot?
Answer-Not after dark.
Question-Did you arrest him on the
night you were shot?
| Answer-NO.
Questien-What provocation, if any
had he for shooting you?
Answer-Not a particle.
[Signed1 Jos. MCCoNNAUeHEY.
STATEMENT OF THE DYING NAN To
SHERIFF SEDwICK.
| About 8 o'clock Sunday morning, the
Sheriff in company with Deputy Probate
Judge James +. Tallman, lett st. Cl2irsr
vile, and between and 10 o'clock ar
rived at the home of the injured man in
bridgeport, where they found him lying
upon u bed, with Drs. Cooke and Fisher
Justice Robert Howell and others pres
eut, preparing to take the dying state
ment. In answer to a question from DR.
Cooke, if he knew that he was about K
die, McCOnnaughey said, 81 believe l an
about to die" He recognized the Sheriff
aud shook hands and asked If Conoway
| had given himself up, and was ans wereG
"yes." He asked the Sheriff if he had
asked Conoway why he had shot him
| The Sheriff then related to the wounded
man what Conoway had told him, and
Joe said: Il never hit him but once, wheE
he resisted me. He was put in the lock
up last night, and some one let him out
had been looking for him to put hin
back, and between IL and l o'clock
started home, aud when about opposite
Pelt's saloon, l saw aim standing neal
the saloon and saw that he had what
took to be club in his hand, and | start
ed to cross the street to whore be was
did not know it was gun until he
shot me. | did not have club or re-
yolver or anything in my hands"
McooNNAUGHEY's CONDITION.
While there is life there is hope, anC
the fact that Joseph McConnaughey i:
comparatively young man (33 years,
and has AN iron constitution, has tilleC
the hearts of his friends with hopes tha
he may yet pull through; but it is haos
likely that the desire is father to The
thought. No com mou man would nave
survived the wound and consequent
shock for any length of time. While
physicians have considered his case very
critical, and the probabilities Of his re-
covery very remote, his slightly improv'
ed condition at this writing "wednesday
noon) give additional reason to hope tha
he will survive the wound, and be spared
to his family and friends.
THE GUN.
For some time it was thought the guI
used by Conoway would implicate somt
one as an accessory to the crime; but il
answer to a description given by Como
way, of the place where he threw the
weapon, the gun was found on Monday
1t is an old brass bound Belgian musket
and Conoway says he borrowed it afteI
he escaped from the lookup, from man
in Bridgeport, in a house formerly oc
cupied by stone mason named Steger
and intended to 60 out of town and re
main all night, and go hunting the mex
day, and that he Was on the read to in
form bis wife of his intention, when tht
tragedy occurred.
Joseph McConhaughey is son of Bur
gett McConnaughey. and is man 81
years of age, married, and the father o
five children, three boys and two girls
the oldest of whom is but fourteen years
He was a stout man, and his robust form
and jolly face were welcome ever,
where. He made an excellent polio,
officer, one of the best in Eastern Ohio
ard his name has been favorably men
toned by his friends iu connection witt
the Sheriffalty of the county. A mai
with many true friends, and only sucl
enemies as are consequent to an officer o
the law-such violators as 81. Conoway
they did not like Joe McC
He is member of the Knights of Py
thias and Red Men, of Bridgeport.
Silas Conoway, the would-be assassin
is about 81 years of age, weighs abou
lS0 pounds, and is coal miner by occu
patton, and has wife and one child