Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-02
THE DEATH PENALTY
Hanging Over the Head Of a Richie
County lncsndiary.
Firing a Dwelling House for Gain---The
Narrow Escape Of the Inmates
Other State News.

About 10 o'clock last Saturday night,
some cowardly villain attempted to burn
house in Pennsboro, occupied by Mr..
Daniel Childers and family. A large,
wooden candy bucket containing about
six gallons OF carbon oil, was placed under
ons corner Of the house and fred. Luck
lily the FIRE was discovered as the flames
first arose from the burning oil by some
parties who were still on the street and by
hard work bucket brigade extinS uished
the flames before much damage had been
done. Mr.. and Mrs. Childers were sleep
ing in the house at the time but knew
nothing of the FIRE until they were dragged
from their beds BY the neighbors. almost
susocated. Naturally the people Of the
town were very indignant over the coward.
ly act, and loud threats Of lynchipg were
INDUCED in. There was no certainty as to |
the identity Of the perpetrstor of the act at
the time, bat the finger of suspicion point.
ed strongly to certain interested indi-
vidual. The house, which was owned by
Mr.. John Woofter, was insured by X. s.
Boremsn L Son, Of Psrkersburg. Tor $500.
That firm sent detective to Pennsboro
who traced the bucket OF oil, through q
leak, to the store of Greed Collins, a we'll
known merchant. rhe only person who
had access to the store, excepting Mr.. |
Greed Collins, the proprietor, was John /
Woofter, his clerk. the individual to whom |
the property fred belonged. A warrant
was at once sworn out for Woot- |
ter, but the latter had gone over to
Ohio, and the paper could not be served. |
On Wednesday Woofter returned from
Ohio and upon learning what had been
done in the case be went to the magistrate
and demanded an immediate trial. The
magistrate, who did not seem to compre-
bend his duty in the case, discharged him |
without hearing q single witness in the
case This was due mainly 10 Woofter's
standing in the community. He had been
living with Mr.. Collins and was well
thought of by the people of Pennsboro,
and had not the evidence been 90 strong
against him no one would have connected
him with the crime.
In addition to the Parkersburg policy,
Woofter had policy of $500 on the house
in the Peabody Company, Of this city,
which be obtained by representing that be !
had no other insurance. Originally he |
paid $3.50 for the house and lot Ii will
be seen by these figures that he would have
gained $3.50 had his scheme succeeded. |
AS it is, Boremau l. Son propose TO prose.
cute the case to the fell extent Ct the law
which is very severe 10 such cases.
NOT FAR OFF.
Leonard Boggess and wife, Of Sugar
Greek, Jackson county, went to see q sick
woman on last Thursday evening, and left
their children to keep house. At their de
parture one about fifteen months old was
in bed. Near sundown the dog holed
rabbit near the house, and while the others
went to dig it out the sleeping child woke
up and strsyed off, Its parents returned
about dusk, when the child's whereabouts
could not be aseertsined. Then The coun.
try was soon alarmed by the sound OF
horns, bells, etc., which brought in about
fifty people who diligently searched for the
lost child till 10 clock at night, when one
of the parties who went into an old waste
house to get behind lumber pile for
board found the lost child sitting there as
mute as mouse.
PoCAHoHTAs AND GREENBRIER LINES LOCATED
For many years past-in fact since the
formation of the county of Pocahontas in
l82l--there has been some uncertainty in
regard to the boundary lines between
Greenbrier and Pocahontas. With the
view Of locating the line permanently the
Circuit Courts of the two counties recently
appointed three commissioners for each
county 10 go upon the lands and establish
the line. The com nissioners for Green
brier we're Fl. II. Harrison, J. M.
Wslkup aud John F. Brown. and for Poca.
hontas, George Baxter, Geo. W. CALI
son and R. W. Hill, with Col. B w. Byrne,
OF Charleston, as umpire The Commits.
sioners met at Hillsboro on the 9th inst,
aud commenced running the line on the
9th. The disputed line has been com.
pleted. The changes give Pocahontas
about fifteen thousand acres of land over
Which Greenbrier has heretofore exercised
Jurisdiction. including in that boundary
eight families living on Anthopy's creek
and the North fork" of that creek. viz.
John Trainer, Elisha Jacobs, G. w. Waid
VIM. c. BuSard, Abraham May VIM. Bu.
sard, Ohio Gum and Walker Alderman.
These families are located within easy dis
tances Of the county seat OF Pocahontas-
the most remote being thirteen miles, and
long distances from LeWisburg--averaeinp
about thirty miles,
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Last Tuesday morning, at Caldwelrs
Mill, Greenbrier county, Mr. Robert jack
son, son Of Mr.. James W. jackson, #
Lewisburg district, while descending q
short fight Of steps in the third story of
The mill, lost his footing and fell head fore, |
most to the second floor of the building, '
oreskipg his neck, from the effects Of
which he died in few minutes. He was
aged about % years.
MISCELLANEOUS STATE NOTES. 4
Mr., Louis Williams, living near Wayne
9. b., while hauling corn and fodder one
lay last week, suddenly became uncon.
'cious and rolled off Of the loaced wagon.
It Was gone over an hour before be re-
gained consciousness.
Several men we're indited for felony un.
Ter the Red Mems Act" at the recent {
ERIN Of the Logan Circuit Court
Hon. Phillip Pepdletop, Of Berkeley
Springs, bad the misfortune 10 lose IN
containing about $50 and Z
lumbtF of valuable papers, recently.
A pine tree was cut 10 Hardy county a =
eW days ago which measured six,y.nine
eGt to the first lib.
The Hardy Guilty Court meets 10.
morrow.
DiPttberiA is raging With fatal effect in