The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-07
MILTON WESTON'S CASE.
A CHICAGO MILLIONAIRE SENTENCED
TO THE PENITENTlARY.
Account of the Trouble that Resulted in
His Sentence-He Faces the Music,
Though Able to Indemnify His
Bondsmen.

CHICAGO, Jan. lit is not often that q
man of great wealth and previously IRE
proachable reputation is sent to the peniten-
tiary for the crime of manslaughter in so
curious and interesting manner as prom
ises to be the case with Mr.. Milton Weston,
who has for great number Of years been
one of the best-known residents of the west
side, whose social relations and standing
have always been of the highest character,
and whose property interests are Of more
than ordinary magnitude.
Dispatches from Pittsburg, Tuesday, con-
veyed the knowledge of a rumor prevalent
there that Mr. Weston had fled the country
on account OF new trial being refused him
in the case where he was convicted OF man.
slaughter and sentenced to four years in the
peniteItiary. Investigation by reporters,
later, show that although Mr. Weston is at
liberty On bail which it would not at all in
convenience him to pay, thereby releasing
his bondsmen from any loss in case he con-
cluded to evade the sentence by going to
some foreign country, be does not propose
doing any thing of the kind, as the following
terse dispatch received from New York by
ex-Alderman Jonas shows:
NEW URN, JdH- o-JCLiCS OOSAS.
Have not gone and am not going to South
America or any other foreign port Will
face the music, come what may.
MILTON WESTON"
The story Of the crime which will result
in Mr. Weston's confinement for a
term Of years is an interesting one About
five years ago, being IF a speculative ma
ture, he went to the gas-well regions of
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and
located tract Of land, on which he pur-
posed to bore for gas, which was to be used
for fuel and illuminating purposes in
Pittsburg and Allegheny City.
After making the purchase il
was discovered that the title TO the land
was in dispute, and, in order that no ad
vantage might be taken of him in the mat
ter, Mr.. Weston built a cabin on the tract
and prepared to assert the right of squatter
sovereignty in addition TO that he had ac-
quired by the payment of money With
him were a dozen resolute fellows, who were
armed to the teeth, and, under the leader
ship of so determined man as the Chicago
capitalist, it was inevitable that bloodshed
should ensue in case the otlhr claimants tc
the property used force This they
finally did, coming to the land one nigh
in 1885, at the head of a crowd being u
man named Obediah Haymaker A pitched
battle followed, in which muskets and bay
onets were freely used by both sides and at
its close it was found that Haymaker had
received several bayonet wounds, from
which he died few days later
Mr.. Weston was indicted and tried for
riot and murder, being convicted and sen
fenced to seven years imprisonment A
new trial was secured and about year ago
second conviction was had, the penalty be-
ing fixed at four years imprisonment An
appeal to the Pennsylvania SUPREME court
was taken, and not long the finding of the
lower court was approved and a new trial
denied. Nothing therefore, remains for
Mr. Weston but to serve tn. sentenee