Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-02-12
A \

Some Light on the SIAfkey anu Da"o'
Murders duplicating the Cartwrights.
To "a. Editor q ne Register.
In your last Sunday edition the REGIs'
TER contained gu item in the Fairmont
correspondence about the arrest Of Thorn
ton T. Cartwright BY the We;2ei county
| authorities and being taken from them and
delivered into the custody Of the Sheriff OF
/ Marion county.
That item represents ~ act III IA fearful
drarae. and as | pace lived in the neigh
bOrhood of those dark crimee, think can
give your readers q very interesting o.
pun OF facts that have left 8 bloody stain
on two counties of cur young State. In
the spring of 1917 Levi Starkey, Of Wetzel
| county. was shot aud killed IN his own
house by men who entered it, called him
up under preteuse that they wanted to stay
[ ali night, aud when he arose and
stirred up the fire they shot him
and then searched the house tor money:
/ Carl Cartwright, John +. Freeland and
Jack Reynolds were indicted IN Weszel
county and John +. Freelsud was tried IN
We.zel county Tor the murder and convict
90. and he is now serving q life sentence
at Mouudsyille. 4 change OF venue was
,skap by Cartwright TO Marion county on
the representation that he could MOI secure
~i1s,ice in Wetzel, and IN Marion county he
was acquitted and uolle prosecute was en-
tered in the case Of Reynolds. John h.
Freelsnd then made q confession, in which
he said that Cartwright wa the man who
shot StarAey, and that both Carl Cart
wright and Jack Reynolds were IN the
house with him when the murder was com
mitted. He stated that the work was plan
ned nv Thornton +. Cartwright in q whisky
saloon kept b. Cartwright, wnere
,ba murderers and I. +. Cartwright
ere in the habit of playing cards together.
ICELAND said that other men were named
nv thornton +. CsrtWright where money
could be obtained, and that CAtt"nghf
furnished mares for the party to ride at inc
time they murdered Siarkey. Clrcum'
RANGES and facts whsG examined together
nroved that at least a large part OF his cos
isss,on WAS true. and no part OF 1t has ever
70 nv knowledge, been proved untrue
This confession was published IN the Far
mont West Virginiau in its ISSUE OF Janu
,rv % 1878. Levi Stsrkey lived Just Owe
he border in We;zeI AID Thornton +
Cartwright lived eight miles toward Man
niugton from Stsrkey's and distant ir0%
Warrington about four miles In TIT
oorth of April, 1881, John Baker, WHIT
esd over the hill about two miles iron
Thornton +. Csrtwright's, in the opposlt
direction from that to Stsrkey 9, was KILLED
n much the same manner as StsrSey sn'
.obbed of a large sun OF money.
IA the REGISTER has given q tul &C
roupt of that murder ] will not give tn
,acts anew. For this last murder the la:
rand Jury Of Marion county lndlcte'
Thornton +. Cartwright and his two con!
Thomas and John, Thornton +. and M
son John are in Jail ut Fairmout awalttn
her trial for the crime, while Thomas
out. having furnished bail.
The last grand Jury Of Wetzel count
iouud one indictment against Ihoms
Cartwright for felony, two against JOSEF
$. Csrtwright-a brother OF lom-io
felony, aud made a presentment AGAIN!
Thornton +. Cartwright as an accessor
the murder OF Stsrkey. Its beleVed I
many that the State has q much strong
csss ~svaipst the old msn On ihs Stark
murder than on the Baker murder, Will
The case sgainst John Cartwright tor II
Rsker murder is thought to De stronge
and vet The evidence, it IS said. lmpNcSt
Moth in both murders, while the truth
that they are probably both either gull
mr. inno5ent alike of both crimes. Inc ca
in Marion county will probably be tried
the coming March term OF court. MAJ
and able lawyers are employed on 90
sGes, Judge Raymond and the do
J.mss Morrow ara the leading counsel !
the defense. while Dovener, OF neeIr
Bsssel. of ClsrksbUrg, Mason OF Graito
and Mccoy, Of Farmont, are engageu
assist States Attorney Meredith:
have lately been over the ols'r'etS q
lated by these crimes, and 50 far as Ct
;ndoe | would cay that two.thlrds OF
,aople think the CsrtSrights will be &C
yicted OF both crimes, while the minor
think the7 will not be convicted
tither; for they ssy they have
ravs managed to get out OF sI 10
bad scrsues. The Hon. James Morr
is aole counsel. and he has carried
Csrtwrights over dangerous places, as
were, in his massive legal arms. but
4 know it is the earnest wish OF sueh as
' have conversed with, that Justice may
alone and done not by asssssins like h
Men, but BY the legitimate authority. o.
courts, For this the people Of MsnnIng'
district are to be praised that they 40
approve Of any measures ior p9naSn'
crime but those measures prescribed
, law. A FoRNER CITIES OF "ErAEL
BeIlsire, February :, 1855.