Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-05


fnsed TO accompany the half-cTazed
woman back to the scene of the
tragedy, saying he was afraid OF re-
ceiying bodily harm. Finally, however,
Mrs. Baxter succeeded in obtaining help
and returned to the house after an absence
ot two hours. All this time her
son, Wollsley, left with his
two small brothers and sisters, remained
in the ward, near his dead father, tolling
the alarm bell during the entire time
Once the rope broke, but the little fellow
found a ladder, dragged it to the bell-pOle,
tied the rope again, and then
resumed the call which he knew sooner or
later, would
BRING AID TO THE STRICKEN HOME.
John Newman lived but half mile away,
and his father still nearer, but neither
families responded to the alarm sent out.
Mrs. Baxter instinctively felt that John
Newman was the author of the crime, and
so did not stop at his house, but sped on to
O,Neips for the aid which was there denied
her.
As soon as the neighborhOOd was aroused
messengers were dispatched for Doctor
Met omas and Justice F. W. Monroe, while
a careful search of the vicinity
was instituted. No traces OF the
murderer could be found, but about
the tree from which the shots were
fired footprints could be seen, with the
aid of light, in the soft ground, together
with the print of the butt of gun, where
it had been leaned against the tree. DR..
McComas examined the dead man, and the
bullet which killed him was extricated
from the wood of the house, where it had
lodged 1t proved to be rifle ball Of 40
calibre, and evidently had been fired from
a Springfield rife of the regular L. );
army pattern. Justice Monroe sent word
of the murder to New Martinsville, to
Sheriff John Slender and Prosecuting At
torney w. S. Wiley, which word, however,
did not reach them until yesterday morn
ing and then proceeded to impanel the
following rs
JURY OF INQUEST:
William O'Neil, Charles Oblinger, Hillory
Wharton, John Skinner, f. b. Litman,
John Parmar, Frank Anderson, Abram
Hovt, A. II. West, MESSIAH YohO, Johna-
than Vandine and II. Wayman. The Jury
viewed the body, and remained at the
house until 3 a. m, when they adjourned
until O'Clock.
During the morning the Prosecuting At
torney and Sheriff arrived at the scene OF
the tragedy, and the taking of evidence
was resumed, John SutOr, Amanda Ken
forth, Ia sister of John Newman's wife,
John Chance, Mrs John Newman, Jack
O'Neil, Jennie O'Neil and Mrs. Amanda
Baxter. wife of the dead man,
being examined. The tracks about the
tree were also carefully examined and
they were traced across the plowed ground
in the direction Of and almost to John
Newman's house All the indications
seemed to point TO Newman's being
THE GUILTY PARTY,
and about 3 O'Clock in the afternoon Sher-
if Slender went to the house and took
him into custody. During the evidence
before the Jury, John Sutor testified that
he had loaned Newman Springfield rifle
about five weeks ago, and gun found at
Newman's being produced, witness ldenti-
fed it rs his. The breach of this gun
exactly fitted the lndentatiOn in the
ground at the root of the tree, and the
bullet found in the timberS OF Baxter's
house CITED it's barrel to dot. Newman $
boots ware also applied to the tracks IN
the soft ground and they fitted them to
perfection. The jury continued It's session
until 6 O'Clock last evening, when an adj
iournment was taken until this morning.
When the hearing was over for the day
Newman was placed on horseback and
taken to New Martinsville, where he was
locked up in Jail. the sheriff and his
deputies accompanied the prisoner in
buggies. the distance from the scene of the
murder to New Martinsvillc being about
light miles.
When Newman was arrested he made no
effort at resistance nor attempt to escape,
but. accompanied the officers
QUIETLY AND EVEN GOOD HUMOREDLY.
When he reached the Baxter homestead
he smiled mt some remark made, when
Mrs. Baxter confronted him and cried,
"H0w can you laugh after being guilty of
such a crime as this?' The officers adj
mouished her to keep quiet and friends
took her away.
Jacob Baxter, the murdered man, WAS
80 years of age, and had a family OF Il
wife and three children, aged respectively
ten, seven and four years. He Is native
of the county, being born and raised on
the farm where he met his death, and
aside from the unfortunate tued which
cost him his life was generally respected
and esteemed He was the pOsSessOr,
however, of a somewhat violent temper,
and was quick to resent an intrusion upon
his rights.
John Newman, the alleged murderer, is
thirty years ofage, small i'll stature and
slight in build, and is man of quiet dis
position. His family consists of wife and
one child, about two years of age. Both
men were sober and industrious and out
side of the enmitythey bore for each other
were peaceful citizens. There had been
NO VERY RECENT TROUBLE
between the two men, 80 far as is at pres
ent known, but it is thought Newman be-
lieved Baxter fired his grain after he had
accused Charley Smith Oft. He went be-
fore the Circuit Court, grand jury to obtain
an indictment against Baxter, and came
near having the necessary evidence to ac-
cOmplish his purpose.
1t is peculiar fact. that none of the
Baxter family have ever died natural
deaths. Jacob Baxter's father was killed
by falling tree, Jacobs sister was killed
by the accidental discharge of gun in the
hands of brother, James Baxter had his
eye shot out by his cousin and now comes
the murder of Jacob to keep up the
record.
The whole neighborhood is intensely ex-
cited, and the tindingOt the coroner's jury
is awaited with deep interest.
POINTS ON PEOPLE.