Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-10
MURDER FOR THE PLEASURE OF II

his throat cut. II was developed that
young Furlong had quarrel with the
teamster which ended in the tragedy. The
murderer disappeared and was gone several
years. When he returned he resumed
his desperate career without ever having
been called to account. A little over two
years ago Mr.. Il. p. Repnard u wealthy
gentleman of Savannah fitted upa saw
mill at Vanceville on the Brunswick and
He placed Ben Furlong and his brother
John in charge of il and having the ut
most confidence in them, left il entirely
TO their management. The charge Of
such large business turned Fur
longs head completely. He began drink
ing heavily, neglecting his wife and
family and took 10 the companionship Of
wantOns One day he node up 10 his
house with woman from Savannah and
and taking her in presented her 10 his
wife, saying: "Pocahontas, how do you
like this; amt she a bcauty?" The des-
pondent wife broke into tears, whereupon
the husband seized her by the hair and
dragged her across the floor,
STAMPING UPON HER
and breaking chair 10 pieces across her
body. The pair then rc-cntered the bug
gy and drove Of, leaving the wife upon
the floor unconscious There she was
found several hours later by some passing
neighbors. When her story became
known the utmost indignation prevailed.
Parties of men started out in pursuit OF
the recreant husband.
He was caught up with nj n country
house where he sat with n Winchester
rifle across his knee. "l'll blow tho
brains ont of the first man who
said determincdly. For several hours the
posse stood at q respectful distance, deem
ing discretion the better part Of valor, and
then retired and left Furlong master Of the
situation. Mr.. Rcpnard soon became
aware of the state Of affairs and dispatched
an agent to Nanccyillc to take charge Of
the business When the agent arrived nc
the mill he found that John Furlong had
received information of his coming and
had scrapcd together SO, 900 of the mills
money and ekipIsd out Tor 1eNas. Inpr
months later news was received Of Johns
tragic death in that State. lie bid in
some property nj SheriflTs sale and offered
part payment in notes. That was not In
the bargain" said the Sheriff. "You arc
liar, retorted John.
THE REPLY WAS A BULLET
from the sheritlTs revolver which pierced
Johns heart. In the meantime Ben Fur
long threw of all restraints. When
ever he made his appearances
the officers all seemed 10
withdraw in his favor. On one occasion
he boarded the train bound for Bruns-
wick and going into the col0red coach
took seat In front OF him sat negro
Throw that cigar out Of the window"
ordered Furlong 81 have paid for my
seat and do not want 20 be disturbed, :"
Instantly Furlong caught the negro by
the head, pulled IL back over the seat and
made several lunges with his knife into
the negroes throat. Furlong jumped of
the cars and escaped into the woods. On
another occasion Furlong sought out
engineer Brock on the Brunswick
and Albany road and asked
him il he wanted money which was duo
him. On Brock making an affirmative
reply, FurlODg said: III you do, take
that" firing at the same time and striking
the engineer In the abdomen. About six
months ago Furlong gave some evidence
Of reformation tO encourage which his
friends united and started him oncc more
in business, with head quarters at Sniff,
on the Brunswick & Albany road. But
his reformation was Of short duration. He
always went armed, and would shoot into
crowd Of colored people just for the pur-
pose Of
SEEING THEM SCATTER.
On September first he started on a big
debauch, and was 70 desperate that even
his confederates feared him. On the night
Of Thursday, September 23, he called his
wife and children TO him, asked them 10
pardon him for his past bad conduct and
declared that the morning light would find
him new man. After kissing them he
returned 20 his room, where be was found
an hour later in c0mat0se condition, and
by his side was an empty laudaDum bottle.
The end came before morning. and with
the news Of ifurloDgs death went rumors
Of
A DARKER CRIME.
No one would speak for over a week, and
then the story came out which established
the fact that Fnrlough had been driven "a
suicide because Of n murder which
he had committed two weeks before
and in the commission Of which he had
two confederates. On the down freight
train on September was Jesse Webb, col.
ored, who Was In search Of employment.
lie was put Of the train nj Sniff Mil, where
Furiong spotted him as q man who had
previously entered into contract with
him. Webb refused to 90 along with Fur.
long. whereupon the latter seized him, and
handieapping him put him under the guard
Of J. NJ. Lotion, white man from Atlanta
| and Tom Sharon. Webb made q break fOs
Ioften running toward the swamp with
Furlong In full pursuit A discharge from
Furlong's q rife brought Webb 60 the ground
in elump Of bushes about 100 yards from
the house. When Furlong returned TO The
house he put all under notice thst be
would kill the first one that peached. Fur
long, Loften and Sharon, each Carrying &
double-bauelled shotgun, went down "a
where the wounded negro lay. Furloog,
in his desperation,
CUT THE VICTIMS THRoAT
For three days and three nights they kep'
the victim there in sight Of help and ye,
giving him none. On the third day they
killed him and dragged the body into the
backyard where il was burned. Tho body
was exhumed by the Coroner. II wsl
found that the skull was crushed In thre>
places. The strangest past Of the story y
that for three weeks fully fry men knew
of the murder, talked Of II among them.
selves and yet stood in such mortal dresd
of Furlong that they didn't dare tell tb'
story till his suicide removed al danger
The tive accomplices in the murder hav'
fed the country.