Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-19
BOUND FOR THE PEN.
A TOUGH EAST ENDER NARROWLY ESCAPES
BECOMING \ MURDERER.
Frank WiIks, Aged About Sixty-fys Tears, Sho
in the Back By bis Step
SOu.

One of the most cold-bloOded and dellb'
crate attempts II murder ever perpetrated
in this city was reported at police head
Quarters about fifteen minutes after twelve
o'clock yesterday. The crime was COM
mitted in the second story of the tenement
No. 149 Eighteenth street, the victim be
ing Frank Wilke, an aged and hard-Work'
ing resident of the house mentioned, while
his assailant, who now lies in jail under
heavy bail, is Henry Frabel, step-son OF
wilke, and man noted for being OF that
class set down by the authorities as dan
gerous."
1t seems that about five years ago Wilke
married Mrs. Frabell. and when they set
up housekeeping, Mrs. Frabell's son
Henry, then about thirty years. OF age,
made his home with them. Henry is
mailer by trade, but he seems to have be-
come imbued with the idea that he had
Struck snap" for he henceforth did
little or no work, being content to slt
about the house, eating three square meals
q day, and having for his bosom friends
and constant companions number oil
men who conceive work to be particu-
larly heinous form of SIN, and who look
upon the ownershipof pop, and capacl-
ty to stand up under pint or so OF bad
whisky as the acme of human happiness.
Old Mr.. Wilke naturally became some
what fatigued at Henry's course, and from
time to time stroye to impress upon bis
mind the desirability of his doing some
thing to increase the revenues of the taml-
". The argument over this point were at
times stormy, but the old gentleman
words were uniformly wasted upon Fra
bell, who continued serenely on IN the
course he had marked out.
Yesterday at noon, while the family
were at dinner, Mr.. Wilke again reverted
to his pet theory that Henry ought to go to
work, and a somewhat spirited discussion
ensued, which was terminated by Henry
saving, with considerable emphasis, that
"He didn't have to work, and he'd be --
if he wouldn At this Mr.. Wllke rose
from his chair, and walked past Frabell,
intending to 90 down stairs. Just before
he reached the door, Frabell jumped up,
drew 32-calibre bull dog revolver and
fired at the old gentleman's body, the
ball striking him in the right shoulder.
Frabell then stepped out OF doors, while the
report OF the revolver collected something
of q crowd. and word was telephOned 10
police headquarters. Justice W. II. Davis
was passing City Hall when the message
was received, and Lieutenant JnnklnS
called to him and said man had been
shot at No. 40 Eighteenth street. and
asked him to goOut with him. The two
then started, but found the number given,
40 Eighteenth street, was wrong. They
then inquired along the street, and finally
found No l49 to be the place.
At the corner of Eighteenth street and
alley +. the officers saw Frabell standing
with one hand in his trousers pocket.
Junkins and Davis separated rs if to pass
Frabell, and then suddenly seized him by
the arms and escorted him to the lookup.
There he was searched and the revolver,
with which the shooting was done, was
found in the pocket in which he
had his hand when arrested.
4 warrant was at once issued by the JUS
tice and given to Officer key, who shortly
afterwards appeared at the Justices office
with the prisoner Mr. Wilke soon APP
peared al d an examination was had, during
which the facts, rs we have stated them
were brought to light. The Justice held
the prisoner in s.. 900 bail, and i'll default
he was committed.
On his way to Jail Frabell told Constable
Love he had shot TO kill; that he was sorry
his purpose had failed, and that he would
kill Wilke yet if he got chance.
The revolver which was found upon the
prisoner, and with which the shooting was
done, is a iive-ShOOter, aud still had tour
loads in it when it was taken from him.
DIR. Wilson made an examination OF
Wilkes wound in the Justices office, and
found the ball with little trouble. The
bullet had struck the shoulder blade and
glanced, making bad flesh wound, but
one which will soon heal up. Had the
shot struck little lower, different and
more serious results would have followed.
Frabell is the man who fired five shots
at Officer Carney, 1t the Manchester coke
ovens, some nine or ten months ago.
Carney disguised himself in citizens
clothes and arrested Frabell, who had a
pistol on his person.
1t is fully time Frabell was put under
lock and key, and he will, no doubt, now
get his desserts.
d