Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-04-08
HANSON WILLIS
How He Was Escorted Back 70 tls Scene of
His Crimes
THE EXCITEHENT ALONG TIE ROUTE
The M~Othsr-in-Law Of the Prisoner Talks Of
Undiscovered Murders.
STORY BY THE MURDERER HIMSELF.

Il
turn trip from Pomeroy, O., whittier they
had escorted Hanson Willis, the murderer
and general desperate, an outline Of
whose bloody deeds has heretofore ap-
peared in the columns of this paper. The
officers tell q very interesting story OF
their experiences down the river, and from
their narrative, and their rehearsal of the
statements Of others, there seems to be lit
tie doubt bat that Whilst is about the worst
criminal who ever run his bloody course
in this portion of the country, and that
his death upon the gallows will take
place just IS soon as the legal fOrmalities
can be gone through with.
The officers left this city with their pris-
ODer Thursday morning and expected that
they would get their man to their destina-
ton and safely slowed away in some jail
beEo.e the news of his capture had be-
come generally known, thus avoiding the
probability Of trouble which would exist
If his coming was heralded to the pOpula-
ton of the river towns. But in this ex-
p~ectation, the officers were doomed to dis
appointment. In some way, the fact Of
the capture Of Willis had become noised
abroad, and even when the train halted at
Moundsville, there was quite q little crowd
gathered at the depot to feast their eyes
upon the features Of the man who had
killed enough people to stock a small pri-
waite grave yard. Az the tram passed the
stations forthsr on dowE the road, the size
of the crowds increased, and in proportion
to their added numbers, the curiosity Of
| the people became more marked. How
ever, Parkersburg was reached and passed
in safety, but soon vague rumors began TO
| hy about the train that there was q mob
awaiting the train about Ripley land
ing, and that trouble would result before
Mason City, the point for which the officers
were making, was reached.
Just before the train reached Lstart, the
engineer and conductor approached Officer
Shorts and told him that there was a big
crowd ut the point named, and that the
outlook was pretty squsliy, but the officer,
who had Willis two reyolvers, in addition
To dis own, expressed his confidence in his
ability TO make il warm for any possible
mob, and this feeling was shared by Officer
Wilkie. The p~risonsr looked glum, and
showed a very decided disposition to keep
close to the officers, and sort Of draw his
head down inside his collar, SO as not to
be IN the way. Finally an arrangement
was made TO run the train quickly psst the
depot, aud put the baggage, etc, of at q
point q little down the line, and this pro
gramme being followed there was nc at
tempt made to lay violent hands on the
prisoner.
On arriving at Mason City, the platform,
and all that side OF the road was black with
people, leaving the side of the train next
to the river almost bare Of spectators, and
the officers hustled Willis out Of the cars
on that side, and had him q considerable
distance from the train before the move
ment was noticed by the people. When
they saw the move, however, there was a
rush tor the little squad, and in q moment
the men were swallowed up in the COM
pact mass. There wss no attempt to in
terfere with the officers, however, al
though the excitement was great, and it
would have taken little effort on the part
of q leader to have settled the fate Of
Willis. The officers hurried to the river
with all speed, and Willis was soon on the
little ferry which was to carry him to
Ohio.
On the POmeroy side thecrowd was three
times as large as at Mason City, and it
was only with the greatest difficulty that
the prisoner was conducted through the
streets to the jail. In fact, ut one time
Wilkie became separated from Officer
Shorts and the prisoner, and was swal-
lowed mp in the crowd. IL took but q
little time for the Justice before whom the
prisoner Was taken to commit him for q
hearing, which it was publicly announced
would take place Saturday. 10 reality,
however, the preliminary examination was
set for Friday morning, and at that time il
came OF. The result Wa that the prisoner
was remanded without bail, to await the
action of the Meigs county grand jury,
which meets q week from tomorrow.
The officers found that the story OF
Willis crimes had not been exaggerated in
the least II anything, many facts have
been withheld, and it is expected that the
trial for the murder of his fs~ther-in-law
will develop points in his career which
will stamp him IS the star criminal OF
the Ohio Valley. AS matter Of course,
most of the damaging testimony against
Willis is expected from his wife and
/ mother in-law. The latter said, after the
arrival OF Willis at Pomeroy, that not
only had he committed the four murders
alleged against him, but two others as
| we'll, making six in all, and intimated
her ability and Willingness to talk to the
poink when the time M Mrs.
| Willis also gave the officers and
! authorities u thrilling description Of the
murder of her father by Willis, and
said that she felt that she had 9 narrow
escape for her own life. She said that af-
ter the murderer had fred the seven shots
into his victim, he went up 20 her and
| seemed TO hesitate, as though celebrating
whether or not to kill her, but finally
thought better of it, and turned his whole
attention to making his escape. Willis
himself related to the officers how he had
killed his father-in-law, saying that the
first shot he fred at him struck him in the
neck. seVering the jugular vein. Carter
fell, aud then Willis emptied the remain
ing five shots OF his revolver into his breast
in the neighborhood of the heart. As the
by this time dead man settled back upon
the door, Willis snatched up his revolver
and fired one charge from it after the six
shots from his OWE pistol, and then left
the victim, carrying of the revolver.
BE says be crossed the river, and despite
the hue and cry Of the large party Of men
on his trail, made HE way to his brothers.
house, in Jackson county. From
there he started OF northwsrdly, and after
a very rough trip, reached the river Gear
the little town Of Eureka. He was tired
out, and suffering from a wound in his
side, and as soon as possible got on the
boat which brought him to this city.
Willis distinctly refused to talk about the
crih,fs at Pr. Pleasant or the shooting
ARRAYS during the pursuit in the woods Of
Jackson county, when Willis killed one
man and wounded another.
Officer Shorts asked him during the trip
down the river:
willis, would yOu have made & fight