Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-11
John SUTCLIFF.

The End of One 'f Oh,o's Most Noted
Criminals.
John Sutcliff, one of Ohio's most motor
ious criminal characters, died Saturday
night in Steubenville, aged about ninety
five years. He was born in Yorkshire,
England, came to this country when but
nineteen years old, marrying in Philadel-
phia and coming to Steubenville ffty-thrte
years ago. Soon after his arrival he started
a saloon and became n contractor for the
| removal of dirt with carts. His saloon
was at first the headquarters for lawyers
and was f~requented by Edwin NJ. Stanton,
George w. HcCOok, Gen. Samuel StOkely,
judge Switzerland. Roderick Moody and
others of national reputation, but soon be-
came notorious as q fence, and burglars and
thieves from all over the country came
thither To hypOthecste goods. He would
buy anything from q church pulpit and
diamonds to old iron. Through a
fit of jealousy, in March, 1919, he
shot and killed John Johnson. He
was indicted for murder in the second de-
gree and ~manslaughter. At the trial he
was convicted by the Jury of msnslsughter,
and the case was carried up by his attOr-
new, Edwin NJ. Stanton, the great Wal
Secretary, and Col. George ". MeCook, to
the Supreme Court, which reversed the de-
eisiOn. In the meantime, the count OF the
indictment for murder in the second de-
gree was nolle prosecuted, and the defense
claimed that he could not again be tried.
The case was again taken up to the
Supreme Court, and Judge Avery rendered
an opinion which has since been taken as
authority in every State il the Union,
that after a verdict of guilty and Judgment
is reversed on account Of error in the pro-
ceedings the prisoner is not protected from u
second trial before a Jury by the provision in
the bill Ofrights, that the life of the accused
shall not twice be put in jeopardy for the
same offsnse. For this murder he served
three years i'm tho penitentiary, and shortly
| after his sentence began his daughter gave
birth 10 q child whose paternity she claim
Ell WAS her own father, and that it had
been conceived while she was visiting him
in Jail, previous TO his departure for the
penitentiary. After his release his place
became more notorious than ever, being
the rendezvous of thieves, cutthroats and
lewd women, whom he insisted should live
with his daughter.
During the panic in 1857, a large num-
her OF spurious silver coins were put in
| circulation in the West and South. The
counterfeit wa most dangerous, and Gov
eminent officers were at a loss to tell where
they came from. Finally they traced some
of them from Cincinnati to Steubenville,
and located two of the most noted confer
feiters in the country in this city. One
night in April, 1853, they entered the rear
of Sutclin7s saloon, and caught him and
another man in the act of pouring molten
metal from a crucible into dies, Both
were arrested. taken 10 Cleveland, tried
before the United States Court, and Suit
elf was sentenced TO seven years in the
penitentiaTy, breaking up n Of the worst
! counterfeit dens in the country. The
men who circulated the coins were never
arrested.
At the expiration of his sentence he re.
turned to Steubenyille, keeping saloon and
fence, being under arrest on several oeca-