Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-18
AFTER THE MONEY.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HEARING
THE CONTESTANTS
For the Rewards Offered for the hurdsrers Of Ofiesr
Glsnn-Ths First Session Held
Yesterday.

The Board of County Commissioners met
in special session yesterday morning, and
after transacting some unimportant mis-
cellsneous business, appointed a commit
tee of two to procure the services OF 0
stenogrspher 10 take the evidence to be
sdduced at the afternoon session relative
to the disposition Of the county reward OF
81, 500 offered for the apprehension of the
murder,rs Of Police Officer Glenn. At l
o'clock p. In. the Board reassembled, there
being present Stenographer Alfred Rhein-
strom. J. W. and T. II. Keller, Of Newark,
O. David Moore, T. F. Meredith and 81.
J. Rickenbaugb, of the same place, Attor-
uoys Doyener and Russell, and Sheriff
Handlan, Chief Smith, and several other
claimants for the money. The President
stated the object of the meeting, and the
Board determined to take Up the claim OF
the Keller brothers, of Newark, first.
They were represented by Mr.. Russell.
The statements Of the claimants were
taken, they setting forth that they had
suspected Kelley and Christie OF the
Wheeling murder before their arrest for
the Mt. Vernon robbery, and had secured
their arrest, after much trouble, In con
junction with Officer Meredith, TO bring
about that fac, and had worked up the
evidence against the men. In support OF
their claim, counsel for the Msssrs. Keller
resd sfidavits from A. NJ Holmfs. Pho. bs
Mcfarland, Maud A. Kline, Charles Kit
ter, Thomas + Brown, Samuel Smith, A.
J Crilly, John Timms, John II. Franklin,
Jr.. and ]. III. Maryland, whose several
stories corrobora,ei and ampli6eG the claim
ofthe contestants. One oftbe most interest
iug of these afidayits was that of Maud A.
Kline, who lived at Newark at the time OF
the arrests, bat who is now a resident OF
Devo, Faulk county, Dakota. Afiant said
she frat heard of the reward offsred ny the
Wheelirg authorities from j. w. Keller,
in whose store she was employed az a clerk.
She learned the fact from T. II. kelltr, on
February 81, 1888. On the 10Th of March
she heard q conversation between I. II.
Keller and jacob Meredith about tbs re-
ward, and heard Keller say he WAS salts
fed Kelley and Christie were the men, and
that he had caused their arrest on the
charge Of having stolen goods in Their
possession. Keller proposed TO Meredith
to get some prisoner III the all to pump
| Kelley and Christie, in order that some
damaging statement might he obtained.
At numerous subsequent interviews Mere
dith told Keller that he had enlisted the
services of McFa,lipd and other prisoners
in Jail, and that much in the way Of dam
ageing testimony had teen secured. Al
first Meredith had no suspicious of the
graver crime alleged against the men, but
simply worked in accordance with the in
structious given him by Keller.
The other afidavits were to the same
general effect, showing that Keller had an
eIrly clue TO the men as the murderers.
When this case was closed, the petition
of Marshal Rickenbhugh, Officer j. F.
Meredith, Sheriff Handlan and Chic
Smith were read. and Officer Meredith
took the stand. He told q most interest
ing story of his connection with the arrest
| of Kelley and Christie, and made out a
very strong case for his side. An inter
estine feature was his statement as to how
| the suspected men were worked" while
in Jail. He got n of the prisoners ia
pretsnt to be a burglar with n specialty in
jewelry store robberies, and having written
on to Wheeling, to Captain Smith, for tn,
names of some jewellers, the decay, after a
proper introduction, told Kelley and
Christie he want, d to co ne to Wheeling to
crack a jewelry store, ard suggested Dill
lone. Tne prisoners, Kelley and Christie,
described the lay Of D.llon's store, aid
said an entrance might be effected by 70
ing up an alley in the rear, and getting in
a back window. Mr.. Meredith denied
several of the statements m&ds by the
Keller's, and went over the incidents
prior to and following the arrest Of Kelley
and Christie, very minuttly.
At the expiration Of Mr.. Meredith
cross-sxaminaiion, the Beard adjourned
until this morning at 9:3O.