Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-06-05
A STORY TOLD AGAIN
POUR WITNESSES DESCRIBE LIZZIE TAG
CARTS SUPPBRINGS,
Al New MartinsVills-Ths State Opens the Case and
Considerable Evidence Taksn-Ths Pressn-
tatOn Speeches on Both Sidss-Two
Mastery Addresses.

taton Speeches on Both Sdes-TwO
Mastery Addresses.
Special telegram 10 0e Register.
NEW MARTINsvILLE, VIVA, June A.
The first day of the Cox murder trial is
past. The greater part of the ses-
sion was consumed in securing a jury
and the presentation addresses, and the
testimony, though pointed and direct, was
not sufficient in quantity to justify any
estimate OF the strength or weakness Of the
case.
At $3.50 a. m. Court met, and the narrow
space between the bar-railing and the outer
doors was soon packed with an audience
of cuIioue sighiseers. The prisoners
marched in, aud their demeanor showed
little Of the men who feared that a serious
charge would he proven against them.
Dr. F. V. Coke wife, with her infant In
her arms, sat by her husband, aud
both he and the younger man
repeatedly amused themselves with
the cooing babe. The first work was to
secure Il jury, and little difficulty was ex-
perienced. Three OF four of the original
panel Of twenty men confessed TO a preiu-
dice in the case and were dismissed.
Others took their places. Elch side soon
struck of its allotted number, and the
twelve good men and true, who were to
render e verdict in aCcOrdanc; with the
law and evidence remained. Their
names were Gea. SchlObohm, o X. Fetty,
John Sweigard, VIM S,onekIng, Geo. Ma
son, Jacob Higgins, Ohristy BrookOver,
John Schupbacn, Ehsh Beam, d. Z. Nc
Intire. Lee West and Thos. Higginthbot-
tom. All were comparatively young and
were a fine appearing body of men as they
were sworn and took their seats IN the jury
box.
COLONEL ARNETT's ADDRESS.
Colonel Arnett Immediately arose to
make the presentation address for the
State, and he performed his duty III a
manner worthy of an able advocate. He
said in brief, that the defendants were
charged with the crime Of murder, the
highest crime against the person known to
law, and with the exception of treason the
grsvest crime in the category OF crimes.
Under the indictment four verdicts were
possible. one tor murder IN the first de-
gree. one for murder in the second degree,
one for voluntary msnslsughter, and one
for involuntary manslaughter.
The defendants Ia the case were the two
prisoners at the bar and they were charged
with takirg the life Of Lizzie Tsggart, Il
beautiful young woman of Morristown,
Ohio. Who had lived with her father in
ease and happiness, If not in aftluence.
The first that was known of her IN this
case Tas when she was in Wheeling, under
the care of DR.. T. A. Cox He removed
her from her boarding house and
took her to the house OF
relative in South Wheeling
where she remained for some time. The
evidence would show that he called there
| frequently and prescribed for her. Then
he claimed 70 have discovered the name
of her father by accident, and sent for him.
He came, and the defense claim that the
physician and his brother were directed To
take charge Of the patient without regard
to considerations of expense. Thereupon
it was determined TO
REMOVE HER FROM WHEELING,
where there were many competent physi-
clans. and hospitals TO a country hamlet
where drugs and physicians were hardly
accessible. 1t was plain, the Colonel said,
thet at some period they had deliberately
determined 10 remove the child from its
mother, through love of his child in the
part of the fsthor and the inordinate love
of lucre on the part of the defendants.
In obedience to this arrangement, means
were employed, which were the toughest
and most violent ever employed, and had
mutilated, dissected and destroyed both
mother and child.
Colonel Arnett then reviewed the cir
cumstances of the case in detail, and
argued that they pointed to two facts;
First, that the operation was unskiltully
performed, and the woman died from the
effects of it, when the crime would be vol
untsry manslaughter; and second, that the
operation WIS unnecessarily performed,
when the crime wss the far grayer oifense
of murder.
In conclusion, he said that he stood
there az the representative OF the State,
but not to demand blood, but only to vim
dicate the majesty Of the law,
and especially i'1 supremacy N
West Virginia and in Wet
eel county. II in the progress OF this
trial, it should become evident that
there was no intention Of wrong-doing on
the part of the prisoners, he would be
honest and candid enough TO admit it, hut
if, on the other hand, il become plain that
| the MAJESTY of the Law had been trampled
under foo. he should not hesitate to ask
the iury to convict. Col. Arnett's address
was lengthy but commanded earnest atten-
tion throughout.
CAPTAIN DOYENER'S PRESENTATION
for the defense was an eloquent exposition
of the strong points Of the care. He con-
sumed nearly three-quarters Of an hour in
delivering it, aud was attentively listened
to by the large audience .hat thronged the
hall. He made it plain that the line Of de-
fense will follow forth the story told by
DIR. r. A. Cox before the CoroneT's Jury.
He said that the defense would prove by
! indisputsble evidence that Lizzie Taggart
had come to one of the defendants and rep
sented herself az a married woman, VINO
was threatened with miscarriage. lie
had taken the case in good faith, and had
applied the remedies known to medical
science. His objsct was the object which
should inspire every practitioner in such
csse-au object which contemplated the
saving of human life, and not the conceal
ment of human sin. The rene
dies which he had applied
had proven unavsiling, ard then the
father, whose identity he had accidentally y
learned, had been c-lled in. He had come,
and the condition of that daughter who
was dearer TO him than the apple OF his
eye wss revealed.
So far from attempting concealment,
means were taken again to prevent a
threatened miscarriage, and again all the
remedies that skilful hands could apply
failed. The1 it became necessary to assist
nature, an operation not necessarily peril
ous. but made so in this case. by a false pre-
sentation. was performed. When at last It
was discovered that the child was dead,
the operation of dissection was resorted to.
II was performed and performed success
fully. The patient progressed rapidly to-
wards recovery, but change occurred;
Her symptoms became more serious, anj
in a few days she died from puerperal
septas emis, a result which was likei y to
occur in any such operation, and which
in this case was unavoidable.
On such a presentation of facts, the de-
fense confidently relied, and would ask
that the jury return a verdict Of not guilty
THE FIRST WITNESS.
.tio5 - tho afternoon and