Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-11-20
THE NEFF MURDER TRIAL.
A Jury Obtained Yesterday--A short His
tory Of the Case.

n -
tory Of the Case.
The Neff murder case, on trial at Little
Washington, is attracting a greal deal Of
attention in Greene and Washington coun-
ties, as we'll as in Ohio and Marshall, on
this side Of the line. A jury Was obtained
about three o'clock yesterday afternoon, as
follows:
D. A. Scott, merchant, Independence;
]. S. Wilson, carriage maker, Franklin;
E. G. Furlong, coal operator, Allen; VIM.
Grimes, farmer, West Pike Run; H. II.
Rainey, farmer, Nottingham; John West
lake, miner, Independence; Tyre Robin
son, farmer, Fallowfeld; Thomas McVey,
farmer, Union; John r McMurray, farm
er, Peters; Thomas O. Richards, farmer,
East Pike Ran; Thomas L. Dagg, farmer,
East Pike Run; ]. Eigar Rankin, farmer,
Mt Pleasant.
The murder Of William McCau,lsnd was
briefly referred to in the REGISTER OF yes
terdsy. The legal battle which has been
waged in the Courts on behalf of James
Neff is hardly les interesting than the de-
tails of the murder with which he is
charged. The proceedings against Neff,
on behalf of the State were begun in the
Greene county courts at the October term,
1887. The indictment WAS for murder, q
true bill, bsing returned not only against
Jas. Neff, bat also against Frank Clark
and John T. Clark, who were cO.deiendants
with him up TO the October term, 1888,
when a motion was made for a separate
trial, which was granted. Neff WAS re-
quired to enter into recognizance in the
sum of $1,000 for his appearance at the
January term, 1888
On January 81, 1889. Distric. Attorney
Huss moved for continuance to the April
term, 1888, which was argued and granted.
At the April term the Commonwealth again
filed a motion for continuance, which was
again granted.
From June, the trial was continued TO
the October term, 1888, at which time the
motion for q severance of trial was made,
that James Neff might be allowed to plead
alone.
On October 18th, 1888, Neff presented a
petition for a change of venue. NOyem
ber 26,h was fixed as the day to hear petit
TONER'S prayer; it was continued TO De-
csmber 1st and then TO December 3 and
many of the depositions were taken on the
10th. On December 10th the motion WAS
argued, and on the 18th it WAS overruled
aud the change of venue refused.
On February 23i. 1889. the court, upon
testimony produced by the Commonwealth,
refused to admit Neff to bail, and he was
remanded TO jail.
On April 10th, 1882, Nei' again asked
for severence, which was granted Be-
ing formally arraigned, be pleaded not
guilty, and the empaneliug OF jory was
begun at 1915 d. NJ, Wednesday, April
10Th. At $3.50 p. m, April l2.h. the
regular panel was exhausted and only
nine men had been chosen. At this point
James f. Ssyers asked for q change Of
venue, which was again denied.
+. z. Isms, associate counsel for defend
ant, opened his case on the afternoon Of
April Is. Defense closed its testimony AZ
3 p m. April 49, Judge Ioghram closed
MS cnaTgs NJ O.lO y. IN. tne same CAV ana
the jury brought in verdict OF guilty
OF murder in the first degree at ll:10 p.
m. the same day. A motion for a new
trisl WAS FLED and was argued
July and 10 and on September
3 the Court granted new
trial. October IA. 1899, this
cs,e was called. Empsneling the jury
continued TO the Is b, and only fl We Jurors
haviog bsen secured from the regular
panel, the defendant again petitioned for
charge Of venue, on the ground that q
Jury could not be had, aud that fair trial
could not be secured in Greene county.
This being the second trial the testimony
on a former trial had been pablished and
those who read were probably prejudiced
one way OF the other. The motion was
argued, overfuled ard refused. An order
for an extra panel of 80 men having been
exhausted and only two more jurors OBJ
tanned, the defendant again petitioned for
a change of venue, which WAS granted, aud
the trial was removed TO Washington
county, with all the records in the case.