Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-08
SHOT TWELVE TIMES.
THB DESPERATE FIGHT WHICH RNDRD IN
THE DEATH OF BILL MORAN,
Known as the Terror Of the Flat Top Coal Regions
-Four Men and One Woman Engaged in The
Deadly Encounter, in Room ola
Mountain Cabin.

A few days ago the REGISTER contained
a brief account of the killing of Bill Moran,
by Detectives Baldwin, Wallace and Rob
insOD, in Tszswell county, Va. The de-
tails of the encounter read like page from
ten cent novel; but there seems to be no
doubt Of the trnth of the narrative.
Moran, who has been known in the
lower part of the State as the Terror of the
Flat Top coal region, met his death iu
Tazewell county, about twenty miles from
PCclbontas, West Virginia. The fight,
which ended in the death of the outlaw,
was undoubtedly one of the most desper-
ate and exciting ever known in all that
region. Moran has for year past been a
veritable terror 70 the people along the
border between the two States, and for the
past thres months he has been especially
obnoxious, openly defying the authorities,
running things pretty much as he pleased,
and declaring repeatedly that he would
never be taken alive. He kept mis- word
in that particular.
The particular circumstance which led
to the killing of Moran dates back about
two weeks. At that time he got On big
drunk at Falls Mills, West Virginia, shot
into the depot several times, threw the
switch lamps into the river, and offered to
kill anyone who attempted TO interfere
with him. The railroad people deter
mined to put an end TO such outlswry, and
sent for Detective Baldwin, Of the Eureka
detective agency, at Charleston. Baldwin
swore cut a warrant for Moran March 3lst,
and accompanied by Detectives Wallace
and RobinsOn, started in search Of Moran.
They located him in Tazswel county, Mon
day night, sud the following morning
about five o'clock the officers went to the
house where he vas hiding Baldwin
went up 10 the door and G5ked for q drink
of water, and Wallace and Robinson COM
log mp about the same time, Baldwin said:
THE fellow is here; I'll make break, and
you follow quick" Baldwin az once
sprang through the door. There were hut
two rooms in the cabin, and as he entered.
Baldwin eaw some one ly ing in the bed ia the
corner whom he supposed was MOraD, and
called TO him to surrender. Just then two
shots were fired in the rear. one passing
through the lapel of Baldwin's cost, on "a
line with his heart, and the other lodging
in his arm near the wrist The shots
came from Moran. BY this time Wallace
and Robinson came in, and the firing be
came general. Wallace went down, shot
through the mouth, and with two bnlicti
in his arm. Baldwin received two N his
right arm, while Robinson fired Eve sn0'a
at Moran, and then had his pistol knocked
from his hand by shot which cut ore Of
his fingers of. About the same moment
another shot passed through his right
hand. Meanwhile Baldwin kept blazing
away, and shot Moran in the BODY siX
times, one at the balls going clear through
him. One of the women in the bouse also
took part in the firing at Moran, shooting
five times. Moran shot sll the cartridges
out Of his revolyeIs, and then fell dead,
literally riddled with bullets There were
twelve bullet wounds on his person, and
eight on the three detectives. Wallace is
lying at the point of death at houae
near the scene Of he shooting Baldwin
passed through POcahontas on horseback,
Wednesday, going to Bramwell for a nurse
for Wallace, having ridden over twenty
miles with two bullets 10 his arm. He
said when he got a nurse TO Wallace he
would then attend to his own wounds
Moran oaly lived about two minutes, sDd
never spoke. The cabin was completely
bespatted with blood. Twenty-six shots
we're fred, and al least twenty found lodg-
ing places in the bodies OF Moran or the
detectives.
There is general rejoicing over the kill
ing of Moran, who wes also wanted for
at some parties in West Virginia,
and not for "moonshininq" as reported.