Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-09
WEST MURDER CASE.
INTERESTING TESTIMONY BROUGHT OUT AT
LAST NIGHTS SESSION.
The Evidence Now Makes il Look Bad fJr the Ac-
eused-SOme Of Those Who Testified.
How West Appeared Yes
terday Morning.

WASHINGTON, Pa, October s.-A
chain of circumstantial and direct evil
dence is being drawn around West
The testimony taken yesterday after
noon was damaging. BY foot prints
identical with Vests. and on the evil
dence of witnesses who saw the defend
ant, he was traced from the Crouch res
idence across the country toward Mon
ongahela City.
At this mornings session West ap-
peared cool, but eagerly watched each
witness and every word of the testi-
mony. The prosecution began with the
evidence of Mrs. Jane Jones, who lives
on Vests alleged line of flight from the
Crouch house. She could not say It was
the defendant she saw, but it was a
large heavy set man.
Mayor Houston, of Monongahela City,
stated that he had been with the party
that fitted Vests shoes in the tracks
left by the murderer. He also gave
damaging testimony
THAT THESE TRACKS
were the same as those leading toward
the Couch residence from Vests home.
In spite of the dark these tracks are
said to have been distinct when they
were compared with the shoes found in
! Vests trunk.
Joseph Erunlce, the next witness, said
he found tracks across his farm the eve
ming of the day the murder was sup
posed to have been committed. A piece
of pthfork handle was found along
the tracks. AunesS' farm lies between
Santers' farm and Monongahela City.
Detective Kornman, OF Allegheny,
stated that he had put the shoes in the
tracks, and that they fitted precisely.
LATER.
At the night session some interesting
evidence was brought out. 1t was
shown by witnesses, that West made an
effort on Tuesday evening To hire a
buggy in M0nongahela City, but failed.
The next morning he tried again, and
was again unsuccessful. Mrs. Lutz
testified that she had seen West in
company with Anne Brundage, going
past her house towards the
station in Monongahela City.
While the two were passing
along the street, West stopped and then
left his consort. He had in his hand a
shawl strap and Satchel. George Emile,
station agent at Monongahela City, teS-
titled that he had seen West at the
station about : p. m. on May l3, (the
night of the murdcrs). Charles Strand,
a conductor. had seen West get on the
train May II at Riverside and go To
PittSburg. Anne Brundage had got on
the train at Monongahela City and had
given the ticket for West to the con
ductor. At Beaver Falls. West and his
companion stopped at the Nickle Plate
Restaurant and stayed all night. 1t
wat there that West was arrested and
searched. On his person were
POUND TWO POCKETBoOKs
and $50. .g4 in money. One of the officers
asked West where he got the money.
and he said that he got it from his
father. On the way from Beaver Falls
to Allegheny the officer in charge Of
West said TO the latter that he had got
himself into n serious box. West asked
what il was. Those people are dead, -"
u.
West. This was said before West was
supposed to have heard Of the muir
ders. In the lookup West was
asked by another officer If he knew
the Crouchs, and he said he did not.
When shown newspaper with an ac-
count of the murders, West admitted
that he knew the Cronches. Detective
Glenn identified the clothing that had
been shown in court as the same which
he had found in an attic adjoining
Vests room in the Nickel Plate reStau-
rant.
Court here adjourned until a. m. to-
morrow. The prosecution will then
close up and the defense will open.
The evidence so far has been entirely
circumStantial. and West. who is a
coored man, has through his counsel,
bitterly contested every link IN the
chain that is being thrown around him.