The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-17
THE CROUCH TRAGEDY.
The Arrest Of West and His
White Female Companion.
MAN APPEARS INDIFFERENT,
But tho Woman Claims to Know
something OF tho CrimG-A Crazy
Man nt Richmond, Ind, Claims
knowledge Of tho Act.

PIrTsnrRdn, May 1G.-At 10 O'Clock
this morning William West, the celorei
man suspected OF being implicated in The
brutal murder OF the Crouch family a
Bentleysville, his alleged wife, n white
woman, and their 7.year.old boy, were
taken to Monongahcla City in charge Of
Officer Cleury, from that town, and De.
tcctive kornman, OF Allegheny.
IfWest Is the murderer bis conscience
must be an extraordinarily elastic one,
for he slept soundly from :he time he
stretched himself ont npon the bench in
his cell, last night, until he was called by
the turnkey this morning.
Not 80 bis female companion, how.
ever. All night she kept most Of the
other prisoners awake by crying and
moaniGGa MS II suffering physical pain.
Several times she called the turnkey to
the bars OF her cell and told him that II
her husband was hanged, life TO her
would not be worth living any longer,
In that case she would kill herself, and
ask as a last fIvor to share the same
grave with the body OF her husband, the
boy buried between them,
The woman is undoubtedly passion.
ate!y fond OF he tman, though in appear.
ance they arc as far apart as the poles,
aside from differing in color. West is a
big man with brutal features, while the
woman is rather delicate and good look.
ing. She said this morning that she
first met West about eight years ago,
and thats ever since she has not been
able to live without him, although he
habisually abused her.
clRcuMsrANrIAL EVIDENCE GATHERING.
Although only five hours have passed
since Vests arrest, strong circumstan,
tial evidence is accumuIating. When
seen last in Monongahela City, which
was on Tuesday night, he wore q differ.
ent suit OF clothes from the one he had
Oh when arrested at Beaver Falls yester.
day. This morning the question about
that was put to him 50 abruptly by Chief
Murphy that West admitted the fact at
once, probably without thinking what
mighty piece oil evidence it might be.
come against him. He said that he
threw the suit he had on in Monongahe,a
City away because it WAS not fit to be
worn any longer. When asked where
he cast 1t of, he replied in Beaver Falls,
and that he threw it into the back yard
of the "Nickel Plate" restaurant there.
The so.called "Nickel Plate" restau.
rant in Beaver Falls is the place where
West, the woman and the boy were
found by the officers yesterday and ar
rested. The only time that West lost his
since his arrest was when
Chief Murphy asked him questions
about that mysterious suit OF clothes.
1t is expected that the suit OF clothes
in question, il it can be found, will tell
the story OF tho murder, and that if ]
West is guilty the evidence will be 80
overwhelming us 10 force him into a con-
iession.
II it is not found where West says he |
leitit, he must have good reason ior
not revealing its hiding place.
Detective Glenn was sent to Beaver
Falls to-day by Chief Murphy 10 hunt
for it. Chief Murphy thinks that West
packed the suit into his trunk on leay-
ing Mopongabela City. and on arriving
in Allegheny waited for night to come
on, and threw it into the river. Vests
trunk was searched this morning.
Every article Of wearing apparel was
taken out singly and carefully exam
ined, but none OF them bore any blood
marks or evidence that they had been
washed out.