Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-07
MARTINS FERRY.

| The good people Of this city were startled
when they woke up yesterday morning and
/ found out that almost tragedy had oc-
Cured the night before. Lester Franklin
and wife came here with the Sterling Com
edv Company % spend their vacation until
the opera season opened, stopping at the
| Navvood Hotel Mr. Franklin is an ar
list and has been doing some scenic paint
| ing for the Opera House management, also,
with others of the company, playing en-
gagements in the neighbOring towns.
! He is very pleasant gentleman
| 10 talk with. being well liked and
thought of by those who have known him.
His wife is a tall brunette, not beautiful,
but rather pleasant in her speech and man
aers. a splendid singer and one of the lead
ing members of the troupe which Is quar-
tered at the haywood Homer Morris,
tine third party in the act, is a black
smiths helper by trade, young man
about - years OF age, rather good looking,
and has never been In trouble
before until this occurred. He
claims to be an actor, having
appeared i'm several home entertainments.
From Frankliu's statement in the jail il
seems as if the intimacy between Morris
and Mrs. Franklin has been going on for
some time. for he says he has suffered more
than anyone knows by the erring ways OF
his wife. On Tuesday evening Morris
was i'm the room occupied by the Frank
Inns. and when he first went in Mrs Frank
lin was making a large mustard plaster
| for Mr. Franklin's breast, 'hc suffering
some pain there After applying the
plaster Mr. Franklin was lying on
| the bed, when he noticed Mrs. Franklin
passing a note 20 Morris and he asked
/ her what it was. She refused to tell him
and took il back from Morris and tore 1t up,
and threw 10 into the waste basket. Frank
| lin got up and picked up the pieces, and
| left the room. and on returning found that
Morris and his wife had disappeared. lie
asked the chambermaid where they were.
She told him they had started for the ferry
10 20 over the river He got his coat and
started after them. He arrived at the
ferry before they got there, and picking up
a stone waited until they came Wnen
they arrived he threw the stone AZ MOTIFS,
and struck him in the neck, making 0ad
wound Morris and he cllnohed hy TINS
time and Franklin got Morris finger IN ms
mouth and shut down on IT, Ohlcer Dave
GOsucv arrived at this time and separated
fhem and nut them under arrest, he taking
Franklin and deputing the night ferry
man TO bring Morris. Mrs. Franklin got
i'm the skiif and went 10 Wheeling. Morris
and Franklin were locked up until yester-
dav morning. and at the hearing
"A charge OF disOrderly conduct was
placed against them, and they were
fined g and costs apiece. In the jail, be-
fore the hearing. Mr.. Franklin said he in
tended 10 place charge of adultery against
Morris. but withdrewit before the hearing.
Mir Morris saws he intended no harm, and
only called on the Franklins as a friend,
and intended TO go out with the same com
panv this fall He says while he was IN
their room that the Franklins commenced
quarrelling. and he got up TO leave. lie
then saws that Mrs. Franklin said that she
v-,s coin,, too. and asked him If he would
20 as far as the ferry with her, and he tod
her certainly, and they started from tue
hotel together. and met nj the ferry as
mentioned before After being released
from iail. we are informed that Morris left
the city. Franklin got postal from ms
wife's mother. after he got out, that IN
formed him that she. the mother was
diving and he started to Wheeling 10 find
his wife. Mrs Franklin was discovered
and came back TO the city to-day
4 proposition by the Martins Ferry Ter
minal Railroad Company to exchange,
niece Of land on the east side of their tracks,
for part of Fifth street on the west, was
read al Council meeting last night There
arc several other improvements IN the
proposition besides giving the road right
of-way TO build abutments 10 their VlauucI