The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-24
A PECULIAR TRAGEDY
At West Wheeling Saturday
Night--A Man Named
TOM THORNTON LOST. HIS LIFE
While Drunk-lIc Annoyed William,
Leo Who Struck Him Two Blows
Five Minutes Later Thorn
ton Was Found Dead.

situated short distance below Bridge
port on tho Ohio side OF the river, wa
the scene Saturday evening OF a de
plorablc tragedy, resulting in the deatt
ofThomas Thornton, n native Of Ireland
aged about Go, who for a number OF year.
past has been employed as a section
laborer on the O. & P. road, working al
one OF tho gang under Thomas Cavern
lie met his death in boarding house con.
Quoted by Mrs. selby, and the person who
is charged with having caused his death
is William Lee, who roomed with Thorn.
ton at Mrs. Selby'S. Lee is a man about
IS years old, coal miner by occupation,
who has been working at Jesse Moore'a
coal works in West Wheeling, for some
time past. The two men had roomed
together for about one year and were
supposed to be on the best OF friendly
terlnR.
The first news received by the author
tiles OF the occurrence was about
o'clock, when q telephone message was
received by Mayor Mitchell, OF Bridge
port, advising him OF the affair; he at
once dispatched Marshal Stuff and OH
Ger Donnelly to the scene. They found
him in his room with the body Of
Thornton lying in about the same con-
ditlon that he had fallen when he dealt
him the two heavy blows that are SUP.
posed to have caused his death. He
made no attempt to escape at any time
and willingly accompanied the officers
to the Bridgeport lookup where he was
confined. Coroner Boyd was summoned
from Bellaire to hold an inquest. He
decided that post moriem examination
OF the remains was the first thing in or
der. Drs. Cook, Heinlein and Fisher,
OF Bridgeport, were called upon to do
this work, but owing to various causes
were unable to complete their part OF
the laws's investigation till yesterday
and then declined to make public their
finding till to-day when Coroner Boyd
will complete his inquest.
The killing Of Thornton, II such it can
be designated, was remarkable in many
features. It was brought on by his quar-.
relsome disposition developed by the
drink he had INDUCED in during the day,
and the blows given him by Lee were
dealt, it is believed, without any MUIR
derous intent, but merely to quiet an Of.
fensive drunkard.
Lees story is that Thornton was not
working Saturday and put in his time
drinking to excess. About I o'clock in
the evening he entered the room they
in company with Hugh McCauley occu-
pied and swore considerably because the
fire was low. Lee reproved him for this
and told him that US he was not working
during the day he should have made It
q part Of his business to attend to the
fire. About this time the landlady's
daughter replenished the fire and Til orn-
ton and McCauley sitting by it, began
talking, while Lee lay down on the bed.
Suddenly Thornton got up, went over to
the bed and and began pulling Lees
foot. Lee kicked at him and told him
to stop. Thornton went away and sat
down ior q moment, grumbling all
the time to himself, then suddenly
got up and again tried to pull
Lee of the bed by his feet. Lee rose up
and struck him blow in the face fol-
lowing it with another. Thornton stag
gered back into chair and Lee follow
ing him took him by the collar, shook
him and asked him il he would behave
himself; Thorton answered eyes, yes."
Lee went back to his bed and Thorn
ton iell back with his head on pillow !;
five mintes later MrCaulay looked at
the man and found him dead. Lee says
that before this when Thornton was
drunk he was inclined to impose on him.
There were only two marks Of violence
on Thornton. They were on the upper
corner Of each cheek bone, and plainly
showed where the blows had been
struck. On the left side was faint blue
mark, but on the right the skin had been
broken, and streak Of blood extended
down to the ear, otherwise there was no
sign that he had not died peace.
full death. His story is corroborated
by Mrs. Selby, who heard the noise, and
listening heard Thornton say"yes, yes,"
when asked If he would behave himself.
He is said by some to be Of an un.
sound mind at times, and when
in that condition to be liable
to give away to uncomfortable tite
Of rage. He, however, expressed
the deepest regret for what had hap.
pened and there is no other way oi
looking at the matter except that it was
unintentional. Thornton drank 80
heavy during the day that several re.
fused to sell him liquor, and it is not
improbable that the effects Of the liquor
combined with the shock Of the blows
caused his death.