Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-20
HELD FOR THE CRIME.
Vim. West Remanded to Jail Without
Bail TO Await Trial for
NUMBERING THE CROUCH FAMILY.
The Evidence of Numerous Witnesses Who
We're Heard Yesterday
FASTENS SUSPICION MORE FIRMLY
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

was lulS evening nelu lOE COulb W NSs'N~
John Holland on the charge of numbering
John and Emily Crouch and their son
Andrew on MAY 13. Little that has not
already been published in The DISPATCH
was developed, but it was considered ample
for the holding OF the prisoner. District
Attorney Parker conducted the hearing.
The citv was filled with country people all
dav and there was much excitement.
The hearing was not held until this
afternoon, owing to a question as to
jurisdiction. Before that time some
new and nearly conclusive proof of the
guilt of William West was developed by
Squire Mccormick and Burgess French, of
Bentleysville. 1t was the story of Thomas
Coyle, farm hand for Mills, living north
of the Crouch place. Mccormick, French
and DR.. A. n. Booth, under orders from
District Attorney Parker, went to Bealls-
Vile yesterday to disinter the Crouches and
examine their stomachs. The Burgess of
Beallsville and the cemetery directors re-
fused to allow the disinterment. The object
was to ascertain whether the murder oc-
CURED before or after supper, Mccormick
and French came here this morning to con-
fer with the District Attorney.
1t being rumored that Attorney Nell
vaine, for the prosecution, would contest
Mayor Houston's Jurisdiction, it was deci-
ded to avoid that possibility. After the AZ
rival of the District Attorney and Detec-
tiyes Glenn and Kornman it was decided TO
bring a new suit Mayor Houston, at 10
O'Clock, dismissed the case before HIM and a
new information was made before Justice
John Holland, the charge being the same as
in the other case, murder. There could be
no doubt of the territorial jurisdiction of
the justice.
WOULDN'T GIVE UP THE BOY.
Homer Harvey, of Brownsville, with
whom Annie Brundage lived from 1881 un-
til February 20, 1890, came here this morn
ing and tried to get the woman to give up
the boy, Lindley, who is years old. The
woman refused TO do so.
The inquest was begun at 1:30 P. NJ. in the
City Hall. A great crowd collected out
side and there was a severe crush at the
door. 1t was out of the question to admit
all or even half of those who pushed and
shouted to get in. Justice Holland con-
Quoted the hearing. West was brought up
from his cell wearing cutaway coat
taken from his trunk. He was very
nervous, rubbed his hands together and
cracked his knuckles frequently.
Mayor Houston announced the change of
Jurisdiction, and Justice Holland read the
complaint During its reading West looked
steadily at the Justice, and when the words
regarding murder were read his lips and
eyelds quivered. He breathed heavily
Ann Brundage watched her lover almost
breathlessly. The examinations were con-
Quoted by District Attorney William S.
Parker. The main points in the testimony
were as follows:
Dr. f. E French testified that the necks of
all three Of the murder ed people were broken.
Squire David Mitchell told of the alarm
given last "Wednesday morning by young Craw-
ford. and described his visit and entry into the
house. As he spoke of the murdered people,
their positions and the bloody club, West bit
his lips. and frequently opened and closed
them. his lips and throat seemed to be dry
and parched, and he swallowed frequently.
When Squire Mitchell entered the house. at 8
A NJ. Wednesday, the bodies were stiff. The
bureau drawers in the bedroom downstairs
were all drawn out some distance and their
contents mussed.
HOW THE BODIES WERE FOUND.
Alpheus Crawford told about the same story
He and Mitchell searched for tracks in the
yard and the road, but found none. Crawford
told of one harvesting time when West and
Andrew Crouch went to the house together
and got money with which West paid the har-
vesters. On Wednesday morning the front
door was locked and the kitchen door un-
locked. ON Tuesday, Crawford said. rain fell
from TO 8 and from TO AS o'clock. Harry
Crawford, u years old. repeated his story of
finding Crouch's dead body on the morning of
Nav Il about S:45 or O'Clock. When he went
to the house the dog was in the yard, but did
not bark.
Mrs. Jemima Tinley. living rhree-uuarters OF
a mile from the Crouch house and nearly due
north, told of seeing a tall man hurrying across
IL 1asarn~ f.rZ
ernoon She said hard rain was falling. and
the man was at least 200 yards distant He
wore dark hat and a long black coat and he
had cane in his right hand He dark
complicated" man, but she could not say if he
were a negro.
The hat, coat and corduroy pants found in
Beaver Falls were produced. District ATTORNEY
Parker asked that West put op the hat and
coat Attorney McIlvaine refused to agree to
that Detective Kornman who is six feet TALL
put on the hat and coat. Mrs. Tinley said:
That don't look like the coat the man had on
that saw. / think it was longer" West stood
up. Mrs. FINLEY said: HE looked to be about
as tall as that man"
Miss Jane Jones said that when she was at an
upstairs window Tuesday afternoon, she saw
the sheep running in the field. Looking out to
see why they were running, she saw tall man,
with dark clothing, hurTylng across the field in
northeastern direction She watched him out
OF sight. a distance OF about quarter of a
mile. She only saw West once, and said that
she did not know him when she saw him. He
went toward Saulters' woods, in the direction
of the Creek road-ratheT toward Hethering-
tons. As the day was cloudy and the rain
heavy. she could not tell the mans color. 1t
was about o'clock.
FI0TING THE SHOES IN THE TRACKS.
William Greenlee, a young man living two
miles north OF Bentleysvile, told of the fitting
OF VESTS old shoes into tracks across his faith
er's oat field by Officers McCleary and Korn-
man. The tracks we're large; some rain had
made them faint but the shoes fit as closely as
possible. He felt certain that shoes of the
same size as those tried made the tracks exam
ined. The big. long, fat mud-coyered shoes
were produced and identified The tracks
were first noticed by witness brother joe |
few minutes after o'clock on the evening of |
May a. The field was soft and the tracks we're |
deep, so that their outlines were plainly to be |
seen.
Captaiu Martin Coulson. the proprietor NJ |
the keystone Stock farm, described Vests
passing his place at $50 or o'clock on the |
evening of May IA He positively identified |
West as the man. His story was given in THE |
DISPATCH of to-day. West did not seem much
fatgued and was walking fast. he carried |
bundle. Captain Coulson was shown the coat |
found at Beaver Falls. He said he thought |
the coat West had on was longer. !
James Kearney, living between Coulson's |
and this city, saw colored man pass MS house |
short time before O'Clock. He could not |
recognize the man, but he was walking very |
rapidly,
Mrs. Harriet Gamble, keeping a boarding
house on Railroad street, told of West and the
woman remaining over night at her house, |
from May Il to 10. When West came. about9 9 |
p NJ, he wore Derby bat, long black coat |
and brown corduroy breeches. Next morning |
he changed clothing, after trunk was brought |
70 the house. West wanted to go north on the |
O'Clock train in the morning. and Mrs. Gam |
Die got an early breakfast Then West said he |
would 20 after his trunk because his wife |
wanted TO change her clothing. West said he |
lived Mt the far side of Washington county |
close. close 70 Greene county. They left her house