Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-04-10
HE WAS DREAMING
Hg WAS FIGHTING AND GOT UP AND CUT
BIS THROAT.
Seusa uonal Explanation Of an Attempted Suicide at
Parkersburg-The Vans Companion a Young
Girl Who Elopsd With Bim-BOth Parties
Sent to Thar Homes IN Lewis County.

Special telegram % The Register.
PARKERsBURG, w. Va, April "a
sensational attempt TO commit suicide
last night happened in this city. The
story, rs told by one Of the parties, is
not only sensational, but rather OF 4
dubious nature In some OF its details.
Early this morning your reporter was in
formed that a young man had commit
ted suicide at Beatty'S boarding house,
on Avery street. When the correspond
ent knocked for admittance young,
fresh looking, rather pretty lass, eve
IDENTIFY but recently from the country,
came to the door. To my aStoniShment,
when / questioned her about the
affair, found that she was
" the woman i'm the case She
gave the name of Minnie LOnSfcrd and
that of the young victim to Self-immola-
tiOu rs Lee ReNrOad Her story is about
as follows; She is girl OF l3 years OF
age. ReXroad is %. They met year
or two ago at her home near Church
vile, i'm Lewis county, where the family
OF ReXroad had settled Semc time before.
In the course OF time they became
lovers, but the father Of the girl object
ed TO his attentions 10 his daughter, on
the ground Of her extreme youth. For
a long time they kept up clandeStine in
terviewS. Is she says, with the knowl-
edge and consent of her mother, who. il
seems. was the only one in
the family who didn't object TO
ReXrOad'S attentions. Some months
ago they determined to elope,
and on last Tuesday at night they left
home secretly and walked twelve miles
90 Weston, where they took a train aud
came here, where they took another
train for Marietta, Ohio, with the in-
tentiOn of getting married. They were
refused a license at Marietta on account
of the girls youth, and then, diScour-
aged retraced their steps last night TO
this city, where, after late supper,
they were taken TO Beatty'S TO lodge.
They first told that they were married,
but later on, 10 seems, said they were
brother aud sister. At all events they
got a room. in which they both slept in
separate beds. Miss LOnSford, In tell
ing Of the tragedy which followed,
makes the following remarkable state
meut;
She says that about o'clock Rexroad
got up and came 10 her bed and told her
that he had cut his throat, and handed
her the knife with which he had COM
mitted the deed. Strange TO say she
did not alarm the family until she was
notifies a second time TO get up, as it
was broad daylight. She then Informed
the girl that 2eXroad had cut his
throat \ physician was imme diately
sent for, aud 10 was discovered that the
young man had split his windpipe, cut
ting clear through, and had also made
another cut i'm his neck, but did not
succeed In seyering an artery. The
wound was sewed up by DR.. Kelly, and
the young fellow will. if nothing hap
pens. get over his wounds.
Rexroad himself tells most remarka-
BILE story. He says that he was dream
ing of fighting, aud must have cut his
throat while dreaming According TO
the girls story, be must have arisen
while dreaming, got his knife from his
pocket. cut his throat and then lay 4
good part of the night before he again
arose and crossed 20 the girls bed and
informed her of the deed. She says that
after they found they couldn't get the
license al Marietta they came back here
with the intention OF going back home
20 Lewis county.
RexrOad and the young girl were sent
home this evening on train in charge
OF am officer The girl positively re-
/ fused % 20 OF be sent home without her
companion.