Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-28
A MURDER
Committed in Parkersburg YeSter-
day Morning.
BAD WOMEN AND WORSE MEN
r., II Row in Which One Mans Abdomen Is
Ripped Open and Woman Is Terribly Vu''
Murder Trials Opened al Wsilsburg
and Stsnbsrvilla
Specia. Telegram 10 the Re0t'tsr.


PARKFRsBURG, w. VA, October II
Calvin Rcyroad. whose people live In
Ritchie county, was cut 10 pieces anu
murdered about 1910 this morning d.
the Spencer rancho. About l2;5O OLl-
GERS Dye and Conner found man Sit-
ting in the hallway adjoining Morrl-
sons store on Ann street. Inc man
was in q terrible condition. de hao
Eeen cut and slashed and his entralls
we're protruding through his clasped
hands. while the blood was running IN
streams through his fingers.
When interrogated, Rexroad stated
that he had been cut and stabbed al the
honse OF old Mrs. Spencer, the mother
of Hattie and Myrtle Spencer notorious notorious
prostitutes, and that the TWO spence.
girls and James Smith, who IS son o4
Can't. Ed. Smith, Il postal clerk on the
4. & O. railroad, had committed the
murder. The police went TO the house
and arrested James Smith, Hattie, Myr-
tie and old Mrs. Spencer, and another
man. also named Smith, who it appears
had been a companion OF Rexroad. All
OF the parties named were jailed except
Hattie Spencer, who was terribly cut
in the groin and across the pit OF the
stomach and could not be removed;
James Smith was stabbed In the oach
and bruised on the head, the wounu IN
the back being clean knlle stao,
MYRTLE Spencer was also cut and slasheu
across the wrist and arm, but was not
seriously injured. ,.ou
Reyroad died about four hours after
having received his injuries. IhiS
morning a coroner'S jury was impan-
neled and an investigation was held.
MYRTLE Spencer when put on the staho
tried to shield Smith and others ana
told a very crooked story. The prison
ers. however, having been separated
could not, as they doubtless attempted
get a story arranged between them IN
the little time they were together, ana
the consequence was they contradlcted
each other in almost every particular
James Smith, after trying TO prove
that the affair occurred out OF the house
altogether, finally got tangled and ad-
mitted that he might have cut
I Rexroad. There is no doubt that
! Smith did the cutting which
ended Rexroad's life. The dead mans
clothing is cut and stabbed across the
back and in front, showing that he
by several parties who were all cutting
and sashing him at the same time.
Whether the affair was a quarrel and
fight, or an attempt to murder and rob
is not yet fully known. The Spencers
are known as a deSRarate crowd and
young Smith, the one who is charged
with the killing, is also tough youth.
The affair caused a sensation through
out the city.
The coroner'S jury has been in session
during the day with quite number Of
witnesses. Ham Spencer and the old
woman and VIM. Smith, ReXroad's COM
panion, have been released. During the
examination Of Dixie Tucker she testi-
fed that James Smith, after the muir
der, neither on the street, and gave her
the large bent bladed and bloody knife,
for which no owner had yet been found,
and he told her to throw it into the
river as it had done the job.
Hattie Spencer, who is cut too dan
gerouSly TO be removed, testified that
Smith was the man who stabbed and
slashed Rexroad to death, but that he did
it in self-defense. The jury adjourned
until tomorrow at two o'clock, p. M, To
give the officers chance to find a rail-
road man named Roach, who was in the
house last night, and Is presumed TO
know great deal about the affair.
James Smith, Hattie and Myrtle Spen-
Ger are held.