The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-29
pBng' Elliott, of the Columbus Sun
day Capitol,
7FrDRNED AS GUILTY BY The JURY.
Tho Verdict PIcases Columbus People,
Except that Many Think First De-
vrce Verdict Would Have Been More
:, Keeping with the Crime.
- plna,eh % Me InlaIIgmer.

? J. Elliott, Killed AlDert W OspOFnI
rr,rter Of the Sunday World, and W. L.
hughes, Il bystander, besides wounding
number OF people during shooting
,rray on High street in this city, on
,bs afternoon Of February % last, was
m.victed this morning Of murder in
,be second degree The trial has been
IN nrorress since May II.
When the clerk began to read the
,.rlict there was u highly sensational
zone, When Mr.. Mitchell read the
indictment for murder in the first de-
,,se" rec Mrs. p. j. Elliott thought that
neopt guilty OF murder in the first de-
S,sa and partially raised up and made a
,rnpresscd scream. She then fell back
iSi5 her chair. As the clerk reached
,be words guilty OF murder in the sec
md degree" Miss Mahoney arose, gave
zen, to waiIing cry and then fell back
IN A ilinting ct. Mrs. W. ]. Elliott was
very palc, but made no demonstration.
W. Elliott had his youngest boy in
HE Ian and when the verdict was being
r5j he covered the child's eyes and
month so one could not sec they made
IN outcry. As the verdict OF the jury
vas read Elliott became SO enraged that
Gs pulled a Grand Army OF the Republic
l1tton from the lapel of his coat and
threw it spitefully in the direction Of
tbe Jury, Elliott's wife and children
we're escorted to the jail where fearful
scene was enacted.
The comments Of the crowd were var
ions, the general sentiment being one
d relief that the long agony was over,
Only few expressing a dissatisfaction
when the real tenor OF the verdict be-
came known.
The jury vowed that they would
never disclose how they stood on any Of
tie ballots, and thus it will probably
never be positively known who the dis
sn,ientS were.
b. the laws Of Ohio, murder in the
second degree is punishable by life i'm
prisonment. Notice OF motion for a
new trial was made and sentence was
not passed. The court fixed next Sat
rrlay as the time for hearing arguments
On the motion for q new trial.
Never in the history OF Ohio has n
crime been committed which has
aroused the people to a higher pitch Of
excitement than the shooting OF Albert
Z. osborn BY the Elliotts on February
3 in crowded thoroughfare. The
crime was the direct results OF personal
journalism and particularly that in.
lulged in, or the fierce combat waged
between two sensational Sunday papers,
namely, the World and the Capitol, and
Was commented upon by the news
papers Of every State at the time.
The Capitol was the older of the two
papers and had fully established a wide
spread reputation as q scandal monger
and organ OF the sensationalists. For
many months Osborn had been in the
employ OF Elliott us city editor, and
won his complete favor by his success
at scandal gathering. When the World
started, some two years since, Osborn
had falling out with his employer and
was soon engaged in writing for the
rival sheet, which was striving to keep
up its head in decency.
Osborn in the meantime fell madly in
love with a Miss Mahoney, a sister.in.
Law to both the Elliotts, and when she
refused to marry him he attributed his
rejection TO the efforts OF his enemies.
Matters thus gradually grew worse and
eliminated in a virulent attack by Bill
Elliott, through the columns OF his pa
per upon Osborn and lowering, the pro.
prietor OF the World. Tho article was q
perfect "stiHk-pot" Of abuse and made
The most scathing attack upon the pri.
,ate characters OF tho persons named,
Elliott invited q reply, saying that he
yet had plenty Of powder in reserve,
Not only did he apply the vilest cpl
thets IN Bowery lOaier's vocabulary Ia
osborn, but ended by calling him Q
pImp and 4 sock thief.
The community shuddered upon itE
appearance and not few expected that
tiS accused would go cunning for theii
HtGer. Not so, however. The ac-
gu'ed took the attack very coolly, and
instead OF threatening personal violence
resolved only to use as much space IN
Hle World as had been occupied in the
lap'ol and answer the attack. They
FIasped the ill-smelling subject with
Oolh hands, and selecting from q hidder
uyHylee their largest bottle Of verbal
ssH and wormwood, poured forth such
an attack upon the Elliotts through the
columns Of the World in the edition oi
tteOFuaFy q that the very face OF il
Oofe the unmistakable prophecy: "Tc
answer IIs in blood Not only were the
hl.iotts cut deep, but salt was applied
Y, 70 .heir wounds by m assault, though
''gnater, upon their families.
HIi Elliott heard OF the nature and
severity Of tho reply on Saturday
n.Sat and did all within his power tc
Prohiblt the publication OF the World
"a me Journals press. Feeling that
W haG been successful in killing it he
ieurel in one Of the hotels, He rose
sauy sunday morning and realizing thai
He flaming article was being read By
ItOusands Of citizens, he started 10 the
yITIaraa! ". office and from there to the
,.,i mo1d IN search OF Leyering and Osborn
@ "aSn agun. he failed to find them
az .t'a Went to his home q few miles from
Returning to the city Monday morn
ns he held a consultation with hi.
gtsolher Patsey in the Capitol office, ant
sy ssaOttly after l o'clock the pair started
NM nOMh nigh street. A large parade was
p;asslng !; and Bill Elliott soon stopped
~ Ss. gun store and procured his rcvol
W. tg', which he had left there for repair
H. H. was now armed with two guns and
NIL ~, brother Patsey also had his weapon
Preceding down High street a iev
nv SIluared feet they came upon Osborn
W, SnS was standing near tho edge Of the
Saro oa watching the parade. The broth,
N M separated and the firing began
taoash it will never be known who
opened the shooting, the preponderanct
~ testimony goes "a show that Bill