Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-24
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
TWO COLUMBUS, OHIO, EDITORS ENGAGE IN A
PlICAED BATTLE
In d Crowded ThoNaghars- Falls Dead, Shot
Through the Brsin-lnnoceni Bystander Hit
by a Stray Bulle. and Instantly Killed
A Number Of Otheys Wounded.

COLUMBUS. o., February 23.-A hor
rible tragedy occurred on High stree
at I o'clock this afternoon, in which I:
or Is shots were fired. ltreSulted from
newspaper articles i'm the Sunday pa
I perS W. j. Elliott, of the Sunday cap
itoi, aud 4. C. Osborne, Oi the SUHd0Q
World, are understood 20 have done
most OF the shooting. \ bystander
named Hughes was shot through the
head and died almost instantly. OS-
borne was shot and i dead, and
Z. j. Elliott, brother OF W. J. Eli
OFT, was also hit. The street was
crowded with people Elliott is under
arrest and is said 10 have escaped injury.
The trouble grew out of an exchange
OF articles of sensational character in
which the men slanderei each other and
their families.
The terrible affair was the OutgrOwth
of % new paper leud which has been ra-
gine for several weeks between the pub
iishers Of the Sunday Capitol and sun
d1u World OF this city. Col. w. j. Eli
OH. editor OF the C0pitoi, shot aud in
Stautly killed Albert Osborne, city edit
or of the H'orld w. l.. Hughes, an old
gentleman, who was standing near by,
was shot and killed with Il stray bullet
from Eliott'S pistol. The tragedy, as
before stated. was the result of news
paper war. Two weeks ago the World
made charges against Elliott'S family,
nSinuating that female rela-
tive of Elliott was unchaSte. FL
lott retaliated on the following
Sunday with four column article
charging L. W. Leverlng, editor oi the
World with being the Joint proprietor
of au designation house, being aSSoci-
atcd with a woman named Lou Burton,
in the diSreputable enterprise. Lever
Ing is am Assistant State oil Inspector,
and prominent in politics The charges
against lowering also implicated Claude
Nee6cr Lcyering and his city editor,
Mr.. Osborne, retaliated Yesterday with
sensational article charging Elliott
with nearly all the crimes in the cal
euder Elliott, with his brother Pat
rick, aud Osborne met this afternoon on
High street near the American Hotel.
Patrick Elliott opened fire upon Osborne
Osborne returned the fire. A running
battle ensued in which w. j. Elliott
Joined, an three emptying their revol-
yers rs rapidly as possible. One OF the
shots from w. j. ElliOtt's gun graZed
Osborne's arm ana he turned and fired
at the former. The shot missed It's mark
and Osborne fled into Malcolm MELON
aids hat store. As lac did So he turned
aud fired at W d. Elliott. The latter
fired his weapon almost simultaneously
and the shot took effect ON Osborne
chin. 10 went clear through his mouth
upward and backward through the
brain and came out at the base of the
skull Elliott had followed Osborne in
10 the store, aud as he fired the last
Shot srappled with him. la the Scuhlc
which followed both their guns were
discharged aud Osborne ieii to the door
dead
Elliott. disappeared in the crowd.
". L. Hughes. was standing on the
pavement watching the formation of
the parade. lie was truck during the
running battle aud dropped upon the
iron grating iu front oi Amos rrstaur-
ant. and expiring Instantly. Patrick
Elliott was shot iu the back and arm,
and has % frightlul wound ou the top OF
his head. Two other mcn ar" known
have bullet wounds. Several other per
SONS are reported as slightly injured,
but were hastily carried away. Both OF
the ElliOttS are locked up AT the station
The excitement incident 20 to-day
tragedy continues, and the situation
looks threatening. Large crowds con
tipii. To- hover about the scene of th"
tragedy. W. i. Elliott and his brother
are held at the city prison and owing
10 threats which have been
openly made, the police author
ities have taken extra preca0-
tionS 10 prevent any outbreak or mob
violence. The prison doors have been
securely fastened, and only officers nav
ing business In the prison are allowed to
20 back and forth. w. j. Elliott was
Interviewed. and among other things
said: AT one o'clock this afternoon
drove 10 town from Arlington, and /
Thought 1 would 20 up town and see the
paradc. | met my brother, and we
started south ON High street.
When opposite Parks gun store
/ said to PAT that l had left
a pistol in the store TO get fixed about
a week before aud that | believed
I would 20 I'm aud get it. When the
niger gave me the pistol l put it into
INV pocket. not even looking To see
whether the fellow had loaded il or not.
We started on south. / did not teXpect 10
see Osborne, As he never comes up town
for several DAYS after he writes anybody
mn. When i'm front of Schrader'S saloon
turned and saw Osborne with revolver
pointed at me. reached for my plStol
when heard Il bullet whiz by my head.
/ think he shot two or three times AT
me and / fired back. Osborne started
after Pat, and Pat ran out into the
street through the crowd, Osborne firing
at him and into the crowd.