Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-31
QUITE A TIME.
MARTINS FERRY NAN MAKES A
BREAK,
And Succeeds in Getting Into Two Jails in One
AfisrnCOn-A Wild Chase on the
Raging Ohio.


clustered together along the river front
OF the city. yesterday afternoon, and
they stood for row, racket and rumpus,
just as they did in the days of tho IA
nous English beau and dead beat.
The trouble was commenced by w.
Lane, of Martins Ferry, who started in
by making an attack from al bush on
the naphtha yacht { srtrude ana her
crew, and succeeded in "cutting the
vessel out" to use a nautical phrase,
and got as far as West Wheeling. with
a prize crew of one man Oh board, but
was there overhauled by the fast
cruiser Phillips. Seeing the Phillips
carried more weight Of metal
than he could successfully cope with,
Lane ran his prize ashore and escaped
10 Ohio soil, which he fondlY supposed
would be respected as neutral ground,
but he was surrounded and captured by
bluecOats in the persons Of COnstables
st. Myers and Laughlin and Officer
Watson, AMI was compelled to surrender
after hot but brief fight. The Ger
trude was lowed back TO the Front
street wharf, on the Island, while Lane
was marched up the railroad track TO
BridgepOrt and was there incarcer-
ated in Jail on two warrants, one
charging him with assault and battery
on l. g. Dillon, and the other with
stealing and unlawfully carrying away
the Naphtha yacht Gertrude. the prop
erty OF Constable AlOnzO st. Myers. 1t
was stated last night that another war
rant, charging assault and battery on
Earnest Warfuel, would be sworn out
to-day. About six o'clock last night
Lane was brought over to this side Of
the river, and was arraigned before
Justice Ankle. The examination was
set for two o'clock this afternoon, and
as Lane could not give bail in $3.50, he
was sent to jail.
The story Of this rather extraordinary
affair runs in this way:
j. w. Lane and Moses Mccain, Of
Martins Ferry, were in partnership as
the owners Of the yacht, Gertrude,
which is valued at about $500. Lane Il
Mccain, as the owners Of the boat,
leased the craft TO the Naphtha Yacht
Company, Of this city, the lease to ex-
pire on Monday next. While the boat
was being ron by the Yacht Company,
Lane & Mccain dissolved partnership.
Mccain selling his share TO Lane, who
thus became the sole owner OF the boat.
Lane gave Mccain an order on the
Naphtha Yacht Company for $50 as part
pay, and Mccain came over yesterday
and got the cash from Mr. I. G. Dillon.
Lane owed the firm Of G.. Mendel &
Company bill, and yesterday morning
they sued out an attachment before
Justice Caldwell, and Constable Lon St.
Myers made a levy on the Gertrude
about q quarter after ten yesterday
morning. When Lane heard about this
attachment he seems 10 have formed
determination TO obtain possession OF
his boat, and q short time after two
o'clock i'm the afternoon he ap-
peared on the float on the Island side Of
the river, and as the yacht approached
from the city side, In charge OF
Engineer Ernest Warfuel, Lane waved
the people back who were waiting TO
get on the yacht, at the same time tell
Ing them they could not board the
boat when it landed. This was all
Greek TO the people on the boat, and
when the yacht drifted in TO the float,
Warfuel Jumped out and attempted 10
HE her up, as usual. Lane made a grab
for the rope, and the two men had quite
\ struggle. Lane is much the larger
and more powerful, and he was in
fair way 20 get possession, when Mr.. l.
a.. Dillon, whose attention had been at
tracted ran down and out on the float. He
demonstrated with Lane, who made an
attack on Mr.. Dillon, and while this was
going on the yacht drifted of. War
fuel caught the line as the boat reached
the end OF the float, and had made
hitch around the stern post OF the foat,
when Lane left Mr.. Dillon, sprang into
tbe boat, brandishing a knife, cut the
balf-inch line at one stroke, and the
boat and the owner thereof fOated of.
Word was al once telephoned 10 Con-
stable ST. Myers that his boat was gone,
And word was also sent TO Justice Ankle
to issue a warrant for assault and bat
terry against Lane. Constable st. Myers
and Laughlin were soon scurrylng down
- the river. where they met officers
Watson and NJ. Dillon. The X. +. Phil
ms was chartered and the pursuit or the
Gertrude began, large crowd looking
on. Constable St. Myers was detailed
10 make a flank movement to west
Wheeling by way OF the "Back" river
dam and the Ohio shore.
The Gertrude had by this time
rotten behind the lower point OF
r. Island. but those on the Phillips
lEnew the Yacht could not get up Back
river. and that they had a sure thing.
when they got in sight OF West Wheei-
Inc the Gertrude was eSpied, with
Lane in it. The officers called 10 MN
Ia stop and surrender, but this ne re-
fnsed 10 do. and started TO beach his
,boar on the Ohio shore. The omcers
.ttemDted to catch him before ne got
Through the shallow water 10 1ne
beach. but although they touched Nun
fbev could not hold him, and he got
ashore. He was nevertheless put unuer
arrest. At first he was disposed 10
6ght. but later be cried IKE
babv, and plead with the ofhcerS
M take the boat and let her so. Some
IN the citizens of West Wheeling TOOK
Tane's mart. and yelled to the officers
fbat thev were kidnapping an ONO
citizen. etc. Little attention was paid
4 This however, and Lane was taken
Il bridgeport and placed in the lookup
fbere. Later. he was brought over 10
his city, and sent TO jail, as stated
The Gertrude was towed back, ana
after her broken rudder had 4een re. re-
haired. she was again put to work at the
IerrY. al -
The trouble attracted a good deal OF
Intention all during the afternoon ana