Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-07-31
WEST VIRGINIA ITEMS.


day night.
Miss Ranea Mathers. aged seven
teen years, of Wood county, commit
ted suicide Saturday night by taking
poison. 1t is said disappointment in
| love led to the rash act.
Last Saturday battle between
negroes and Italian workmen on the
Norfolk and Western Road, in Logan
county, was fought, in which two
| Italians and one negro were killed and
several wounded. The trouble arose
over an Italians wife, who left her
husband and went to live with the ne
| groes. The laborers Of both sides
| have Joined the fighters, and another
battle is expected when they meet.
! The officers were unable to make ar
rests.
A duel was fought at West Milford,
a small town about six miles from
Clarksburg, Saturday, between two
Young school teachers named Hiland
and Blair. Hiland was shot in the
| forehead, the ball glancing and in
flicting painful wound. Blair was
uninjured. The young men were at
tendants at the teachers institute
some weeks since, and it is claimed
that Blair circulated scandalous
stories regarding Hilands conduct
during the institute. Hiland de-
manded ali explanation, which being
refused, both men drew their pistols
and began firing at short range.
That the shot that struck Hiland S
| forehead did not penetrate the brain
and instantly kill him seems mar
velous.
A distressing shooting ARRAY occur
red at a private picnic a few
miles east Of Wheeling last Sunday,
by which Miss Sarah McGowan was
killed and Miss Kate Kinney and
George Weatzell seriously wounded.
While the picnickers were enjoying
the music of the mandolin club An
drew Height came up with a shotgun,
and Joseph Fayhey took it from him,
at the same time asking if it was
loaded. Height said it was not, and
Favhey pointed it towards the crowd
and snapped it. The gun was dis
charged, and Miss McGowan caught
most Of the contents in her face and
died in ten minutes, Weatzell will
lose one of his eyes. and his face was
badly torn, and Miss Mckinney was
wounded in the hip.
There is serious trouble among the
members of the United Brethren
Church at Cottageville, Jackson coun-
tv, caused by the refusal OF one Pro-
fessor Ruffner, who lectured in the
church on Thursday night, declining
to admit the members of the society
free. After the lecture the professor
was pelted with rotten eggs, and 9th
erwise seriously maltreated. The pas
tor of the church, Rev. Mr.. Blogg,
threw off his coat and took up the
! fight in defense OF the lecturer, finally
5putting the assailants TO flight. The
! lecturer was obliged to remain secret ed
! in the building nearly all night, fina lily
escaping through the back windo w.
Warrents have been issued for the
principals in the assault.
Especial to tho Register.l
In the future annals Of Mcdowell
county, the following account Will
compose all important factor. On
July nth, at Perryville, Mcdowell
county, West Virginia, the county
seat, its first hanging was celebrated.
Harry b. Christian (colored), a noted
desperate, outlaw and gambler, paid
the penalty for numbering Detective
Grove at Elkhorn, this county, some
months ago. The details of this muir
der have been printed in many OF the
leading newspapers, but l will give
here brief outline of it. On the Ohio
Extension Of the Norfolk & Western
Railroad much trouble has been ex-
perienced with ''moonshiners, and
the above detective was put on the
work to root out the evil. Young
Christian was engaged in this bust
ness Of ''moonshining," and when the
detective arrested him he shot and
killed him. The murderer. after d
short time, was caught and condemned.
On July 18th, Perryvile was the cen
ire of great attraction. An invita-
| ton to all residents of the county
brought out two-thirds of the popula-
ton, and Il great number Of transient
residents in this portion OF the coun-
w, employed on the Ohio Extension.
! About 2. 500 people were on the grounds
surrounding the scaffold many ladies
! dressed in gaudy, homespun colors,
| holding babies in their arms, and the
Younger generation of McDowellites
brought their girls, both riding the
same horse. 1t was indeed a great
holiday and reminded the writer more
of a clam-bake, barbecue, or the like.
The lemonade and refreshment fakir
was there also. AT p. III. a wagon
drove up, bearing the sheriff, guards,
and condemned man. He examined
the roughly-made gallows critically,
and seemed more composed than the
average school-boy reciting his first
composition in public. He spoke to
! the people in u strong, clear voice and
advised them to lead lives free from
any wicked deeds. In closing he sang
a. song in rich baritone voice, the
echoes resounding through the mar
row valley, and striking from peak to
peak of the lofty mountains, finally
mingling in with the distant roar of
the Dry Fork river. The last verse of
the song was:
Now. II ever you meet poor fellow that's
Who tries to battle the world and It's frown.
| lust lend him n hand and perchance he'll
| succeed.
Don't crush and still keep him down;
| For q cup OF cold water In charity given
Is remembered with joy in the skies
| For we all are human and all have to die,
And six feet OF earth makes US all OF one
! size"
At precisely 100 the bolt was shot
back and he fell four feet. A slight
muscular contraction OF the limbs and
all was over. In eight minutes he
was pronounced dead by Drs. Jaeger
and Ballard. In the Perryville Jail
there are two negroes languishing at
the present time, awaiting their turns
on this same gallows. These fellows
were laboring for Contractor Stansill,
of the subdivision OF the Ohio Exten
sion, and are both held for murder.
r.
ga Rack Number y