The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-13


WAYNEsRuRa, Pa, August 12.-The
most tendish crime that ever tarnished
the name of this county was committed
in Cumberland township, this county.
yesterday. Tho facts are as follows:
John W. Morgan, very wealthy and
highly respected citizen, residing near
Garmichaels, lost his wife some years
ago. For some time ho has been pay
ing attention to a lady residing near
Atorgantowp, W. Va, with, doubtless,
matrimonial intent. The lady visited
the Morgan homo few days ago,
and Mr.. Morgan's children made it
SO unpleasant that shc had to
leave. Thomas Morgan, a 90 year old
son of John w. Morgan, told his father
to take her to the river, put her on a
boat, and send her homo; and II he
went with her he would kill him when
he returned. Mr.. Morgan accompanied
the Wcst Virginia lady home, and re-
mained four days, returning Wednes-
day evening last, He found the doors
Of his homo bolted against him, and the
children would not let him in. He
slept on the porch all night.
A FIENDIsH ACT.
Thursday morning ono OF his daugh-
ters, Callje, aged nineteen, opened the
door and as her father stepped in, she
clinched him. Thomas, who was on
the stairway, fired at his father. The
ball missed It's mark and struck his sis
ter Callie in the throat aud passed into
her chest, fatally wounding her. The
father jumped out OF the door, followed
by Thomas, who kept up fire at him.
One ball took effect in the thigh, one in
the knee and another broke Mr.. Nor
ean's leg. He ran to a vacant house
800 yards away, the bones OF tho broken
leg cutting through tho flesh and prod
ding the ground as he ran, On enter
ing tho vacant house he closed the door
on his son. The son went to the
rear OF tho house, got up
on "a shed roof and fired
two shots into his fathers body through
a window. The father iell, and the son
entered the room, He collected lot OF
cast of clothing and placed it near his
fathers pierced and mangled body and
set It on fire. lie then went to the
house, and told his brother and sisters;
~ have fixed him now" The father
returned to consciousness and seeing
he would be burned up if he did not
eStinguish the flames, crawled to the
fire and with his hand beat out the
flames. His hands were almost burned
to a crisp. Thomas went to a barn
and at last accounts was entrenched in
it with two revolvers and a rifle. He is
a strong man, weighing lI5.
A LATER REPORT.
Sheriff Moore went to the scene Of the
tragedy, and experienced no trouble in
securing the young man. He went to
the house of his uncle after being ar
rested and implored his father to for
give him, but whether the father did or
not your correspondent did not learn.
The sheriff placed him safely behind
the bars this evening.
Mr.. Morgan's treatment Of his chill.
dren is said to have been OF the most
loving and tender nature, and helm
dulRed them to almost beyond restraint.
He recently told Thomas, who put five
balls into his person, that he could
have aithe could make Off Of ine farm,
part of his possessions. Thomas
used two revolyers in shooting his
father-a SS and "A cahbre. The Nor
gan mansion is near the scene Of the
McCauslQnd killing, for which George
Clark and Zac Taylor were hung here
some years ago.
The attending physicians say both
father and daughter will die. Tho
father says his son and daughter con-
spired to kill him, and the opinion is
tho daughters clinching him was a
a signal for Thomas to shoot him. 1t
is rumored that the woman In tho case
was at Morgan's for immoral purposes,
and the children fled their protest, and
the son worked himself up into that
state OF mind to do tho desperate and
unnatural decd. There is feeling at
Cnrminhnnla on hnhnlf Of the children.