The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-12-22

was wearing because of the rain. NJ
only thought was to escape to my home
across the river, and ran with all IN
might through swamps and brier patel
es to the river bank. That is how I GO
so terribly scratched up"
HOW HE ESCAPED.
Collins showed how his bands an,
clothing had been terribly raked by tn
briers.
After reaching home, 1 piled int
bed with my brother Next morning
told mother l had cramps and wanted
turpentine. She got me some and
took drop or two to deceive her, ther
went out to the water closet and poured
the balance into my wound. then tore
off one leg of my drawers and bound the
wound up. Mother has no idea yet thai
| was shot 1t was Forgy's coat l wore
and he had on an old overcoat."
Collins made no reference to any other
parties being implicated in the affair
but it is generally believed there were
one or two others, whose hearts failed
| them at the critical moment.
Forgy has not yet been informed of
the confession, and he and his wife are
making bold show of fight. The two
men waived examination this afternoon
before Squire Taylor, who was called to
their cells, it being considered unsafe to
take the prisoners out. Court is in SEES
ion, and Judge Harvey has ordered the
impaneling of a special grand jury to-
morrow, with a view to pushing the case
to an early conclusion.
FEARS OF VIOLENCE.
Notwithstanding this there are grave
fears of popular violence. Some of the
most prominent and usually conserva-
tive citizens express willingness to take
a hand in lynching the desperadoes.
The authorities have, it is said, made
quiet preparations to repel an attack on
the jail. This means ugly work if the
people take the matter into their own
hands.
United States Marshal A. B. White,
who was on the train when the trouble
occurred, identifies Collins as the smaller
man of the two. He thinks that it was
Forgy who shot the German, as he
heard three shots before Collins reached
the scene OF the trouble and fired He
saw Collins pull the bell cord to stop the
train and saw Matheson attempt to stop
Collins as he left the car. His version of
the affair strongly corroborates that of
Collins, and leaves no doubt as to the
truth of that part of his story.
The police have searched the Forgy
premises without being able to find the
overcoat he wore, which must bear the
marks of the bullet that wounded him.
His wife has probably destroyed it. His
pistols and hat are also missing George
Saunders, a fifteen-year>old boy, identi-
fies Collins as the man to whom he sold
one of the revolvers captured from the
robbers.
Mr.. Matheson Identifies both Forgy
and Collins as the desperadoes he had
the encounter with on the tram. A
strong extra guard has been quartered
in the Jail in view of possible contingent
cies tonight.
FORGY'S FAMILY.
Forgy comes of good Ohio family,
some of whom have borne prominent
parts in local politics. His father, a re-
spectacle and well-to-do farmer, is doing
what he can for his son. Collins had
never been considered bad boy, but
comes Of race of West Virginians noted
for murderous vendettas, and is said to
inherit their nerve. He is about 90 years
old, while Forgy is .seven'or eight years
his senior. Both have had too much
taste for blood>and-thunder literature,
and are supposed to belong to an organ
lied band of lawbreakers who have been
infesting this community for year or
more. 1t is desire to break up this
band which has been holding up citi>
Zens almost nightly, that intensities the
feeling for lynch-law.
HUNTINGTON, w. Va. Dec. ia spe-
cial grand jury will sit Monday in the
case of the Chesapeake and Ohio train
robbers Forgy's missing overcoat, with
the bullet hole in the shoulder, was fish
ed from a vault in the rear of his house
today. This completes the evidence
against him, but he still persists in
his innocence and says Collins
is talking through his hat" Collins
says all the plans were laid at Forgys
house, who promised him half the pro-
ceeds.