Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-05-08
THE PIPES TRIAL.
The Defendant Quite Ill, Causing an Ad-
iournment Until Next Thursday.


No testimony was taken in the Pipes
Huffman murder trial at Waynesburg,
Friday, aud owing to the illness Of the
defendant Court was adjourned until
next Thursday.
When Court convened Friday morn
ing Pipes failed to appear and James Il.
Savers, one of his counsel arose and
stated that he was i'll and unable to APP
near in Court. DR.. |. T. Iams was
called 10 the stand and testified that the
prisoners condition was such that he
would not be able to appear in Court
until the afternoon at any rate. Court
convened at one o'clock, when DR.. Iams
stated that the prisoners condition was
unimproved. He was suffering, the
doctor stated, from neuralgia pains and
nervous prostration.
AT this point the counsel held con-
sultation, after which Attorney Raub
addressed the Court and asked that the
trial be postponed until next Thursday.
Mr.. Savers stated that the defense
would be ready to go on with the trial
whenever the condition Of the prisoner
would permit.
After instructing the jury to refrain
from all intercourse with each other or
with outsiders, Judge Ewing adjourned
Court until next Thursday at nine
o'clock.
An important part OF the testimony
which materially effects the case, was
that of William Eastwood, OF Canons-
burg. Mr.. Eastwood is jeweler, and
resided in Waynesburg, $50 yards due
west of the scene Of the murder, on
August 90, 1891. He stated that he
was sitting on his front steps at the
time the shots were fired, and, in a very
short time after he heard the report OF
the first shot, bullet whistled by him
and struck the corner Of house, 80
feet distant and on direct line with
the position held by Pipes at the
time of the shooting. The bullet,
however, did not lodge in the board II
struck, but dropped to the ground.
This bullet, however, has not been
offered in evidence in court. A rep
resentative visited the scene Friday
afternoon. In the board which the
bullet is said to have struck is small
indentation, about one-eighth Of an
inch in depth and which has the appear
Of having been cut somewhat with a
knife.
The Importance of this evidence is
found in this, that If Pipes fired the
bullet which struck the house, he shot
at Huffman when the latter was en-
deavoring TO get away. Pipes says he
shot the first ball directly over his head.
A ball from a 3S-calibre revolver, Smith
q Wesson, such as was used by Pipes,
would undoubtedly have penetrated the
board at the distance named
To the minds Of those who have been
In attendance at the trial from the begin
ming and have heard all the testimony
thus far, it seems that the case has been
narrowed down to the one point, viz:
the position and movements OF the two
men at the time the shots were fired.
No living person witnessed the shooting
except Pipes himself, and on his teSti-
mony doubtless hangs his fate. The
fact that Huffman was in Pipes stable
for the purpose of stealing, has been
established almost beyond a peradven-
ture.
The trial is not ended, however, by
any means and the defense will doubt
less yet bring forward more substantial
evidence. The Commonwealth, too,
will probably introduce considerable
testimony of rebuttal character. All
this will require three or four days OF
court. Between this time and pext
Thursday the jury will remain in charge
of the tipstaveS at the Downey House.