The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-11

A shocking talo OF a fatal fro and tho
sad effects ON the mind OF tho owner OF
the burned building comes from Mid
way, lust above Wellsburg. At o late
hour Saturday night n house belonging
10 James lIawlcy, 4 well known gardon-
or who lives there, caught fro in some
way not yet explained, and n boy per-
ished in the flames, while two women
who wcro asleep in tho house only
escaped in the nick OF time. Mr.. Haw-
Icy was so affected by the fate Of the
boy, who was his adopted SON, that no
became for the time being a raving
maniac, and made repeated efforts to
take his own life.
Alloy BURNED TO DEATH.
From circumstances surrounding Mr..
~lIawlcy's past history it is feared that
tho fire was the work OF some enemy.
The family was asleep in the house, and
the first intimation that any OF them
had OF tho existence OF the danger was
when thoy were awakened by the
cracking OF tho burning timbers. Mr..
lTawley managed to got out, and two
women who were asleep on the second
floor made their escape through the
windows with their night clothes on.
Joseph Linton, q boy Of ton, an adopted
son Of IIawley's was not SO fortunate.
lie was burned TO death, and his body
cremated in tho burning house.
All that could be done by the neigh
bors to stay tho flames did not have tho
slightest effect. The onlysthing they
could do was to stand around and SEQ
the fire lick up the house, knowing that
in it the lad was q victim of a horrible
death. i4i-
DRIvE INSANE.
The emotions OF the poor man who
watched the flames lick up.his property
and destroy the young life so dear to
him were too much for his overweight
brain, aud he became for 4 time 4 ma
niac. lie first ran into some hotbcds
which were near and triedrto;cut him
self SO that he would bleed to death.
He did receive horrible cuts on the
jagged broken glass before, the by
ISLANDERS could remove him from the
place. Then he made a determined
effort to throw himself into tho flames
OF tho burning building, and was pre-
vented from carrying out this desperate
purpose only by the hardest work on
the part OF his friends. On the way to
n neighbours, where he was led for
safety, no again tried to kill himself,
this time by dashing his head against
the wheel OF 4 heavy wagon standing
near. This also injured him painfully,
but not dangerously.
FORMER CALAMITIEs.
1tlooks as ii some relentless and in
human loo has pursued Mr.. HHawley.
He is 4 gardener in moderate circum-
stances, and ho has lately been the VIC
tim OF several outrages all but inhu-
man. He was unfortunate enough to
lose his wife about four years ago, and
some time since was married again.
His second wife did not live long.
unmoved to pity by the misfortunes
which heaven had visited on! him, an
enemy began then to pursue him with
prosecutions OF the most cruel charac-
ter, and it looks as if the fire Saturday
night was but the most devilish OF u
series OF outrages.
First 4 lot OF live stock, horses, cattle,
sheep n swine were poisoned in his
field. Then his growing crops were
completely spoiled by tho unknown
wretch. Last fall his barn was set on
1ireby an incendiary, and was destroyed,
with lis valuable contents OF grain and
iced. No clue was ever obtained to tho
peTpetrator. Whether there is,anything
about tho present fire to hint at tho
guilty, party, the INrELLIGEScEn's ad-
vices from Wellsburg are silent.
The affair caused a thrill OF horror
among all the residents of tho vicinity,
and hundreds OF people visited the
ruined house yesterday. Mr.. Hawley
was reported last evening to be calmer,
but still suffering great distress of mind
On account OF the death of the boy, who
was but ten years old, and regarded as
almost q son by the unfortunate man.
TIn ~ w.,