Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-06-25
TWENTY BULLETS
FIRED INTO A DESPERADO'S BODY WHILE
RESISTING ARREST
A Party Of Mcdowell County Consables Go After a
Kan and &c, Him-Hs Was Wanted or
Stealing a Watch Last Spring-Hs Was
a Bad Nan Bu. Didn't Gstth Drop.
- lp.nol..N conIgl -.

Details Of terrible affair comes from
the camp OF the Virginia Lumber Com
pany. about two miles below this place,
on the Ohio extension Of the Norfolk
and Western Railroad, in which George
w. Sheppard was fatally shot by
party OF officers.
The details OF the affair seem 20 be
about this. About the 18th OF last
March S. III. Melcher, who kept board
ing house for the lumber company, had
stolen from his house a gold watch and
chain. Sheppard was immediately sus-
pected as being the guilty party, al
though the evidence against him was
not sufficient to cause his arrest.
The matter passed along quietly until
a few days ago Mr.. j. NJ. Pickle, sec
tion foreman, saw sheppard with a
watch and chain that exactly answered
The description of the one lost by MI
Melcher, whereupOn Alr. Pickle came
last Wednesday before Squire Hunt and
sWore out a search warrant against
Sheppard, and also a warrant for his ar
rest. Mr.. j. W. Mitchell, of this place,
was deputized as special constable, who,
with J. II. Michel, J.. NJ. Pickle and
William CypheTs as guards, proceeded
at once to arrest sheppard When they
arrived at his place they found him
fishing on the river bank
with his Winchester In his
hand. Mr.. Mitchell approached him,
placed his hand upon his arm and or
dered him 10 consider himself under ar
rest Sheppard jerked himself loose,
jumped into the river, and at almost the
same instant fired his gun at Mr.. Pickle,
who saved his life by dropping instant
Is 20 the ground. A regular fusllade
then ensued, which, however, lasted
only a few seconds, as Sheppard was
heard 90 eXclaim: "Oh, God. / am shot
and kiIledw Mr. Mitchell ordered the
guards TO cease shooting, and they inn
mediately went 20 his relief He was.
carried 70 his house a few hundred yards
distant Or. Mccoy was immediately
sent for, who came aud dressed his
wounds
Sheppard had been hit by twenty
balls, only one, however would have
proved fatal A ball entered his body
near the abdomen, and passed out near
his spinal column. He lived until
o'clock next morning.
Sheppard was native OF North Car
DINA and is supposed TO have been a
fugitive from justice when he came
here. He is known 20 have been en-
gagged n the mOonshjDe business, and
has an indictment now against him 10
farewell county, Virginia. He always
went heavily armed aud was regarded
as a dangerous man.
This is the second shooting SCrape To
which Sheppard has participated, the
other taking pIaceat Welch one Sunday
afternoon in the latter part OF Febru-
airy, and in which be received IS
caIibre bullet, which is still supposed
TO be in his body.
He came to this place on the day in
question, and after loading up with
whisky became hilarious and probably
imagined he could "do up the town, but
he found out that the people here did
not scare worth a cent. He began his
racket at that time by pitching his hat
over IN the corner OF the bar-rOOm and
then shooting holes through 10. The bar
keeper, Of course objected and put him
out whereupOn he began 20 shoot back
into the room, and the bar-6esper not
wishing 20 get shot, waited until he had
emptied the chambers Of his revolver,
and then went out, revolver in hand,
but sheppard had started to get out OF
his way by running down the river
bank and into the river, wading to the
other side. While trying thus 10 make
his escape the bar6eeper tried 10 till
him with lead, and fred a number OF
shots at him, and while in the bar-rOom
relOading his weapon, a by-Stander
drew a revolver and continued the fir
Ing at the fleeing man. One shot took
effect To- Sheppard's body, but il is not
known who fred it. 10 did not effect
him much, as ne was out ia few days
after the occurrence.