The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-02-26

Sg:--ln n brief and succlnct manner
| Ilesirc to call tho attention oil the pei
Me Of West Virginia to tho case Of John
;laloy, lilo time convict, now incar-
teralcd in tho pOnitentiary Of that state
4. lIoundsvillc. Tho pitiablp condition
Of this man, not from i'll treatment at
,hc hands OF the prison officials, but
from the actions OF his fellow citizens,
would excite the pity and charity OF the
heart OF III anchorite. Tho sctno OF tho
alleged tragedy is laid at lIarrisville,
:itchic county, and tho dramatis persona
are tho convict referred to and his wife,
vho died from arsenical poisoning, said
10 have been administered by him. ITo
was arrested, thrown into jail, indicted
and tried MI the same day, thus being
sairoaded into the peni.cntiary.
The country was just recovering from
tho throos OF tho great intcrnocino
strife, that was wRgcd for four years
betYecn the north and the south. For
this reason the courts had hardly been
organized. Society was unsettled and
tho people yet heard ringing in their
ears tho piercing note OF tho ,iiic and
the rub-a-dub OF the drum. Their
thoughts wcro not conferred upon tho
duty required Of them as citizens in
time OF peace, but their memories turn
ID backward 10 tho glorious achieve
ments and victory that perchcd upon
the eagles that adorned their banners.
Maloy fought calamity upon many well
attcsicd battle fields in behalf OF the
Union, and spilled his blood in defence
Of the old flag, for which he is now re-
ceiying pension from the government.
Returning to the scene OF his home and
cary childhood in the town referred to,
with well.earned record, he quietly
entered into business, subsequently
marrying one OF the village maidens,
entered upon housekeeping, where lie
md the partner oil his choice enjoyed Il
perfect happiness, until she sickened
and died.
lINley, being butcher, was annoyed
more or less with vagrant dogs, to ex-
terminate which he purchased arsenic,
intending to administer il at some
future time. lie had n servant girl, to
whom no gave the poison with strict
iniunctions to put it in cupboard
The sickness OF his wife coming on
about this time, he, in his tender min
isirations at her bedside, forgot about
it. 1tappears that ii poison was adj
ministcrcd TO the unfortunate woman it
was done by the mistake OF this domes-
tic. as the medicine prescribed by the
village physician was kept in tile same
receptacle. An imperfect autopsy of
the body was made, | think, BY the at
tending physician perhaps assisted by
some oil his professional brethren. with
the result, rs they claimed, that ar
senical poison, or rather. slight
traces oil it, was found in her
stomach. What followed has been
related before. NIaley, from the
long sickness OF his vito, and the conse.
Cuent neglect OF his business, was i'm
povcrished pccunlarily, and when ar
raigned the court was compelled TO as
sign him counsel, who may have done
his best. Lei US suppose he did. The
writer OF this practiced law for eighteen
years before tho courts of West Vir-
pinia, and speaks advisedly when he
says he is fully cognizant Of the legal
attainments OF the members of the bar
ofthat state assigned By the trial Judges
Of its courts to defend persons charged
with crime. Facts that should have
been brought out on behalf OF this man
were suppressed, through ignorance or
NEGLECT. and be wont re bis loonn viii.