The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-10-20
Arrest of the Murderers.

..
Since the killing of Isaiah Meadows
about seven miles north of Calaghan's,
on Wednesday of last week, there has
been a growing suspicion on part of the
authogities that Coles and Birchfeld
were Implicated in the crime, and this
suspicion grew into certainty when
one of the men admitted lis completely
to j. W. Napier, who had undertaken
the case as detective. 1t was learned
from Coles and Birchfeld that Keadle
was still in the county, and Napier, hav-
ing first surrendered his weapons, was
allowed to see and talk with him. Upon
the information thus obtained he and
young man at work at the tannery here,
named Jacob Webb, concocted scheme
to arrest the whole party. Napier went
to see Keadle, and pretended to espouse
his cause, promising to engage a lawyer
and get up evidence in his favor. Under
his representations Birchfield came to
Covington to meet Webb, who person
ated lawyer. Webb had written out
statement of facts which he told Birch
field would clear Keadle, if sworn to.
Birchfield said there would be no diff
Guilty about their remembering and
swearing to the statement, and was in
formed that there was reward offered
for Keadle, and il he and Coles would
bring him in, they should have the re-
ward. They were also told that bail
Ill hot M
go ON Keadle's bond. Neither of them
knew that they themselves were sus-
pected.
Meanwhile Commonwealth Attorney
Allen and Sheriff Dyer had gone to
Richmond and gotten the governor to
offer y reward OF 500 for the capture of
Keadle. On Tuesday evening Napier
received the following telegram from
Mr.. Dyer:
j. W. NAPIER:-
O. X. Act at once. S. G. Dyer.
The next morning he and Webb start
ed for Birchfield's house, where the des-
peradoes were, and told them that all
was arranged. Coles and Birchfeld
| took their Winchesters and walked be>
side Keadle while Napier rode in front.
! Webb rode forward to give warning in
| the town, excusing himself to them on
| the ground that he was going to send a
doctor to see Keadle's wife, who was
sick On their way the men informed
Napier that they would fight rather
than go to Jail and received his assur>
ance that things were alright, and that
| bail would be allowed. Arriving at the
! courthouse they found the doors open
and Webb sitting at the table writing a
bail bond. With the remark that they
mustn't carry their weapons to the front
of the room, Napier set his Winchester
in the corner and Coles and Birchfield
did the same. Webb then moved be-
| tween the three men and the guns and
put his hand on his pistol. Napier took
| up his Winchester and called for boy
to take it back to the man he had bor>
rowed it from This was the signal to
| Sergeant Kerr who entered with posse
and arrested the three men on the charge
of murder. They had themselves laid
one pistol among them; besides they
still trusted to Webb and Napier, so they
made no resistance and were safely
lodged in Jail.
Napier is otherwise known as ken
lucky Bill, - and is the same man who so
successfully engaged against the Hat>
fluid gang in West Virginia. A few
weeks ago he figured in the capture and
death of Blue Gentry in this county.
Jacob Webb is a workman at the tan
merry here and has had considerable ex-
perience as a detective heretofore. He
has lived for some years in Craig county,
and was sergeant at New Castle for
some time.
Keadle was at one time a. member of
the famous Hatfield gang of West Vir-
ginia and has killed his man in this
State. He was a fugitive from justice
before this crime, and is wanted in Ra-
leigh county for murder. Coles and
Birchfield are neither of them natives of
Allegheny, but came into the State not
long ago. Both have a little property
dAu dill the prlSoHers Ha3e IhmllIeS.
1t is stated that the evidence is strong
against all the parties, and almost con-
elusive against Keadle, but of course
this may appear differently when the
case comes to trial.
The inquest over the body of Isaiah
Meadows was held on Saturday last,
: and the evidence produced was substan>
TALLY. what appeared in the Sentinel
last week, only bearing more strongly on
Birchffeld and Coles. Anderson Mead
ows, ethe man reported to be badly
wounded is much worse and will die.
The bullet injured the spinal column
and paralysis has already set in.-Seaa-
tSneI.