Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-02
A DAY OF DISORDER,
OYER AT MARTINS FERRY, WHICH NARROW
LY ESCAPED ENDING IN MURDER.
Officer George Murphy Shot and Painfully Wounded
BY William Wilson, Oircus Man-SOms
Symptoms at a Riot and Wilson
Hustled Away to St. Glars
yille-Albsrt Lee Struck
With a Brick.

WIFE bTlchs
There was quite lively little time
over in Martins Ferry. the latter part
of yesterday afternoon.
Shots were fred and bricks were
thrown; Officer George Murphy was
shot and badly wounded, William Will
son, an attache Of Cook & Whitby's
circus, was badly used up, and might
have been lynched, had the wounded
officer died, OF which, fortunately, there
is little probability; Albert Lee, colored,
got bad crack in the face with brick
thrown by John Kyne, and there was q
general scene Of tumult and disorder.
The affray-or rather series of ARRAYS
was bad enough, but everybody was
glad it wasn't half as bad as sensa-
tlonal evening paper, published In this
city, asserted 1t to be. That paper evil
IDENTIFY took what facts it could ascer-
tain, multiplied them by three aud i'm
agined the rest-the resulting story be-
ing a vertable horror, well-calcplated
to make the hair of the uniniormed
reader stand on end, and was carefully
devised to give Martins Ferry reputa-
tlon for toughness and lawIessness
which would be creditable TO an Arizo-
ma mining camp, and which will scarce
ly be appreciated, in calmer moments,
by the citizens OF our nearby Ohio
suburb.
The most serious trouble Of the day
occurred near the O. & 2. depot, about
half-past four o'clock in the afternoon,
and before it was over Officer Murphy
had been shot and wounded, Wilson,
who shot him. bad been hustled to the
lookup, amid threats Of lynching, and
an Immense amount of excitement had
been stirred up. Just how the affair
started is little uncertain, but the
theory generally current and which
found most credence, was that the dis
order arose out of some insults offered
by some young men and half-grown
boys to some of the women on the circns
train. The afternoon performance,
which took place in Paulls' ad-
dition, was about over, and most
of the attaches OF the
show were in and about the cars, walt
ing for the supper gong TO sound, when
several young men came along and halt
ed by the side of the circus cars. Sew
eral ladies numbered among the per-
formers were on the platform OF the
cars, and something seems TO have been
said by one or two OF the young men
which was construed as insulting. An
actor-the husband Of one OF the wo-
men-got off the platform OF the car and
undertook to whip one or the young
men, and quite scrapping match re-
suited. This matter was settled, how
ever, and the young men went away,
but in a short time they came back
again, and the disorder was renewed.
William Wilson, little dried up and
unclean looking fellow, employed by
the circus management TO feed the anil
mails, sell tickets, and do other mis-
cellaneous work, was In one or the
cars, and when the second row
started he came out. Wilson fell foul
of a man named Watkins, and hit him.
Watkins struck him back, when VIII
son produced a revolver and shot at
Watkins. Marshal Westwood had been
On the scene at tine time Of the first row,
but had gone away short distance,
but when the second fuss started he
hastenad back. officer Murphy got
there before him, and the two men at
tempted to quiet the disturbance and
arrest the principals. Both Westwood
and Murphy started after Wilson, and
about the time Marshal Westwood got
within few feet of him Wilson wheel
ed clear around, with his revolver lev
eled. As the gun came in line with
Marshal Westwood it was discharged
and the ball went through the rim OF
the Marshal's hat, Westwood hit Will
son twice with his mace before he could
fire again, and Wilson then ran across
the railroad tracks and got beneeth
freight car which was standing nearly
opposite the circus car at which the
rows started. Murphy followed Wilson,
and when he got to the car stopped
down and shot uader 1t at Wilson.
Then Wilson fred third time, and the
ball struck officer Murphy on the right
side, about two inches 10 the right and
the same distance above the navel. 1t
struck rib, glanced around and came
out OF his back, making flesh wound.
Murphy fell, and then general
fusilade began. Several officers,
among them Marshal Westwood
and officers Och and Bowman,
fred at Wilson, but none of them hit
him, although six or eight shots must
have been sent in his direction. While
this was going on, ex-0ficer John
Moore ran up and hit Wilson with
club, when the latter crawled out from
beneath the car and ran back across
the tracks and tried to get into one OF
the circus cars again, leaving his re-
volver behind him as he went. While
a man on the platform Of the car was
trying TO assist Wilson up on the steps,
Moore, who had followed him,
grabbed him and held hin IN
nh Westwood and others came up
aud captured him. Marshal Westwoos
and Officers Och and Bowman at once
took charge of Wilson aud started with
him for the city building, while the
crowd, which had been by this time In
creased 10 several hundred people.
surged about in high state OF excite
ment, and gave vent 10 cries OF Hang