Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-23
FuRTHER DETAILS
OF the Murder of Benjamin McAaeken
McCnough by y Burglar.
~ fauf. VsDabrf~

LulAtua
MIR. Mccullough was one Of the best
known business men in ST. Louis. lie
was employed for seventeen years as
paying teller in the State savings Dana
and later in the State Bank OF 81 Louis
the murder occurred at his home
Quarter OF a mile west OF NoouStoCA
Station. yesterday morning between 'uo
hours of two and three O'CLOCK
From the position in which the oouy
was found it was evident that the ueau
man fought q hard battle Win MS as
sassin before the fatal shot rOOoed MIN
OF his life.
EsNir. Mccullough occupied room IN the
rear of the house, which mas d UODI
opening on q little porch on the south
side. From this porch also opens
window iuJO the Sltting-room-
The circumstances ali point 10 tue
conclusion that Mr.. Mccullough WAS
awakened by burglar 10 the sltt'us
r0om. and that be Sprang up ana Se.zeu
his double-barreled breech-iGadlng shOt-
gun. which contained one load ne
then peered through the door opening
from his room into the s,tting-room anu
saw the vague outline OF the burglar as
he was proDing about ia the dark IN
,nest of sbo0tv. The burglar heard
him and bounded for the window,
which he had left open. In jumping,
lbe chair containing Mr.. McCullougnS
rlotbes was overturned aud, the
lrousers fell across the window
easement as he sprang out OF the
darkened room upon the porch. As
tho burglars feet touched the porch
he seized Mr.. Mccullough who had got
Ten ont first around the waist, ana
3esperate struggle enSued, during
which the gun was discharged ana the
buckshot sped across the lawn, some or
Them lodging in the fence. The bur-
glar puued pistol from bis pocket,
aud pressing 10 TO his victims rlght
temple. pulled the trigger, the bail
Dassipg out at tie upper part or the
iaft side>Of the head. As he snot, Mr..
Mccullough threw up his left hand TO
nash itaway, but failed and received
powder burn on the hand. The 0looo
rushed from the dying mans right
temDle. wetting the hand of the aSSaS-
sin and also spOtting the pistol before
the murderer could get either out oI
the way.
Nr. Mccullough fell on his back with
his feet in the corner Of the alcoye 1e-
tween the window and the door, MS
head towards the steps and his right
hand pressed back underneath his 0ooy.
Across his breast the oreech-loadlng
shotgun fell.
The assassin, fearing instant capture
leaned from the porch without procur-
ing his revolver, and ran across the
lawn. making his escape.
THE ALARM.
Miss Zaida, daughter Of Mr.. McCul-
Tough. with her sister Annie,ran through
the door opening into the room OF their
grandmother, Mrs HarShaw. This
room was lust back Of theirs, from
which a window opened directly above
the porch on which their father
lay breathing his last. Seeing that
everything was all right in that room
thew awoke Mrs. Harshaw, and the
three went as rapidly as possible Into
the hall and TO the northwest room,
where their brother, William H. Nc
Cullough, slept. he was awakened, and
Miss Zaida told him Of the shots. He
sprang uQ and ran downstairs into the
-siLt.AG-SeOrr. TbeTe be saw the open
window,and leaping through 10 onto
the porch saw his fathers form. Ia a
moment he realized all that had nap
pened, and STOPPING felt his iather 5
pulseless wrist. He went out TO the
barn and saddled a horse and rode over
to Ferguson and got DR.. j. I.Doug-
lass. The doctor examined the oOdy
aud sadly announced that all hope Of
saving life was past.
THE ONLY CLEw.
Mr.. VIII Mccullough took minute
view OF the porch and found the re-
yolver which had been left by the as
sassin, Il is absolutely the only clew
left as to the murderer's identity. The
veapon is of the Harrington Il Rich
ardson make, which is an imitation Of
the Smith g. WessOn. Itisa 3S-calibre,
with a blue steel barrel and a black,
CHEAP rubber handle. On the right side
OF the handle, just below the screw,
was found an Initial. Holding the re-
volver with the barrel pointed from
one. the letter looked very much like a
large 1, but on placing 10 sideways and
looking at 10 the letter is an exact II,
with a rather long bar between the
parallel stems, which are little short,
causing the letter 10 look a little out OF
proportion.
Chief Harrigan dispatched Detectives
Viehle and Ziegler 20 the scene. They
arrived az about the same time as Sher-
III Garrett and Coroner Castor. The
four officers then commenced q close
examination Of the premises and Ques-
toned all the members OF the house
hold.
a tramp called early in the day and
washed his face and begged lunch,
but there was nothing 10 justify SuSpl-
clon. Thus far there is absolutely no
clue.
THE VICTIM.
Benjamin McMacken Mccullough was
the full name Of the dead man. His
face, so often seen behind the railing at
the State Bank, where be has probably
paid out more money than any other
man in ST. Louis, has become familiar
10 nearly every business man in the
CITY. In size Mr.. Mccullough was about
5 feet inches ia height, rather slender
with a small black beard, and wore
large gold-rimmed eyeglasses.
He was born 81 years ago in Wheel
ing, w. Va, and was left an orphan
early in life. He came TO st. Louis aud
was reared by his uncle, Mr, Thorn
burg. who was once Clerk of the Circuit
Court of S. LOus. He was first en-
ployed with Haskell & Co. Leaving
that firm he took position In the
Union National Bank, where he re-
NAMED until 1878. He then accepted
the position OF paying teller OF the State
Savings Bank and remained with il