Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-04-14
CHAPTER II

A1AI Eli IL.
Tt was ten o'clock and the night was
dark and lowering, although the glib
bous moon hung high in the heavens,
and at rare intervals. cast a CLEAN OF
light to earth. between the scuIrying
clouds. Al point on the road called
The NarrOws about half way be-
tween Luttrel's and the town, and
which isabout amilefrom either place;
there is a gloomy and narrow passage
between the hill and the creek, Of some
fifty yards in length. A stranger tray
cling this road after nightfall would
hesitate TO pass through such a dark
and fOrbidding way; yet there were
those, it seems, who had sought this
place, in which to tarry, for good or i'll;
for by the uncertain light Of the moon,
he dim outlines of dark figures upon
horses were 10 be seen about midway
of this passage. where q small stream
uickled down from the hill.
There they sat, silent and motion
less, facing the road. After a time the
moon sh0ne out; although dimly, it
was reflected from the barrels OF the
long pistol which each figure held in
his right hand. and rested upon the
name of his horse. Fifteen minutes
passed, and no sound from man or
beast; and only the hoCting of an owl,
upon the hillside. had broken the still
ness. And so the half hour passed. and
the hour, and still no change or move
ment VIII these figures never move
or make a sound. or are they only the
tigmeut of the imaginatiOn2 For. what
a.nr
themselves on this deserted road at the
dead hour of the night, where none DO
pass?
But even now i'm the far distance is
heard the faint sound Of @ horse
hoofs on the stoney road: nearer it
comes, and louder the sound; evidently
it, is some traveller riding at q round
trOt toward the town. AS the ringing
hOOfs resound at the entrance to the
narrow way. one of the waiting fig
Ures. ne on the right comes to life. as 4
were; turns his head, as il upon a piv-
OF. and mods TO the figure upon the left
who mods in return. Then the long
pistols are raised and extended over
the horses heads, pointing across the
road.
On comes the traveller without slack
ing his pace, until a Halt"
causes him invOlUutarily to pull UP his
horse and turn his face i'm wild alarm
toward the rock. whence the sound
seems TO come; but only for q second.
was the suspense, when two pistol
shots rang out upon the night air, and
the fa-od rider plunged headl0ng from
his horse 20 the ground; then rolled
over and lay upon his back with his
jace turned up 10 the dim light OF the
moon. while the blood flowed rapidly
from a CHASTITY wound i'm his head.
The work of the assassins has been
well done: this traveller. whoever he
be- has finished his journey,
But. perhaps. the robbers did not
premeditate murder. for as the shots
were fred. one gruf voice called out
job. what made YOU shOOt2' This
question called forth similar one:
"What made YOU sho0t2' Well, he'd
q knowcd us anyhOw-heH talk now. 20
They then made q frUitless attempt TO
catch the riderless horse. which ran
past them down the road i'm the diTec-
tion of the town; bnt they themselves,
after they had ri1ed the dead of money
and papers, departed in the opposite
direction.
The sun was an hour high on The fol-
lOwirg morning when a c0untryman
dashed into the town of CoalbWg, with
the startling intelligence that Richard
Hinton. eN-Sherid of the county, had
been f0ully murdered. and that his
body lay i'm the n0rrOws of the road
on the CREEK IL was not long before
the whole male population OF the town
were gathered about the SPOT where
the tragedy had occurred. Hinton was
man past middle age. q widOWer. and
as his children were al grown, there
was not there present any to mourn his
sad taking off with that violent out
burst of grief, with which the young
bewail sudden DEATH Yet the whole
community was deeply moved, as no
murder had occurred in this quiet
neighbOrhOOd within a generation.
Hinton was personally known to every
one i'm this part of the country; an eX-
sheriff and a trusted man; he was just
on his return from Richmond with
land warrants and considerable sums
of money belonging TO the citizens of
the town. As his pockets were turned
wrong side out, and there was not left
on his nersOn any article of value. not
even his old silver watch. it was the
consensus Of the assembled wisdom
that he had been murdered Tor the
purpose of robbery.
After the remains had been toGderly
removed TO the town, and The excite
ment had somewhat subsidized those