Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-03-13

Watsonburg. Col, March 12.-Two
or three days ago Deputy Sheriff Hix-
on was brutally murdered at this place
by several Italian coal miners. After
pounding the deputys mead into pulp,
the body was hidden and was not found
until yesterday morning, when a gen.
eral alarm was given and bloodhounds
put upon the murderers trail. In
short time the trained dogs succeeded
i'll running down four men, who ac-
knowledged having committed the
crime, and each endeavored
TO LAY 1T ON THE OTHER.
Late this afternoon an inquest was
held, at which the guilt of the four
Italians was plainly proven. HiXon
being very popular man, the feeling
among other miners and citizens in
general grew to fever heat, and at the
close Of the coroner's inquest, as the
prisoners were being marched to Jail, a
mob made a rush for them. and before
the sheriff and his deputies could raise
a hand to protect them the bodies of
the four Italians and another man
WERE RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
At this juncture 4 general riot
started. One hundred or more Ital-
ians, seeing their countrymen lying
around dead. became frenzied, swear
ing they will have vengeance before
morning. Both factions began arming
themselves, and at last accounts were
expected to come together at any mo-
ment. The telegraph operator at Wat
sonburg
HAS ABANDONED HIS POST,
leaving no way to secure further in
formation, except as it is brought into
surrounding towns by people who are
fleeing from the scene of trouble, or
deputy sheriffs seeking assistance.
The work of the mob was done to
avenge a peculiarly brutal crime. At
7 o'clock Monday morning two men en-
route TO work at Rouse, discovered A.
J. Hixon proprietor of saloon. in a
dying condition about an eighth of
mile from his place of business. Mr..
Hixon had been struck on the back of
the head with blunt weapon and was,
unconscious. Re expired within an
hour.
Some ten days since, T. J. Brewer,
pit boss of Rouse, imported a trained
bloodhound, which was promptly sum-
moned. The animal rushed away from
the trail. and within ten minutes seized
a table leg in the rear of saloon,
located a half mile distant. On eX-
animation blood was found on this leg.
The dog then proceeded TO the sa-
loon door and two men, Lorenzo Da-
nino and Jobatto Antonio. who were
discovered therein, were arrested.
Two more men. Pete Rosetta and
Frank Anrico, were arrested in a cabin
near by. Admissions OF knowledge OF
the murder were secured from two of
them Immediately upon their arrest,
and later they divulged the names of
seven others who were with them, and
charged Lorenzo Danino with the mur-
der. Two of the parties had started
South.
The officers were there quickly and
the entire nine were under arrest at
p. III. The names of the additional
five are PeteacobinO, F'ranceso, Bon
kettO, one Corporaila, one MILO, one
Nicholai, whose Christian names are
unknown.
Threats of lynching were generally
INDUCED in during the day and quite
a number Of men were scattered along
the route to WatsonburS, but it was
thought it was scarcely a possibility
that violence would be attempted.
HiXon was popular with the Amer
lean miners and great indignation
prevails. He was an Arkansan late
of Texas, and was 81 or SO years of
age. He is supposed to have returned
from WatsoDburg on horseback about
10 p. m, and to have been attacked un-
awares. The incentive of the murder
is a problem, as HiXon was not of an
aggressive or quarrelsome disposition