Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-04

Elsewhere - The Authorities
Should Act.
One of the most transparent attempts
ever known here to induce the public to
believe the perpeTator had taken his
life, when he had simply fed from the
city as brought to light yesterday
morning.
John Oberry, of the Island, was stroll
ing along the shore Of Back river near
the government dam, when he discovered
a pile Of mems clothing among the will
lows A superficial examination show
ed that the outfit was nearly a COM
plete one, and Mr.. Oberry went to the
hose house and notified the. police, and
then returned to the spot with Fireman
O'Hare, Of the Island chemical COM
pany, and Officer Mason. The clothing
was carefully examined, and was found
to consist OF a deer hat, coat, vest,
shirt, trousers, socks and shoes. In
the vest pocket was a small and mex
pensive open-faced silver watch, of Ger
man make, and in the coat was a mem
oranda book, and two or three papers,
bearing the name of Jacob HUFF, and
also a copy of the will of Mrs. Caroline
HUH.
These papers made it apparent that
the clothing belonged to Jacob HUFF, a
saloon keeper formerly doing business
on Jacob street, below FOrty-third, but
who removed TO upper Benwood, at the
south end of the extension of Jacob
street, a few months ago. The clothing
was removed to the City Hall, no trace
of the owner being found in the vicinity,
and for a short time there was an i'm
preston in the minds of a few people
that HUFF had taken his life. This idea
was quickly diSDelled, however, in the
light of subsequent developments, and
last evening it was definitely settled
that Huff never had any idea of drown
ing himself, but had left his clothing
on the shore of the river as bind,
and that he had crossed to the Ohio side,
gone to Bellaire on the electric cars,
and there purchased ticket for Chi
cage, leaving Bellaire at 4:40 p. m. on
Tuesday.
The story leading up to Huff's fight
is a very peculiar one, and his history,
as detailed yesterday, in this city and
elsewhere, is such as to pretty satisfac-
torily explain his sudden disappearance.
Huff's real name is Jacob Schmitt,
and he halls from Potsdam, Germany.
There. according to a statement made
to John Duerr, of South Eoff street, by
Valentine SabOnski, who came from
Germany with Schmitt, he was travel
ing collector for a large wholesale
grocery house.
Schmitt took the name of Huff upon
his arrival here, and had plenty OF
money. He still retained a record of
his real name, however, in his silver
watch, which was inscribed "Jac.
Schmitt," in large letters on the inside
of the case, while below the name was
another word, probably Potsdam. This
was the watch found in the vest on
the river shore, yesterday morning, but
the inscription had been carefully
scratched out with a knife, the entire
inside of the case being passed over.
BY holding the case at the right angle,
however, the name can still be made
out.
Soon after his arrival in Wheeling,
HUFF oDened a saloon at Forty-third
and Jacob streets, and apparently did
well, but he was known as something OF
ian easy mark" for people who wanted
refreshments on tick Finally he got
into trouble over business matters, and
several civil suits were brought before
justices. Huff and Valentine Sabon-
ski also fell out, and the latter told sew
eral Eighth ward people of the past
career of Fluff, and his real name. AS
long ago as two months rumOrs OF his
German career reached the police, and
Chief Bennett wrote to Germany about
him.
About three months ago Huff re-
moved his saloon to Upper Benwood,
and about the same time he began to
look around for a wife, preferring
widow with money. He made advances
and overtures in several directions,
meeting with no encouragement in one
or two cases. with a decided rebuff in
another, while in still another he went
TO Moundsville to examine the records
of property owned by lady upon whom
he had cast an amorOus and matrimo-
NAL eve. Finally, he settled upon Mrs.
Caroline HOch, a lady who was pos
sessed of about $3.50 in cash and who
had an insurance policy upon her life
for $3.50 more, and they were married
about the last of April.
On Nav 22d. HUFF induced his wife
m make a brief will, devising all her
nroDertv to her husband, and a copy
of this will. dated June 9th, last and
attested by Clerk E. NJ. Lewis, of the
County Court of Marshall county, was
found in the clothing left by Huff on
the river bank. This will was dated
MAY 22d last. Mrs. Huff was taken
sick June Sth, about two weeks later,
and June 18th she died. Her death
cave rise to a good deal Of talk in the
lower norton of the Eighth ward and
the upper portion of Benwood, but 1t
gradually died out, until revived yes
ferdav bv Huff's disappearance.
Huff was last seen at his saloon by
Carl Cuimer. his barkeeper. about nine
o'clock on Monday morning last. He
was then attired in the suit OF clothes
found on the river shore, and had
GOOD deal of money with him. A little
later he was at Stipes' blacksmith shop
and said he was coming up town to
draw some money with which he in
tended 10 buy a piece of ground belong
-. =. ,r,.e StOclrar on the extension on