Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-04


The Details of a Fearful Crime.
One Of the most horrible ARRAYS ever
enacted in the vicinity of Wheeling oc-
CURED on a shanty boat at Bellaire,
last night about half past nine o'clock.
As a result of it, one man is dead, a
woman is very seriously wounded, and
her daughter has a broken leg, the
fracture being caused by revolver bul-
let.
The dead man is John Cunningham,
of Martins Ferry, better known as Jack
Cunningham. The wounded woman is
Mrs. John Long, and the wounded girl
is Nellie, her daughter, while Cunning
ham was killed by son of Mrs. Long,
apparently in defense of his own life.
Jack Cunningham was tough char
acter, and at the time of his death was
wanted by the federal authorities for
robbng the postofIice at Sherrard, Mar
shall county, this State, there being a
reward for his apprehension. John.
Long is also rather a tough character
having been but recently released from
the West Virginia penitentiary, where
he served one year.
While Long was in the penitentiary
his wife and family have been living
in a sharty boat, located a short dis
lance below the Bellaire bridge, on the
Ohio side of the river. When he was
released and came home he found that
JACK Cunningham was very frequent
visitor at the boat, and that he and
Mrs. Long were entirely too intimate.
Long appears to have remained away
from the boatforthe most part during the
two weeks which have elapsed since his
return, but yesterday morning about
four o'clock he went to the boat, where
he found Cunningham, and proceeded
TO clean out" the entire crowd, remain
ing in possession of the craft. Whether
or not his wife was driven away could
net be definitely aScertained last night,
but if this was the case she returned
during the day and was there last night,
with her son ana daughter, when the
terrible ARRAY occurred.
About half-past nine o'clock Jack
Cunningham went to the boat house
under the influence of liquor, and took
his turn at cleaning out the inmates,
the particular object of his wrath being
Long. Cunningham had a revolver in
his hand as he entered, and pointed it
at Long. The latter had presence Of
mind enough to knock the weapon
aside, and Cunningham kept on going
in the direction of Mrs. Long who was
some distance from her husband.
Reaching the woman, he grasped her,
and drawing her close TO him, placed
the revolver almost against her breast
and fired. The shot passed through
her body and struck Nellie Long, her
daughter, in one ankle, breaking the
bone.
As the woman fell Cunningham turn
ed his attention 10 the son, John Long,
Jr., springing upon him and knocking
him down. and the lad would have in
al probability have been killed had he
not acted promptly in his own defense.
When Cunningham first entered the
boy caught up revolver, and when
the desperate man sprang upon the boy,
the latter still had the weapon in his
hand. While he was lying PROSTATE on
the floor. with Cunningham on top Of
him, young Long placed the muzzle of
the revolver against Cunningham
head and fired. The ball penetrated
the brain and Cunningham's shooting
was over. He lived about fifteen min
utes after he was shot.
The Bellaire police were informed Of
the terrible ARRAY very soon after il
occurred. and young Long was arrested
and taken to the City Hall, where the
bodv of Cunningham was also removed
somewhat later. Medical aid was sum-
moned for the wounded mother and
daughter. and at late hour last night
it was stated that the conditions ap-
pered favorable for the recovery OF Mrs.
Long. while the daughter will also get
we'll her wound being not nearly so
serious.
The affair naturally created an i'm
mense amount of excitement in Bell
aire during the early portion OF the
night. and the usual number OF eXag-
eerated stories were in circulation. As
nearly as could be ascertalned, now
ever, the facts are about as given
above.