Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-20
Special to the Register.

Special to the Register.
Parkersburg, w. Va, February 10
No doubt now exists as to the Identity
of Jim Sherman, the mulatto in jail
here charged with having committed
the assault on little Lulu Wetherell
here early in January. Sherman
photograph was shown the little girl
some time ago and she identified it as
being that Of her assailant, and late
last night she was taken to the jail by
her father and Sherman was brought
from his cell into the Jail Office. He
at first refused to leave his cell, but
was persuaded to do so by the officers.
When he entered the Office, he was or
dered to don the coat and hat he was
supposed to have worn on the night OF
the fiendish assault, and as usual re-
fused to obey, and the coat and hat
were forced on him.
Miss Wetherell and her father were
accompanied to the Jail by Messrs. b:
Mason Amber and H. H. Moss, ana
after Sherman had donned the coat
and hat he was led before the little girl,
who as usual, remained cool and col
lected. and when asked if Sherman was
the man who committed the assault,
she replied that he was without the
slightest hesitation.
Sherman was questioned as to his
whereabouts on the night OF the as
sault. but did not answer, and said
that if he was given time he could
account for his whereabouts. The prls-
oner, however, appeared more commu-
NEGATIVE. and during the identification
talked quite freely. He attempted to
account for his whereabouts at that
time. but could not, and according to
his statement was employed on the Mis-
sissippi river, afterwards working in
Cincinnati, from which place he went
to Pittsburg and Baltimore, then to
Cumberland, Md. and UniOntOwn,,
where he was arrested and has been
confined in Jail ever since. He claims
his home as Colorado City, Col.
He denies ever being in this State,
but the evidence is very strong on this
point. and several witnesses have been
found who have already identified him
as being in several places in the State,
as well as in this city, especially on the
night of the assault.
Miss Wetherell says she is quite pos
tive that Sherman is her assailant, as
she recognizes his face and his voice,
and although he entered the room
where the little girl and her compan-
ion, Arbbie String, were playing, with
a cape on his head, after he blew out
the lamp, the light from the CRATE in
the room was sufficient to give both
children a good view of the brute, as
he had, after blowing out the lighted
lamp, thrown aside the cape. When
he found that he was seen by the child,
he dealt her a blow with a heavy cro-
quet mallet and stunned her slightly,
after which he carried her to the alley
in the rear of the Wethereli home and
was frightened away. Lulu at the
time said she could identify her assail-
ant, and probably twenty-five suspects
have since been taken before her, but
she failed to identify any of them
Sherman was also seen near Kama
wha Station, this county, the day fol-
lowing the assault by Amos Hall, and
he visited the home of Mrs. Singleton,
and her son talked with him for some
time, and noticed he appeared to be
nervous and much excited. All the
parties who saw the man on the night
of the assault will be given a chance
to identify Sherman at the hearing
Thursday, and no doubt now exists
as to his being the man who committed
the assault, although in every instance
the authorities conduct the Identified
ton very quietly and appear to be fear
full of creating any excitement.
Jailer j. A. Muncey told the repre-
sentative of the Register to-day that
in his opinion Sherman is the man
wanted, and after he was identified by
the little girl he remarked to the jailer
that they might as we'll hang me now"
Sherman, when seen by the Register
man to-day, refused to talk, and is
sullen and apparently very uneasy.
City Detective j. r.. Mehen, who was
instrumental in capturing Sherman,
and who placed him in Jail at Union
town, says the coat and hat Sherman
wore when brought here by the Off
GERS is not the one he had on when ar
rested at Uniontown.
Sherman at once demanded a hearing
after he was identified by Miss Wether-
ell, but on account of the feeling of the
public it is very likely the affair will
be conducted secretly.
Abbie String, the little girl'who was
playing in the room with Lulu Weth-
erell at the time the mulatto entered
and struck her companion, failed to
identify Sherman. she having fed from
the room before the cape was removed.
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