The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-02-24

Special Dispatch to the IntOlllgenceI.
sISTERSVILLE, w. Va, Feb. 2S.--
The intelligence has just reached here
of terrible calamity which occurred In
the Interior Of this county, by which a
number OF persons were terribly injur-
ed and several lost their lives. In one
OF the interior oil fields there has been
"a speakeasy and sporting house which
incurred the III will of the people living
in that section, and according to the
story which reached here last evening
a number OF attempts have been made
to eradicate the places, but all TO no
avail. The people who have charge Of
the places were frequently arrested
and fined and even put in jail, but SEN
tence was no sooner passed upon the
culprIts than the house would be open
ed again by some one and running Just
as bold and openly as ever.
The residents OF that section became
tired OF this sort of thing and finally de-
cided TO make bold stroke and get rid
Of the Objectionable characters, II such
thing were possible. On the night in
question a number Of the male popula.
ton Of the little village went to the two
houses, which are located side by side,
and after warning the inmates OF what
Was going to be done, set to work tear
ing the buildings down, After working
at this mode Of eradication for short
time, 1t was considered too slow, and
some one applied torch to the struct-
ures, and they being OF the typical oil
county style, few boards on end with
roof over them. they were soon blaZ-
Inn k,aVt gus VVNtu futE
they had made.
The people OF the house, thinking that
after working at tearing the buildings
down for short time the mob would
get tired and desist. had made no effort
to leave, and consequently when the fire
was started they were not prepared TO
get out as quickly as was necessary un-
der the circumstances. One or two girls
in the sporting house are reported to
have been burned in the house and two
men are said to have lost their lives in
the speRkeasy. In addition to this 1t is
positively known that a number OF peos
pie were terribly burned. some OF them
SO badly that 1t Is not believed that they
can recover.
Tch names OF those who are reported
to have been burned TO death In the FIRE
are:
STELLA WOODS. of Pittsburgh.
ANNA JOn.NSON. OF Columbus.
JOHN JACKSON, of Pennsylvania,
FRANK STEWART. OF Indiana.
The men were both workers in the oil
fields and Mt the time OF the fire were,
sleeping in their rooms over the speak.
easy.
The names Of the parties who were
seriously burned by the flames in their
endeRvor to escape from the buildings
cannot be learned. but 1t is known that
there were five or six OF them.
What the outcome OF the terrible af-
fair Will be Is pretty hard TO tell. It IL
that some Of the people who
had hand in It will be arrested and
that they will be given trla. for muir.
der a. the next session OF the circuit
court 1t was reported in this city TO.
day that the states attorney Of this
county had been notified Of the catas.
trOphe and that he was on the ground
1t. 1t is pretty hard
TO get anything definite in re-
gard to the Rffair and It Is only by ru-
NOR that the facts as given are obtain.
ed. 1t Is a fact that the main portion
Of the above Ia true. but 1t may be that
the catastrophe has been considerably
on account of the poor
facilities FOR communicating with that
country nothing more reliable can be
obtained at this time