Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-12

fore He Died That Hahn Had Hit
Him - Hamlin's Funeral Occurs
Sunday.
The coroner's inquest over the re-
mains of young Oscar Hamlin was
hold yesterday afternoon in Souire
Lacey's Office, at Benwood. The in
quest commenced about one O'CLOCK
and lasted for over two hours. After
the evidence was in the room was
cleared and the jury given a chance
to deliberate alone. After nearly an
hour they rendered the verdict that
oscar Hamlm came to his death bv
blow on the head with some blunr
instrument in the hands Of one John
Hahn, and delivered by the said John.
Hahn on the fourth day of March
1898, on the premises of the Wheeling
lion and Steel Company. in Benwood
Marshall county, w. Va"
This was signed by the iurors W.
Joseph Manhood, foreman: Peter Al.
myer, Arthur Fox VIM. Ilinslev Iaeoh
Cayton, A. Z. Lander.
The inquest attracted a LARGO o.o,,,,
who listened attentiyely to every word
Of tne evidence. The defendant Hahn
was represented by Attorney George q.
odaWeH, OF wheeling, who has been
employed by the Wheeling Iron and
steel Company to defend Hahn. 4
s-enographer was also employed bv the
company and was present to take down
every word of the evidence. Prosecut
ing Attorney Parsons, of Moundsyille
and Attorney Josiah Sinclair. conduct-
ed the examination for the prosecu-
ton. Twelve witnesses were examined.
They were Thomas Kearns, Tim
0'Brien, Rube Crosby, Owen Tafe.
John kuntz, Officers Wash Geary and
ii. G. Brannen, Doctors Eskey, Alley
and Downing, Stidger Coutz and John
B0ehr. The examination of the wit
nesses brought out the principal de-
tails Of the affair which caused the
Hamlin boys death.
Thomas Kearns was the first wit
ness called. He was one of Hamlin's
companions at the time Hamlin was
hurt. Young Kearns testified that on
the evening the affair happened, about
half-past six o'clock, he. Hamlin and
another boy named John Kuntz were
sitting on board at the lower end
Of the boiler house at the Wheeling
steel works talking when they saw
the Waterman, John Hahn. approach.
kuntz called, There's Hahn" and
they all started to run. Kearns stated
that Hahan did not order them away
and did not say a word. He saw Hahn
pick up a stone and throw at him,
knocking off his cap. After running
about fifteen feet he turned around and
saw Hamlin lying on the ground. He
saw Hahn pick up Hamlin and carry
him TO the boiler house, where Hahn
turned the hose on Hamlin to bring
him 10. The witness did not see Hahn
throw the stone that hit Hamlin and
did not know whether it was the same
stone that had knocked off his hat
He had seen Hahn throw stones at
boys before who came on the mill
premises, bL& lad never been ordered
off himself before.
Doctors Alley and Eskey proved to
be important witnesses for the prose-
cution. They described the wound as
a hole in the skull about one and half
inches in diameter, back of the temple
on the right side of the head. Par
ticles of bone Of the skull had been
broken off and driven into the brain
to the depth of half inch or more.
DR. Alley stated that the boy had been
conscious after the accident. About a
day or two after the affair he had
talked with Hamlin in the presence of
Dr. Eskey and that Hamlin had told
them that Hahn had hit him. DR..
Alley stated that the boy was fully
conscious at the time and had not been
told that he was going to die. The