The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-09
M. MEYER OPENS.

Prosecuting Attorney Meyer made an
eloquent and forceful presentation OF
the states case in his address, which oc-
cupled the morning session. In opening
Unexplained to the jury their duties ana
responsibilities, doing 50 iucidly and eff
fectively. Mr.. Meyer drew picture Of
the McLaughllns with William Craig
and Samuel Young walking down Mar
ket street, and the sudden attack made
by the prisoners. Charles MCLAUGHLIN
falling with bullet In his body, alone.
for on the first intlmatIon of danger his
companions had run for safety.
1t was a bold piece OF work to shoot
man down in daylight on public
thoroughfare The Jury must consider
who killed Charles Mclaughlin. The
Mclaughlin party was not the ag-
gressor. as all circumstances tended to
show. The defense intlmated that Craig
fired the first shot, an inconsistent claim
because Cralg's revolver was % cali
ber, and the holes in the bill board were
made by 80. and the hole in Johnson's
pants was larger still
The state, continued Mr.. Meyer, had
produced reputable witnesses to estab-
llsh the prisoners guilt. James H. Han-
nan saw the prisoners with drawn re-
voIver pass hls store. and heard voice
he thought to be Johnson's say 'Glve Il
to them" Detective John NJ. Short,
Baltimore & Ohio employe. heard two
reports and saw johnson out In the
street firing at Charles Mclaughlin.
John Charlton, OF Nrannington. riding by
on his bicycle, heard and saw the same
thing. Charles Mclaughlin had no re-
volver in sight when this witness saw
him. Theodore Brinkmyer. from his
photograph gallery, noticed that the
shots and smoke came from the north
end of the street.
AIrs. Levinia scroggins and Andy Rob
inson corroborated the evidence that
johnson fred before Charles MoLaugh-
lin drew his revolver. Louis Theirs saw
two men in the street firing at a man OH
the pavement.
Will Craig, whom the defense would
have the jury believe fired the first shot,
ran as soon as the shooting started. This
only men he saw with revolvers were the
defendants. Frank Mclaughlin turned
and ran into the gallery where he heard
shots and saw Johnson's gun aimed at
his brother, Charles.
In view OF this testimony. said Mr..
Meyer, It was absurd to place reliance
on the self-defense theory, which was
supported only by The testimony OF tho
two defendants. The state had eleven
reputable witnesses as against what
Johnson and Devlnney testified. The de-
fense failed to prove that the McI.auGh-
Inns had uttered threats. nor show by
one bit OF evidence that Charles Nc
Laughlin had threatened TO kill either
Johnson or Devlnney. Johnson's story
OF what he saw from q window In the
Parker house was false, as shown by
Thomas Lynch an honest man, As 10
the trouble between them. the prisoners
started II Wednesday night and the
state would grant that the McIsaughllns
started Il Thursday morning, but the
latter had never uttered threats, TO
prove which the defense had failed en-
tirely.
Johnson's testimony was torn Into
shreds by the prosecuting attorney. ana
the states witnesses were all reputable
residents OF the city. Mr.. Meyer said
that the plot TO kill the McLaughllnS.
Friday. September ., was planned In the
notorious ParkGr's block, by Johnson
and Devinney. who started out that lHy
20 kill their men. The murder OF Charles
Mclaughlin was deliberate, premedi-
tated. II was done without provocatiOn,
the defense to the contrary. because"
argued tho speaker you can't kill &
man on Friday for having fought with
YOU on Thursday" johnson and Devin-
ney weren't IN danger from poor Charles