Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-08
she freely acknowledged, and finally
told a story OF which the following is

the substance
She said she went down to the river
bank in South Wheeling last Sunday
and met Driller. They called across
the river, to Whisky run, where Ditt-
more's boat house was moored, but he
would not answer, and afterwards they
crossed in a john-boat. When they ar
rived at the boat house Dittmore opened
the door and admitted them. All three
remained there that night, Driller and
Mrs. Parker sleeping in one side of the
boat and Dittmore on the other. The
next morning they had breakfast, and
remained about the boat all day and
that night. Tuesday morning there
was trouble, during which Mrs. Parker
was beaten by Dittmore. Driller at
tackled him, and knocked him down
twice, the second time knocking him
into the river. Whether or not he got
out after that blow the woman says she
does not know, but he evidently did
not. Mrs. Parker says before the trou-
bic occurred Dittmore left the boat
house, saying to Driller he could have
the boat, as he did not want it any
more, and this accounts for Driller SELL
ing the boat to Watkins. when the
young Washington county man appear
ed on the scene Tuesday. After selling
the boat Driller bought a keg of beer
on this side of the river and took it
over to the boat house, and Tuesday
evening Driller and Mrs. Parker left
the boat and crossed the river to the
West Virginia side, going to Benwood,
where they stayed all night at Rigot's.
She says the following night-Wednes-
day-they went back to Benwood to
stay, but no one would receive them,
and their subsequent wanderings are a
matter of speculation up to the time
of their arrest. 1t is certain, however,
they were never far from the lower end
of the city, and were probably in the
Eighth ward or on the adjacent hill
side all the time the police were look
ing for them.
Mrs. Parker admits she was drunk,
admits the fight, that Dittmore was
knocked into the river, and the subse-
quent flight to Benwood. She also says
the two men had a fight two
weeks ago. Driller, by the
advice of counsel, says nothing. Wat
kins' story corroborates that of Mrs.
Parker in essential particulars, David
Lowe, of West Wheeling, is also a ma
terial witness, and there is certain cor
roborative evidence in the possession of
a tramp, who was rowed over the river
by Driller on the occasion of his visit
to the boat house after the sale of the
boat, which fits in to the story, the
whole making an apparently pretty
clear case, although here and there lit
tie links are missing. These the au-
thorities expect to supply in a few days,
however. The sledge hammer, hereto
fore referred to by the Register, a
blood-soaked pillow found on the boat
yesterday by Officer George Devinney,
the stories told by Mrs. Parker, Wat
kins and Mr.. Lowe. and various other
facts will all be pieced together, in the
due course of time, and will be used
by the authorities to the best advan-
tage in the interests of justice.
The Coroner's jury assembled at
Benwood again yesterday and returned
a verdict to the effect that Dittmore
had come to his death by blows in
flicted by a party or parties to the jury
unknown.
The statement that Dittmore would be
buried yesterday was incorrect. He
was inferred Thursday, his sister, Mrs.
Annie Metzger, of No. PTS Eoff street,
defraying all expenses in connection
with his funeral.
.