Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-06
4 case Of MURDER
Reported to the Wheeling and Ben
wood Authorities, Yesterday.

Reported to the Wheeling and Ben
wood Authorities, Yesterday.
LOUIS DITTMoRE, FORMERLY A
RESIDENT OF THE SIXTH
WARD, WAS EVIDENTLY KILL
ED ON A HOUSE BOAT TUESDAY
NIGHT-HIS BODY FOUND IN
THE RIVER NEAR BENWOOD
EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING.
MARKS OF vIOLENCE-THE DE-
CEASED HAD NOT BEEN
DROWNED, IN THE OPINION OF
PHYSICIANS-AFTER THE REP
UTED MURDERER A WOMAN
IN THE CASE.
That a murder was committed on a
house boat near the Ohio snore of the
river, sometime Tuesday night, was evil
dent yesterday morning when, about a
quarter after six o'clock, the body Of
Louis Dittmore, a former resident OF
the Sixth ward of this city, was found
floating in the river, Invested of most
of the clothing. The remains were
found by a man named Scott, who runs
a skiff ferry about half a mile below
Benwood. He towed the body up to
that town and notified the authorities,
and Coroner Lacy was duly informed
and subsequently impanneled a jury
and made a partial investigation into
the case. A further investigation was
adjourned until Friday tcEflow the po-
lice of this city and Benwood an oppor-
'tunity to work up the case and make
arrests.
AS often occurs, there is a woman in
the case. In this instance the female
is said to be a Mrs. Parker, who was
employed as a domestic in a promf-
lent Island residence, where some of
her clothing yet remains. From the in
formation obtainable last night she was
in a boat house belonging to Joseph,
alias Fatty Driller, at the mouth of
Whisky run, below West Wheeling,
Tuesday afternoon, in company with
Driller, Louis Dittmore and John r.
Watkins. Driller appears to have SOLD
the boat to Watkins on Tuesday after
noon, for the police have a bill of sale
to that effect, dated July 4th, the con-
sideration being twenty dollars. After
selling the boat Driller is known to
have come to this city after a key of
beer. There was some disorder be-
tween the members of the party subse-
quently, for one of them was heard to
threaten another, and to yell at the
boat: "In kill you if 1 have to get a
boat to cross the river after you'll"
Nothing more of a definite nature is
known until ten o'clock Tuesday
night, when the Parker woman and
Driller applied for accommodations al
a Benwood house and were refused.
They are then believed to have gone or
down the river to a fishing camp III the
vicinity of Belmont Park or Powhatan.
Lieutenant Michaels, Officer Devin-ey
and a Benwood officer went after them
last night. Watkins was taken into
custody o after Dittmore's body was
found, but was subsequently released,
as there was no evidence connecting
him with the foul play which had evil
IDENTIFY occurred. An examination OF
the boat house showed hat the Parker
woman had evidently left in a hurry, as
her corsets, hustle, stockings and gar
tiers were found. A sledge hammer
was also secured for future examina-
ton. 1t was not ascertained last even
ing whether this tool showed any signs
of having been used in a fracus or not.
After Dittmore had been identified
Coroner Lacy impanneled a jury, con
sisting of William Bogard, ST., L. d.
Scott, ID. L. Hartline, George Morning.
star. Henry Cook and John Pastorious,
all of Benwood. They viewed the re-
mains, and also heard the evidence of
DR.. Alley, health officer of Benwood,
who had made a post mortem exam1na-
ton.
DIR. Alley testified that the deceased
did not come to his death by drown
ing, as the lungs and stomach were
quite free from water. There was a
right-angled cut, about an inch and
a quarter in dimensions, each way, over
the left eye, the under side of the upper
lip was severely confused, as though it
had been violently damned against the
teeth, and the wind-pipe was entirely
broken off in one place, and partially
so in two others. The cut over the eve
was still oozing blood when the body
was taken from the water. The ply
stefan thought the body had not been
in the water over five or six hours, and
his opinions generally were concurred
in by Health Officer Jepson, of this
city, who CHANGED to be in Benwood
upon another matter, and who saw and
examined the remains.
After DR.. Alleys testimony the in
quest was adjourned until Friday after
noon at two o'clock. Coroner Lacy,
when seen yesterday, said: This is not
x,o,o l,0rrr;nn h,t n oocn Of nay1pdcy