Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-14

CONDITION OF MATTHEW'S, WHO
WAS BADLY CUT IN THE
STOMACH,
STILL CONSIDERED SERIOUS.
Hammond, Who fl Accused Of the
Cutting, IL Recovering From His
Injuries-Hfs Story of the Fray
Other Arrests Will Likely Follow
To-day.


Injuries-His Story of the Fray
other Arrests Will Likely Follow
To-day.
On inquiring late last night at the
City Hospital it was learned that
Prestley Matthews, who received bad
knife wound in Upper Benwood Mon
day night, was still in serious condi-
ton, but there were hopes for his re-
covery. George w. Hammond, who
also took part in the fray, and who
was painfully cut and bruised on his
head and later taken into custody by
the Benwood police, has recovered
considerably from the effects of his in
juries.- The case was thoroughly in
vestigated by the authorities yester-
day and more arrests will very likely
be made tomorrow.
The prisoners story of the fight is
substantially as follows: ''My nephew,
Charlie Miner, and I walked up town
early Monday evening on business and
on our way home met a crowd of fell
lows in front of the Drover's Home
club house, which was lighted up, and
open. Miner asked them what was
going on at the club and they replied
that they had free beer and invited us
to come in. Everybody seemed to be
jolly, and so we didn't hesitate to ac-
cept the invitation. After we got on
the inside Miner and I took turns in
paying fiddle, while the boys had a
high old time" dancing on the plat
form in one end of the building. While
was playing the fiddle Miner and
another fellow entered the ring and
started to boxing, and after a while !
quit playing and getting up, started
toward Miner to tell him to sit down.
AS / recollect it, Fred Blum stopped
me and ordered me to not step into the
ring. / asked him why he was stop
ping me and he replied: you heard
what / said!' Several men then rush
ed toward me and while George Ernest
held me, others gave me severe beat
ing, striking me all over the body with
their fists. Miner came to my assist
ance and pulled me away from the
men and we Immediately left the
house. AS soon as we got outside we
started for our home out Bogg's Run.
After getting some distance away
from the club house we looked back
and saw that the men were coming
after us. On reaching Whiteman's
place, we again looked back and saw
that they had gained on us and so we
started to trotting. After reaching
the railroad we started out as fast as
we could go, but I was overtaken by
several of the parties at point up
the Run, about a hundred yards from
Marshall street. We heard some one
in the pursuing party say: Well do
them both,' and another yelled out,
Kill the - of - AS Miner
continued on up the Run and as the
men caught hold of me drew my
knife to defend myself. We then got
into scuff1e, and ] used the weapon.
but not with the intention of wound
ing any particular one"
It is learned that several of the
men in the fray were the instigators
of the frequent troubles in the indus
trial town during the recent railway
strike, and have also been implicated
in other cutting ARRAYS occurring in
Upper Benwood.
The police are making a thorough
investigation of Monday nights trou-
BILE, and Squire Henry Riddle will
consult with Prosecuting Attorney j.
T. Parsons, Of Moundsville, and issue
warrants for the arrest of all the par
ties implicated in the fight The po-
lice endeavored to bring about the ar
rests yesterday, but Squire Riddle
deemed it wiser to wait until to-day to
issue the warrants. The nature of the
charge to be placed against Hammond
will depend, of course, on the results
of Matthew's injuries.