Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-05-26

Yesterday morning C. w. Lutes, OF
Moundsvllle, was arrested by Officer R.
S. Lowe and is now in Jail awaiting a
preliminary hearing on the charge OF
numbering Johnson Hammond, who dis
appeared last Sunday and whose dead
body was found floating in the river at
Rockport, O., a small place about three
miles above New Marti1----
The murdered man, who was prom
inent farmer of Franklin district, Mar
Snail county, left his home opposite
Powmatan, O., last Saturday and came
to Moundsville, intending to return
nome that evening. He was detained
by some business transactions and re-
manned in Moundsville all night, stay
ing at the Washington House. Early
Sunday morning he called at Schu-
macher's place, near the B. & O. depot,
and got basket which he had left there
Saturday. He told Mr. Schumacher
that he was going home on the early
train. Later he went to Lutes' home.
and from that time all trace of him
was lost until his body was found at
Rockport.
When the body was found the shoes
coat and hat We're missing, and there
was bullet hole back of the left ear.
The only article Iound on the Douy was
rprajnt cJyhc - tho
Moundsville Echo. The body was bur-
led on the river bank, but later was
disinterred and brought to Moundsville,
where Coroner Lacey, and jury COM
posed OF VIM. Wilson, E. H. Crisweil, l..
B. Purdy, j. S. Mcconnell, ]. c. Hen
dries and A. ]. Seamon held an inquest,
but their veroict will not be rendered
until next Tuesday. Drs. Houston,
Steele and Stewart held a post norton
examination and found the bullet in
the brain. The bullet was fiattened and
appeared to be % calibre.
Just before the search for the bullet
was begun, Lutes, the accused man,
was shown the body. He exhibited no
emotion other than a slight tvitching
of his face, and carefully inspected the
corpse from all points of view. He
identified it as Mr.. Hammond
He was questioned by the jury. and
said in substance: That Mr.. Hammond
came to his home about $50 o'clock
Sunday morning. He was in bed when
he came. Got up and went to the door
Mr.. Hammond asked if his (Ham-
mond's) son had gone home Saturday
evening, and if he would get him some
whisy. Lutes told him he could not.
Hammond said he was going home on
the train, and started toward the depot
Hammond was not inside the house,
and he did not step outside the door
Lutes' family was not at home Sunday.
One link of evidence against Lutes is
that on Saturday he was trying to bor
row money and Monday morning he
paid some bills and appeared to have
considerable money. He has told diff
ferent stories of where he got the
money. Some of them were investi-
gated yesterday and proved to be I'M
true. Another strong point is that the
bullet found in the body is of the same
calibre as of gun in Lutes' possession.
The gun is now in the hands of the
authorities. The officers have other
clues that they are following.
Lutes, who is about thirty-five years
of age, is married and has one child He
is the son of highly respected parents,
his father, Cyrus Lutes. owning groc-
cry in Moundsville. Lutes has been IN
trouble before but never on so serious
a charge. He is a laborer. and has
been working on the Ohio River rail-
road since last Thursday. About three
weeks ago he mashed his foot while at
work, and was not at work until he be-
gan working on the railroad last Thurs
day
Hammond, the murdered man, leaves
a wife and nine children. The children
are nearly all grown and away from
home. During the civil war he served
from 1852 to 1865 in company F, Fifty
second Ohio volunteer infantry. He
drew a small pension. 1t is said that
few days before his disappeared he re
seived a quarters oil rental for his
farm. When he left his home he had
between S35 and $40 with him. No
money was found on the body, and it
is presumed that he was murdered and
robbed ana the body thrown into the
river. A great deal of mystery en-
shrouds the affair and interesting de-
velopments are expected this week.