Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-30
A WHEELING BOY FOUND
Dying, HOLE IN HIS SKULL.
WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND PASSED
AWAY WHILE GOING TO \
HOSPITAL.
WAS A SON OF SAMUEL SMITH.
CIRCUMSTANCES INDICATE THAT
HE WAS PROBABLY MUIR
DEREp ny TRAMrs.


PITTSBURG, Pa, August 29--The
dead body of Charles Is. Smith, OF
Wheeling. was found on the bank of
the Monongahela river early to-day.
Mystery surrounds Smiths death.
DR.. j. Guy MeCandless held a post
mortem ON the body and found that
death was due to fractured skull
rhere was hole in the skull an lncl
and half long above the left eye. DR..
MoGandless did not believe II could
have been caused by fall. Superin-
tendent of Police Leslie and other Of
ficials think It Is murder,
Edward Il. Bradford identified the
body. He has a restaurant in Diamond
street and saw Smith Wednesday night.
At that time Smith borrowed a dollar
from the night cook. He then went
out to play pool. the was all the po-
lice could learn of the man.
Some of the Pittsburg detectives
working ON the case say Smith evident-
ly fell from a train ana dragged him
self to where he was found.
His pockets were turned inside out.
A pencil, a knife, key and compass
were left upon his person. rhe alb
senee OF any valuables and the fact
iuHI ilt HpthttN VI Tue uldu tiOtHllA
were all torn open when the body was
found do not bear out the theory that
he was killed by a train.
There were slight traces : of hood
near the waters edge. but not enough
to lead to the belief that the assault
took place there.
II is believed that the assault was
made on the tracks above and that the
4 I.Qt -. Il
identity had sufficient strength to crawl
to the waters edge where he hoped to
get water to revive him. but tainted
BY reason of the exertlon before he was
abe to avail himself of his labor. He
was about breathing his last when
found.
A patrol wagon took him to the
Homeopathic hospital but life was ex-
tlnet on reaching there.
Railroaders think Smith was walk
Ing along the tracks. was set upon by
tramps, who assaulted and robbed him.
Last evening the police we're notified
by the coroner Of piksburg- 81 the, mur-
| der OF Charles X. Smith In thay11ty.,
| and requested the police to locate his
father, who 1t was understood lived
here. Chief Ritz at once put his men
to work. but 1t was late last night be-
fore any clew was obtained after which
they located Samuel Smith. driver of
the sprinkling cart, residing at No. 1870
Seventeenth street, as the person.
On Mr.. Smith being notified OF the
murder he and his wife we're stunned,
but quickly rallying began to make ar
rangements for the removal Of the re-
mains to this city.
When a Register representative call
ed at the Smith home late last evening
Mr. Smith was out on business connect
ed with the funeral, but Mrs. Smith
stated that she knew nothing OF the
details, but only what the police had
told them. The young man was twen-
ty-two years old and had only gone to
Pittsburg two weeks ago, where he was
working at No. 225 Diamond street. az
a cook. Previous to this he had been
working at Sistersville in this same,
trade. and still further back as cook IN
other towns down the river He was
single and has numerous friends IN
this and other cities who testify to his
good character.