Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-27

Was Held Last Night-The TeSti-
mony AID tine Verdict.
Tom Lowry, the murderer Of Will
liam Travis, will probably be given a
preliminary hearing to-day by a JUS
tice of the Peace.
There is no longer much room for
doubtsas to the mental responsibility
of the prisoner. The exclusive publ
cation in the Register of his previous
record, proves him to have criminal
instincts, and also to have been insane.
His mental trouble was probably
caused by the accident which he men,
toned to the Register reporter, which
necessitated the placing of the silver
plate in his skull. The plate is there,
as was discovered by an investigation
in the Jail yesterday.
Lowry was kept closely confined to
his cell all day yesterday. During his
talk to the Register reporter Saturday
! night, he said, 'I'l make away with
myself in this cell if they don't watch
me-" Lowry did not have much to say
to the Jail officials yesterday. He ask
ed Jailor Dailer what he was in for,
but did not inquire as to the gravity
Of Travis injuries. At times he APP
peared to be Tightly when he would
talk in a rambling sort of a way, and
during these periods would urge the
people who talked to him to have the
authorities putAhim out Of the way as
soon as possible. This appeared to be
the burden of his talk.
A Dangerous Man.
During the day, his visitors included
Sheriff Irwin, Chief Ritz, and two ply
sicians. He was calm enough in talk
ing with them, and answered all the
questions which they asked.
One of the callers during the after
noon was Capt. w. H. Travis, general
manager of the La Belle mill. Capt.
Travis is not a relative of the murder
ed man. He called to see if Lowry was
a man who had worked at the La Belle.
He identified Lowry, who worked for
several days at the La Belle, but acted
in such a queer manner that he fright
ened his fellow employees. He was dis
charged because he was regarded as a
dangerous man, and his associates were
afraid of him.
Lowry told a Register man that he
had also worked in a Benwood mill.
The body of the victim has been pre-
pared for burial, and the funeral will
probably take place to-day Or to-mor-
| row. Travis was popular among his
| associates at the Whitaker mill, and is
said to have been a good workman.
He was fond of drink, and while dis
posed to joke, sometimes at the ex-
pense of others, he was not a quarrel
some man. There was only one bullet
wound in Travis body, and there is a
mystery as to where the second bullet
went, as the evidence shows that two
shots were fired at least.
The Inquest.
Last evening in the Office of Coroner
Schultze, on the South Side, the inquest
was held. Quite a number of witnesses
were examined and their testimony diff
fered but slightly.
Paddy Mcneil stated that he was en-
ployed at the Belmont mill and boarded
at Mrs. Burke's. Mcneil stated that
Saturday evening he was asleep in the
room, there being several others there,
when he was suddenly awakened by The
shots. He described the position Travis
was in when he saw him where he had
fallen in the hall, and also stated that
he had his coat and vest on. He had
not seen Lowry since.
Mrs. Margaret Burke said that Travis
boarded with her about four months,
but Lowry had only come Thursday,
looking for a boarding place, and she
had told him that she had no room. He
insisted, however, and she placed him
in the room with the five other men.
He went to work O. Friday, and when
he returned he complained of the boss
at the mill and told her that he had
it in for him." He also told her that
ne mao tfleQ 10 Durn Jue DOSS leSS Win
a hot iron rod. She also stated that
Lowry had slept the first night in the
front room, and had then come TO her
and asked if she had no PLACE else to
put him, as the men in the room did
not seem to want him. 1t was then that
she noticed that he had been drink
ing.
The hrst she knew of any trouble be-
tween the men was on Saturday night,
when she was attracted to their room
by loud talking. She saw Lowry
Reach For His Revolver
and called to the other men for help.
She then illustrated how Lowry had
/ held Travis when he fired the fatal shot.
The flash from the revolver set fire to
tTravis' vest, and she tried to put the
| fame out. Travis was holding IN to
the banister and just then Lowry ran
out of the room, and as he ran down
the steps fired another shot. Lowry
had his valise down stairs. The re-
mainder of her testimony was Of not
much value, and related chiefly to the
going for the doctor and removing the
body from the house.
Mack Layne was the next witness. He