Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-11-17
The West Virginia Murder

We get the following additional
details Of the murder of Slyman,
the Syrian peadIer, from the Poca-
hontas Times.
The account published by US last
week gave no particulars as to the
finding Of the body, the disposition
and extent of the BOOTY, the con-
fessicn of tie murderers Ne.
This article, therefore, will be
read with interest.
On Wednesday about 5 p. m
Robert Stark Of that community
was riding by the scene of the muir
der, His hcrse SHE'D and atten
item was called to IL pool of blood
He noted signs of murder and pres
ently found The peddler's pack just
below the road. He then noted
the trail where the BODY. of the
dead man had been dragged
through the soft earth by a man
wearing pair of shoes, the heels
one of which had been turned over.
The body was found within fifty
wards of the road. He had been
shot in the side of the face with
bird shot. Dogs had found the
body and gnawed at the face. The
hodv was removed to Isaac Arbo.
CASTS house and the county au-
ihorities notified. Squie Oliver
went up from Durbin and Prosecut-
ing Attorney Douglas Mcneil and
DR. Norman Price, from Marlinton,
reaching the place after a twenty
four miles ride from Durbin.
An inquest was held and sus-
pitlon attached to Phares May, liv-
ing in Pendleton County. and Bur
ley Lamb, of Highland County his
hired man. !.
Witnesses testified thrt May, had
been seen to go into the woods
ahead of the peddler in time TO be
on the scene and that he made
threats against him. 1t seems that
May had a shot gun aud that ne
borrow another from Mathews Hell
mick. He then went to the house
of his mother and found the ped
dler gone. He went Oh about two
miles to Mullenax's and asked for
the peddler and saw him looking
ont of the window. 1t was apparent
that he knew that the pedder
would go on the road he did to
wards ArbOgast's.
May testified he was hunting
hogs in the woods and that he was
at home at the time the shooting
occurred. This alibi was substan-
tiated by Burley Lamb and Mays
wife.
The evidence was considered sui.
ficient to hold the two men and
thew were committed by the justice
to Jail without bail.
On the way to Marlinton on the
train near Cass the prisoners broke
down and the whole story came
out.
Two special coustables, Sam
Stark and Elijah ArbOgast were
guarding the prisoners. Nav re-
marked that he did not do the
shooting but that he knew who
did and that he was not going to
suffer for what he had not done
and would tell what he knew. de
said that the boy, Lamb, had done
the shooting and that ne could
prove it. As soon as the boy heard
that MAY had confessed to this, he
baoke down and told his part of
the story. The party were travel
ing in adjoining seats in the car.
Without any inducement or hope
of clemency he FASTENED to say:
II did the shooting and May got
me to do it. MAY said, ''Peddlers
ought all to be killed. We'll kill
him and get the money"
The men being together they
became enraged in the effort to
shift the guilt. They called each
other liars and the whole story
came out. Taking the tale Of each
which the constables gave us, the
story is as follows: May had shot
gun which was no good. They Dor
rowed another shot qua from Hell.
mick which was a hard shooting
gun. Lamb took this gun and hid
behind hemloch stump at the
road side. The peddIel came along
carrying his heavy pack. Lamb
shot him. May was on the other
side of the road. May and Lamb
instantly approached the body and
cut the straps of the pack They
rifed the clothes and secured S2o
in money and some checks. They
took the packs, threw them be-
hind brush pile within few
steps of the road and May took the
BODY of the peddler by the two
arms and dragged him down a log
way getting blood on his clothes.
The men were evidently panic
stricken and were Gil the spot but
a few minutes. They made no
effort to conceal the blood tint in
the road. They divided the money
taking $14 each. Lamb took
O old watch and some checks. Nav
60 be oot his mart of the money