Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-07-23
WEST VIRGINIA ITEMS.

At Wheeling a few days ago Gin.
ton Finley shot at mad dog and
killed Charles Snodgrass. nine-year'
old boy.
A. D. Smith, division commander
of the United Sons of Confederate Vet
Grams, has called the fret annu-
al reunion OF the West Virginia Dlvis.
ion to meet at Beverly September
Both next.
The Democrats of Taylor county
had a lively convention at Grafton
last Saturday. There were two fac
tons, one led by Col. john T. Nc
Graw and the other by A. j. Wilkin.
con. Col. McGraw easily carried of
the donors, and he was elected dele
gate.at large to the State convention.
Frank johnson, a negro desperate,
was hanged in the West Virginia Pen
iteutiary at Moundsville last Friday
for the murder OF a colored woman
near Fairmont who had refused to
elope with him. Before he was swung
into eternity the villain confessed that
he had murdered four other men and
women during the past twelve years,
besides shooting three others whose
fate he did not know.
Gen. E. L. Boggs, private secretary
to Governor Dawson, and DR.. V. l..
Guthrie, of The State Asylum at Hunt
ington, will leave this week for Ashe-
vile, N. c., where they will confer
with the Governor, who is there now
being treated for tuberculosis. While
the Governor is said to be improving,
DR.. Guthrie, who attended him before
leaving the State, fears all may not be
well, and will advise Governor Daw-
con to go to Colorado if hia health is
not greatly improved.
The new Democratic congressional
committee for the second district has
been appointed as follows: Barbour
county, Benjamin Woodford; Berkeley,
]. F. Thompson Grant, R. W. Baker
Hampshire, ]. Sloan KuYkendall
Hardy, S. A. Mccoy; Jefferson, S. G.
Young; Mineral, Luther 7. Carscadon
Monongalia, ]. D, Stewart; Morgan,
P. R. Lawyer; Pendleton, William
Mccoy Preston, j. Slidell Brown /;
Randolph. Lew Greynold; Taylor,
Thomas P. Kenny Tucker, ]. H.
Dean.
One of the most brutal murders
that ever occurred in that section
took place at Slanesville, just over the
West Virginia line, in Hampshire
county, ..ast Friday night, when John
W. Chapman, of Winchester, a we'll
to.do business man, was shot down
from ambush and almost instantly
killed. Mr.. Chapman operated a
large -four and planning mill and store
at Slanesville, and was at that place
looking after his interests when the
tragedy occurred. The clerks, with
Mr.. Chapman's son Granville, were
closing the store for the night and Mr..
Chapman was taking his leave when,
just as he was stepping fIom the store
porch, two shots rang out in quick
succession. Mr.. Chapman fell on the
steps of his store with Gaping gun
shot wound in his breast. His son
rushed to his aid, but the wounded
man died in few minutes without
being able to give the name of his as.
sailant, who had disappeared in the
bushes across the road. Mystery sur.
rounds the tragedy. A little more
THAI month ago Mr.. Chapman's mill
was destroyed by an incendiary fire,
and it is believed that the same part
les are implicated in last nights muir.
der. 1t is reported that Mr.. Chap.
man was threatened by certain per-
sons in the vicinity. Mr.. Chapman
was 81 years Of age. He is survived
by a widow and one son.