The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-01-21
Old Man
Kills Son
And Self
Terrible Tragedy is Enacted
on Sabbath Day Near the
Town of Shinnston.
FORMER INSANE MAN
Attacks His Wife, Then Kills
Son and Commits Suicide
to Escape Posse.

stIiNNsToN. Jan. iS-4At the vir-
ginia-Maryland Coal companys
mine on Mudlick Run. Sunday after
noon, one of the most serious shoot
ing afrrays in the history Of Harrison
county took place. As a result two
men are dead and one woman is SER
iously wounded.
! The trouble started when Henry
| Pyles. aged about % years, became
/ crazed by too much bad liquor and
began TO abuse his wife, finally at
lacking her with coal pick, striking
her on the head causing quite SER
1 ious wound.
Son Interfcrcs.
| His son, Frank Pyles, young
man about % years OF age, inter
posed for the protection of his moth
er, which so enraged the father that
he got Il shot gun and fired Its
contents into The sons breast. kill
\ ilS mn. iHSla1Lly.
/ The old man then left The house.
armed with the gun and plenty of
ammunition, and took position on
top of cliff Of rocks above the
house.
4 hurry call was sent to Shinas-
ign for officers. and Justice CYRUS
Thompson. accompanied by Town
Sergeant T. B. Smell and Constable
u w. HaIbert, went to the scene.
but upons their approach, Pyles in
formed them that he would shoot the
first man that came near.
! Fires at Officers.
'By this time quite a crowd of men
had gathered and they proceeded to
surround the man VINO took refuge
,, in nearby tract OF woodland, and
as the pufsuers drew in upon him he
made his threat good by firing ~.
Sergeant Smell, who saved himself
by Jumping behind tree Severa.
shots We're then exchanged, but ow-
ing to the approaching darkness and
the protection of the trees. none OF
The pnrsuers were struck. but Pylcs
was hit In leg by a bail.
Commits Suicide.
Ills ammunition being about gone,
and realizing that he must surrender
or die, he took the matter in his own
hands and turned the gun upon him
self, blowing the top of his head of.
bespattering the fence ana surround
ing bushes with his blood ana brains.
by this tine i; was SO dark that
the pursuers, though they saw his
body fall, could NOT tell whether he
had shot himself or was using that
method as a ruse 10 draw some Of
them out from shelter, that he might
shoot them. But US it became dark .
er. Sergeant Smell steathily an
proscaed near enough 10 learn the
truth.
III Asylum once.
Pyles had at one time been an In
mate OF the insane asylum at IVES.
ton. and it is supposed thatthe effect
OF the liquor had been 10 cause a
returp. of the insanity.
lDr. ]. s. Maloy was called ana
dressed the woman's wounds. who
at first was reported as fatally In
iured, but it is ne% thought that sha
will recover.
Jury is impancled.
Meanwhile the Justice had sum.
moned a coronefss jury composed o.
= L. iPigott, +. T.. Ashcraft. p AZ
Blaine, Z. II. Long, Bart Long ana
Arthur Nnll all of shinnston. The
Jury had arrived and viewed the
sons. body as It iay on the aoor,
where It fell. The shooting outside
which had continued ceased about
the time they We're through. A man
ran down the hill and the Justice
asked L Pyles had been captured
Yes said the man. Then bring
MN. The body was carried down
by the men. Auother man followed.
csrrSiss the brains of The dead man
IN his hat. The body was laid down
In theSyard and the Drains placed be-
side It. The cosoner viewed it and
went home.
Carpenters are bnsy re-shelving
the room in2the Con block on Main
street recently vacated by the r. c