Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-06-18
Mrs. Jacob Pryor

man could stand the strain of the lone-|
ly days in the deep woods, he nungerl
of a self-imposed exile, without the|
woman-the inevitable woman. The|
fugitive must be fed; he must haVei
ammunition, and, above all he must1
have whisky, for on whisky he liyes-|
Despite the fact that she has entered
a denial of aiding the outlaw, Mrs.
Jacob Pryor is credited with giying|
him the food and whisky, that hasl
helped him to extend his period on
hiding. Among near neighbors of the|
Romans she has never been known aSI
their enemy, but one can never tell I'M
those hillside communities where tbe|
skein of friendship will break. Herr
self a woman of more than 80, by n5|
means prepossessing and bearing thd(
evidences of her hard life she stil3
has about her a charm that would enj
snare a more intelligent man than McJ
fCusker. On her the countryside bas|
centered as the helper of the cutlaw(
Suspected Mrs. Pryor.
Richard Roman, father of the murt
dered boy, declaring that he suspected
Mrs. Pryor's part in aiding the fugi1
tive and trailed her one day TO a very
inaccessible portion of the hills. She
carried food in a bag and was ~evidenty
ly going to meet some one. Stealing
up behind her, the elder Roman del
clares that before he could cry cut the
pair separated and the woman started
back to town to her home. Others IN
the neighborhood are willing witnessf
es to the fact that Mrs. Proyor. whose
husband is years older than her, is all
most blind and otherwise physically
disabled, has acted strangely in the
last two weeks and has been found al
very unusual places in the mountaipst
They are almost willing to swear thaY
she has been carrying succor to the
outlaw.
Made Firm Denial.
So hot did the talk about her bel
come that she went voluntarily "a
Hancock and there made oath before
Notary Swingle that she had not help
ed McCusker, and on this oath suspicI
ion must wait. But in the meanwhile
McCusker, if he is in the mountains7
and there are dozens to swear thai
they have seen him or his trail~nusy
be getting feod and drink and ammly
milton somewhere.
II McCusker is in the high hills bacl
of Round Top he must be fed, and M
must get his whisky. And on thf
Hancock bases its faith. Some da4
his supplies win be exhausted, am
the source of supply fail, ana the
McCusker must come TO light. ri
| must come down out OF the hills, dow
to civilization. and then Wen, nc|
body in Hancock is willing to sal
just what viii happen.
offered Reward.
The Hagerstown Mail of yesterda
says:
"The County Court took up the ma
fer of offering Claude McCusker $lOv
to come back and surrender. 1t wal
thought this would .look big to hin
| and there WAS mutH TAIN, ihciO NoX
also talk of going after him wit
some of DR.. Cooks gumdrops. He goI
the pole that way; maybe Claud
would get the i've
States Attorney Armstrong an
Sheriff Barber saw the County today
They suggested a reward sufficient n
be enticing. The State represented
the poor outlook it made for thi
county to be allowing a murdered n
wander about in our woods unmolesl
ed and unrewarded and the value a
hanging up a good purse for his RI
turn. alive or dead.
"The County finally offered what thu
law allows-s100, so anyone, ON tn
arrest and conviction of Claude, wi
get that muchsfor the arrest. Claud
is hat poor and run down he is nc(
worth, in his present condition. AMI
more.
st was thought the County woull
make t $3.50 and have the contest
more exhilerating."