Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-06-15
THE NEWS OF
WEST VIRGINIA

niles from here. was almost destroy
ID by hre. The fire was started By
burglars that blew The safe In the
Jcstofice. The explosion set IRE to
he building and quickly spread to
Esdjoining dwellings. The inhabit-
| tnts were unaware of the cause Of
ne fire until 1t had been extinguish-
I'd. There is no fire-fighting ap-
'aratus within reach of the COM
nunity and the blaze was fought by
Ii bucket brigade.
Before the flames had been stop
led 1S dwellings. besides the post
'ffice and general store were de-
troyed.
The burglars made their escape
While the fire was being fought, and
here is no clue as to the number or,
he direction in which they fed.
they got about 5000 in currency and
tamps. The loss is estimated at
about $50. 900.
| Wheeling After writing a note
isking that his body be buried Sun
lay afternoon at 4 o'clock, House
treat Leaser, 81 years of age,
ounder of the town of Leaserville,
promoter of street car lines and
cry wealthy man, committed sui
'ide at his home at Wellsburg by
iring q pistol ball through his head.
/ he had been in Ill health for some
ime past, and it is believed that this
vas the cause of his rash act.
Piedmont Harry and Donald
Albright, aged S and 10 years, sons
and only children of Donald Albright,
/ OF Piedmont, and Clements OFT, of
Grafton, aged 8 years, who was Wis
lttng relatives here with his aunt,
Miss Kate O'Gorman, while playing
with three other boys, were acct
dentally drowned In the Potomac
river. They were standing on
board, which broke and precipitated
four of them into the water. The
youngest one, Gladstone Leighty,
managed to catch stone wall and
crawled out up through stable.
Some italian track hands made a
futile attempt to recover them with
their picks. The water is SO high
and the current so swift 1t may be
weeks before the bodies can be found.
Bethany.-At the annual meeting
Of trustees of Bethany College, mem
bers of the board OF trustees were
elected, new teachers employed, sal
aries increased and reports made of
the progress OF buildings being erect
ed and finances of the school gone
over. The board Of trustees will
be composed of Judge Joseph R.
Lamar, Associate Justice of the SUI
preme Court of the United States,
Washington; Hon. William M Mays,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture of
the United States, Washington; Hon.
] w. G. Pendleton, Warren, Ohio; Hon.
A. b. McDee, New York City.
Clarksburg .-Thomas Ramage, Il.
young and well-known member Of the
Clarksburg bar and an active poll
tician, has disappeared, leaving his
affairs in very tangled condition.
The grand jury returned. a true bill
for felony against Ramage. He IL
/ charged with receiving money from
the Phoenix Preferred Accident In
surance Company, of Detroit, Mich,
with which to settle claim and
converting 1t to his own use. He is
also charged with issuing bad checks
! for several hundred dollars before
his departure. His obligations, in
Guiding Endorsed notes in banks and
trust funds in his hands, will, 1T Is
said, amount to about $8, 200. Ram
age was last heard from at Vim
cennes, Ind He was recently mar
ried here, and his wife is Frustrated.
I New Martinsyille. There will be
no saloons in Wetzel county for an
other year to come. The county
court. in session here, passed an or
der that no saloon licenses are to be
issued In the county for one year.
This means that Wetzel county takes
her place In the dry column and that
a number Of thirst parlors will go
out of business.
Gentry Marion Adkins saw John
Willis walking with Miss Louisa
Berry, whom he was soon to marry,
and thinking Miss Berry was his
wife, whom he suspected of meeting
another man, Adkins shot and in
stantly killed Willis. Miss Berry is
In q serious condition from shock.
Adkins is under arrest charged with
murder.
Fairmont. David, seven-year-oid
son and only child of u. e. Ander-
son, leading merchant here, was
killed near his home while playing
in a sandbank He had made q
cavern in the embankment and was
under it when sand fell. breaking his
neck. His parents are almost pros
trated with grief.
Bethany. Fifty-one students of
Bethany Collegewere graduated from.
that institution. They represented
almost all the states of the Union.
Gov William e. Glasscock delivered
the address to the graduation class.
Martinsburg The annual COM
mencement exercises Of the Martins
burg High School were held in as
sembly hall at the High School Build
ing. The principal address was de-
livered by Hervin u Roop, president
Of Eastern College, Manassas. Va.
The sa1utatory address was delivered
by Miss Mary Ethel Downs and the
valedictory by James Carl Fisher,
members Of the graduating class.
The diplomas were presented to the
eyra ii. az 90 Nv lam 40 n Taafrtolr Get