The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-04-25
TESTIMONY TENDS TO PROVE
SUICIDE STORY.
witnesses Tell Of Seeing Revolver in
Left Hand-To Complete In
guest This Evening.

While the testimony given last
night in the Westlake inquest tends to
prove Tie suicide theory, Coroner
Nichols Is not yet entirely satisfied
and viii examine few additional
witnesses this evening. The wife OF
the dead man. against whom some
suspicion has been directed. tells a
straight story of the shooting. which
is corroborated in many details by
the testimony of other witnesses. In
spite OF this, however. there is no
good explanation of how the dead man
could have inflicted the two wounds
found on his body.
Gobber's Story.
The inquest was held i'm the city
police court rooms. Assistant Prose
cutting Attorney F. l.. Maury repre-
senting the state. The first witness
called TO the stand was Nick Cob
Der. who lived next door TO the West
lakes. Gobber is an intelligent for
eigner. and speaks fairly good Eng
fish. ana his testimony was given in
prompt and straightforward manner.
He told first OF hearing quarrel in
the Westlake house at six O'Clock in
the morning. Coming TO the time OF
the tragedy, Gobber told OF hearing
two shots fired. the first OF which
sounded faint 10 him. while the sec
ond made loud report. Immediately
following The shots. Mrs. Westlake
called his wife. and he went with her
into the house. lie saw Westlake
lying on the floor apparently dead.
while Mrs. Westlake was standing
about three steps away. with her arms
folded. The revolver was tightly
gripped in Westlake's left hand Al
ter the witness spoke 10 Mrs. West
lake, she began To cry and said. He
shot himself The witness stated
that Westlake had talked to- him of
his wife several times. and that he
always spoke well OF her
Physicians Testify.
The second witness was DR. y. A.
Haning, who happened To be attend
ing sick child in the immediate
neighbOrhood, and was called in lew
minutes after the shooting. DR. Han
ing found Westlake on the floor with
wounds IN the lett arm and left side Of
the head. The revolver al that time
Was several inches away from Nest
lakes lett hand. with the handle near
est the hand.
DR.. J. \. Campbell. who assisted in
the autopsy. next testified. Dr. Camp
bell described the bullet wounds on
the inside of the left arm below the
elbow and on the left side Of the head
near the left ear. lie told OF finding
powder burns on the skin around both
wounds. indicating that the weapon
must have been held very close Ia the
body From the course of the bull
let ia the brain. he judged that the
revolver had been held al an angle
Dr. Campbell WAS OF the opinion that
man might shoot himself as de-
scribcd with his right hand
Dr Campbell was followed by Br
T.. b. Plant. Who had charge OF the
autopsy. After describing III" wounds
Dr. Plant expressed the opinion that
lie man shot himself. if at all. with
hIs LEFT hand. and that the wound m
she left arm Was inflicted first. His
reason for this was that the amount
OF laceratiOu of the brain would have
rendered it practically impossible Tor
81 man To have shot himself after that
wound was inflicted. DR. Plant thought
o. possible for Wcstlake 10 have com
mitted suicide. but not probable from
the position OF the wounds.
Charles GOkOpeth. 20 foreigner. who
lives near the Wesfiake house. and
who was among tho first ON tho scene
of the tragedy. gave testimony which
strongly cOrroborlted that Of Gobber.
lie told of seeing She revolver in the
Lett hand Of the dead man of acct
d"ntally kicking Dr. ont OF his hand
as he passed him This would ac-
count for the position OF the weapon
when DE- Hauing arrived
David Jacob. who is employed at
thr kichiaud coal works. told Of go
iuE tO Wosflakc's residence before
noon sunday to borrow some books.
Tie said that there seemed 10 be- no
roh.r between We-flrkc aud his wife.
and that Mrs Wcsflakc helped her
husband Oh with his coat as he start
ID 10 accompany witness TO the mine.
Wife cross-ESanined.
The la-t witness examined was Mrs
Ncsfiaks. who was subjected to a So
we're cross. examination by both Cor.
Dn'r Nichols and Prosecutor Naurv.
TIER story agreed iu detail with that
which She told tle coroner ON Sun
day. aud fho-. present agreed that 90
Doc were guilty OF taking ans part
W fh. death off Inr husband sIo WIS
20 cnr-uWWIfr actress Mrs Wc-flnkc
told of fhc trouble shc aud her hu-
band bad over lis son hr Dis first
marriage. whom Dr." brought fu 1.-Two
with fh'm short Time arD She
said thof 3d." whipped fhe boy for
miH chi'. Do" bad gotten into. and chat
ibis caused H"r husband fo become
intensely anrr. They Gu1rroIrd snv-