The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-10-12
Date ofLuther Raber's Mur-
der Fixed. as Wednes-
day, Sept. 20.
TWO MEN HEARD SHOTS
Coroner's Jury to resume
Inquest Today at
Warrington.

Additional information unearthed
during the last as hours by Sheriff
G. D. Conway and said to practically
complete the strong chain OF circum.
stantial evidence connecting Joseph
Raber with the murder OF his broth.
er, Luther Raber, will be offered as
testimony at al adjourned session of
the coroner's jury in Mannington this
afternoon at 4 o'clock.
The new evidence fixes the time Of
the murder as Wednesday evening,
September %. about dark, instead Of
Thursday night, at time according
TO the officers, when Joseph Raber
was In the vicinity of Warrington. The
time al which Luther Raber left home
for the last time has been fixed as
Wednesday afternoon, 1t Is said.
The new witnesses include seyeral
men who heard two shots In rapiu
succession u bout dark "Wednesday. eve.
ming In theswoods neariwhere the body
was found with two bullet wounds IN
the head the following Saturday. One
Oh these witnesses is Silas Toothma,,.
who says he heard the shots ;Wednes.
day evening on the road near Mods
hun, while he was directing man
now to reach by a short cut church
where a prayer meeting service was
being conducted. Wesley Patterson.
who was working in field In the same
vicinity also says that he heard two
shots. The prayer meeting OH Wed.
nosday night, 1t is .shid, fixes positively
the time when Toothman heard. the
shots.
Mrs. Alice Afford, married sister OF
the murdered man and OF the man ac.
cused OF the crime, who at first said
that Luther Raber left home for the
last time Thursday afternoon at 4
oclocR, Is not convinced, she saws,
that It was Wednesday afternoon at
! o'clock that she saw him for the
last time alive. She fixes the dale
now as on Wednesday because Wed.
nesday was wash day, and she remem.
bers. she says, that the last thing
Luther did for her before leaving was
to help her. with the washing.
Although it has been 10 days since
the body was found and the story Of
the sensational murder circulated, no
persons have been found by the Of.
tcers who say that they. saw Luther
Raber alive after early dusk Wednes.
day, the time at which the new eyi.
dence fixes for the death OF Luther
Raber.
The practically conclusive evidence
In the hands OF the county officers
that Joseph Raber. left Mannington for
Wheeling Thursday afternoon shortly
before a O'Clock and that he returned
on the Baltimore G Ohio train known
as the hummer" which was late and
did not reach Warrington until nearly
4 o'clock Friday morning, would have
established an alibi for Joseph Raber
II the murder had been committed
Thursday night, as the early. evidence
tended to indicate. Such an alibi
might have cleared Joseph Raber Of
having fired the actual shots which
killed his brother. although It would
not necessarily have disproyed a
charge OF having conspired with Allen
Warner and Frank Dunn, now In the
county Jail on charges growing out OF
the crime.
The inquest, which will be continued
by the jury this afternoon beginning
at 4 o'clock in Warrington, will be
presided over by Coroner Frank A.
Lloyd. Prosecuting Attorney Tusca
Morris will conduct the examination
OF the witnesses.