The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-05-02

The word crime" conveys at
mental glance the thought murder"
There are crimes and crimes; but
The taking of life ranks topmost in
the list. The average American city
murder record is 4 comparatively
short ono.
IN the period of twelve years 200
lives have been snuffed out in one
OF the larger cities under condi-
lions thar justified police records in
listing them as murders.
During This time there have been
several tragic happenings with sur
~roundiDGs so obscure and nystify-
ing as TO leave forever unanswered
the Question: Was it suicide or
mdrder2" Only zoo stand cata-
loeued murders.
A few OF these are notable, either
because OF the prominence OF the
victim, in social or business life. on
because of unusual incidents or
methods surrounding The crime.
As manifold as are the methods Of
murderers are the reasons ascribcd
Tor their deeds. Trifiing provoca-
tions. petty, minute, have caused
brutal murders. Strong human pas
sious of love and jealousy. the greed
for gold. or defense of honor have
not been more potent in inspiring
the wrath that leads 10 murder than
have trivial differences of opinion
concerning the location of window.
the hour of The suns rising or the
color of girls eyes
A quarrel over The loan of a sarb-
age pail caused one cold-bIooded
murder in this city q few years ago
An argument about the date of a
street car transfer was paid for with
two lives; and. because one mans
sensitiyeness caused him 10 think
another was passing remarks about
him." a murder was committed. and
the pcrpctrator OF the deed is at
present engaged in paying twenty
years of his life as The price.
The first murder OF the year 1900
IN that city was that of policeman
Killed while on duty. Previous % that
time only three policemen had been
killed while in the discharge OF their
duty. The first victim was IN 1876. IN
1889 while bringing members of i
gang ono OF the detectives was shot
and killed. In 1894 sergeant was
Shot 10 death while on duty
The murder thar headed the list
for the year 1900 was by far The most
spectacular OF the lot /; IS also the
only crime on record in that city
where murderer was executed for
the killing of a police officer. AS
setting for the meiodramatic Incl
dents OF this killing. nothing more
suspicious could have been selected.
The day, a beautiful Sunday in May:
the hour. peaceful. quiet one of
the early evening and the place =
simple little residence street where
each ueighbor knew every other.
and where friendly interest IN The
comings and seinss and doinss of
The people next door was natural
and expected.
The friendly interest of neishbor
for neighbor on that quiet little
street disclosed the presence in
the ncighborhood OF man I'M
.questionably on mischief bent y
ueiShbor was away from home Busy
3about her evening tasks another not
cd the lonely closed up house. Sud-
denly it was no longer deserted. a
light appeared here and again there.
a man was walking about in the up
stairs rooms. Were the people 81
home2 No, the form was unfa-
miIiar: mis- actions were suspicious.
Anotfer's attention was called 10
rho strange presence and. curiosi-
" aroused. policemen were sum