The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-12
Fred Shaver of Monongah
is Killed by Shot Gun
Wound.
FIGHT ENDS IN DEATH
Prisoner in County Jail is
Badly Cut About the
Head.

He was coming at me, and I told
him to stop. he had beaten me until
blood was flowing from wounds al
over ne. my nose was broken and was
stopping my breathing. my head was
badly cut and bruised where he and
King had kicked me while down and
II was afraid OF him.
II had the shotgun to protect my
self long enough to get to a doctors
office. When he saw me with the
gun he ran up the hill to get me and
when he came close ne threw his right
hand back this way, Coward his right
hip pocket as though he had gun.
saw 1t had to be one Of US and
shot"
Thus spoke Hoy Christner. through
the bars in his cell this morning. He
was put in jail yesterday evening,
after having been arrested by Officer
Alva Moore. OF Mohongah. for having
shot and instantly killed Fred Shaver,
known as Buckeye" at Monongah.
Christner i'll his cell was very sick,
suffering with terrible wounds about
the head, broken nose, one eye clot.
ted with coagulated- blood. and an In.
jured spine. He could not bend from
The injury to his back. All his injuries
he said had come about through the
beating received at the hands of Fred
Shaver and Lee King who Christner
says kicked him numerically after
knocking him down.
Christner was on his way from
work. He lived on the Thoburn side
of the West Fork river. Shaver lived
IN the MCnOngah side. Shaver &C.
companied by Lee King had gone
across the river ostensibly to wait for
Christner. When Christner came
along he was attacked. he says, and
knocked down by Shaver and then
King and Shaver kicked him into un-
consciousness and left him. Mrs.
ChristEGr then went to her husbasd
and poured whiskGy into his mouth to
revive him. AS soon as revived he
went TO his home and was further
treated there by his wife.
Mrs. Christner insisted that Hoy 60
at once to a physician and see what
the cause of the excessive amount Of
flowing blood was. Christner telling
his wife that he was afraid Shaver
and King were waiting to waylay him,
took along Che says for protection)
Winchester repeating shot gun.
When he had gone some distance
he saw Roy Adds, Lee King and Fred
Shaver waiting for him. King and
adds. seing Christner coming with
shot gun got under cover of the Mo.
nongah Valley traction depot. Shaver
went into the store in the station and
is said TO have asked for gun. re
volver Whether he got the gun or
not could not be learned but no weap
en- was reported found on him.
Shaver. after leaving the store then
climbed the flight OF steps leading to
the street overlooking the station and
went 80 feet further to meet Christ
mer. Shaver had been persuaded by
his friends to leave Christner alone
10 stay away from him while he had
the gun but Shaver weHt regardless.
When about 10 feet from Christner,
the latter told Shaver to stop, don't
COME near me or I'll shoot"
Shaver came nearer. Aagain Christ.
ner told him TO stop. When Chrfstner
for the third time told Shaver to halt,
the latter, according to the prisoner
made a motion toward his hip pocket
-whereNpon a report sounded and
Shaver fell face downward in the mud,
Christner went home. Roy Adds ran
for a policeman and brought Chief
Continued on page nine.)