The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-09
IDOON[ WILL ADMIT
KNOWING WHAT
KILLED BUIR|CK
Testimony Much Mixed at
the Coroners Inquest
Today.
ON. ! /. WITNESS TAINTED
Direct Cause Of Death Was
Terrific Blow Upon the
Head.
ONE WITNESS TAINTED.

An inquest was held this morning
assto the manner In which Mike But.
rick came to his death last Thursday.
Nike was injured in a fight at Downs
and soven men have been In the coun-
& tyfjail ever since. So far q mystery
surrounds the circumstances Of Mixes
death and though all seven Of these
men and other witnesses besides haye
been questioned long and closely, no
Slightest clue as to the murderer has
yet come to light. The seven men who
appeared before q jury this morning
3tesali Russians except one. An In.
tetpreter repeated each question and
translated the answer.
II required two hours this morning
to put four men through the rigorous
examination necessary and John Nep-
sa tainted entirely away at an import.
ant moment during his testimony
which stopped proceedings for mo.
ment or two. The window In the
small room adj Joining the county court
room was opened wide and much cold
water was dashed In, Nepsa's face. He
came to, choking and splutterihg; and
iiiss testimony was continued.
pf. RamaEes John Nepsa, Andy
FQpfl and Iakin Kozir were examined.
Tlleif testimony, weighed carefully.
seemed 10 imply that Mike Butrick
had come to his death through an in.
istty to his head which caused concus-
sion Of the brain-that injury brought
about through contact Of some sort
with heavy implement. A wide,
heavy board and small, fiat shovel
without handle we're found to have
been used In the fight but none Of tho
testimony this morning brought to
light who used these weapons.
Jhldm Kozir told two different stor.
les and shyed entirely away from any
knowledge Of the shovel and Its part
IN the fight. Andy Popil good natured.
" st1ck to his story which has been
repeated number OF times. that he
was 90 entirely drunk that he remem-
bered nothing at all OF any nature.
The fight occurred at q pig killing at
house No. so at Downs. According to
Testimony three gallons OF pickhandle
was disposed Of just before the fight
began. a soldier figures In the mys
terynaine unknown to the six Rus
eiens. Three small children, the old.
{ est six pears Of age, the offspring Of
John Nepsa at whose house the mur
der occurred, say they know nothing
ofSWhat happened. Nepsa says two OF
these children were asleep and the
other Q mere baby was too young to
understand.
Prosecuting Attorney Haggerty ask.
ed DR.. RamaEe, who testified first
+ whether he thought it was possible
fora man to fall down nine steps and
receive the injury which killed him
Rahage didn't believe 1t was at all
likely. Attorney Haggerty stated that
there was that number Of steps goin.
down from the back OF the house and
another nine or ten steps going up to
q small clubhouse in the rear OF house
M. 50. There were stones and thorny
bushes about. The walk to the out
hofihe was rough and difficult for a
iifnhken man to manage.
Dr.. RamaSe stated that Mike Bur
rick was brought to him 4 full day aft
erreceiying his injury and that he was
I Continued on Dage four.)
- q = st.I j. = q