The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-07-24
AGED RECLUSE MURDERED
NEAR KEYSER, WEST VA.
John Wilson. Native of Garrett
County, Killed By Youth.

old recluse, son of the late Jonathan
| Wilson, of Wilson, this county, who
had been missing from his home near
keyser, West Va, for almost a week,
was found early Sunday morning, rid
died with shot and hidden under the
brushwood about $50 yards from the
shack in which he lived. Late Sunday
afternoon William Grimm, aged 20
years, of LIMERICK, West Va, was ar
rested in connection with the murder,
and is alleged to have confessed to
Sheriff c. E. Nethken, of Mineral
county, West Va, that he killed VIII
son last Monday to get revenge for
an old grudge"
Wilson, who was slightly demented
from an accident sustained about %
years ago, had become quite a char
acter in and around Keyser, and when
he was not seen for several days his
neighbors and friends became uneasy.
I Several of them went to Keyser Sat
urday evening and told their story to
the chief of police, who advised them
to go back and search Wilson'S house.
searching party set out early
Sunday morning, and on their arri-
val at the house found everything
strewn about the floor with trunks,
cupboards and other receptacles open
and their contents scattered. Outside
they found sled in which the old
man hauled his farm tools to and from
/ his fields. In the sled also was
large quantity of seed potatoes, which
the man was planting on the day he
was killed
Extending their search the party
found the body covered with brush
wood, about $50 yards from the shack.
1t was left lying where it was found
and few hours later Sheriff C. E.
Nethken took coroner's jury to the
spot, and upon examination the jurors
reached the conclusion the man died
from gunshot wounds.
Sheriff Nethkin then investigated
the case and was informed that VIII
liam Grimm, who at one time had
made his home with Wilson, had sold
horse and a shot gun last week.
Further investigation disclosed that
| the horse answered the description of
one owned by Wilson, which had dis
appeared about the time the man him
self was missed.
Acting on the clues obtained Sher-
if Nethkin went to Cabin Run, where
he arrested Grimm. The latter is
said to have Immediately admitted
the murder, and to have stated that
it was committed about o'clock last
Monday afternoon.
According to Sheriff Nethkin,
Grimm said he went to Wilson's shack
early in the afternoon and loafed
around until the man returned from
his fields. When he was within fifteen
feet of him he shot him down, Grimm
is alleged to have stated; adding,
81 wanted to get even with him for
saying l stole his chickens about
three years ago"
After killing Wilson, Grimm is al
legged to have confessed that he pulled
the body down in the woods and after
taking bunch of keys from the peck
cts of the mans clothing, returned to
the house, which he also searched.
Although he conducted his search
in thorough manner, the boy found
only three cents in money, he is al
legged to have told Sheriff Nethken.
Wilson was known to be quite pc
cunious and was reputed to have a
large sum of money hidden in the
shack where he lived. However, it
/ developed Sunday that he put all his
money in bank at Keyser, and kept
very little near him. Although sever
al suits of clothes in good condition
! were found in his shack, Wilson
dressed very shabby according to peo-
pie of Keyser.
Grimm is a son of Mr.. and Mrs.
| Samuel Gflmm, OIL OaDln nun, out
the boy made his home with Robert
Grapes at Limerick, near Keyser. He
is now being held at the Keyser Jail
for a preliminary hearing.
Wilson, who lived the life of a re-
cluse in later years, had a number of
relatives living in this vicinity. His
body was taken to Wilson Monday for
! burial.
/ He was never married and is sur
vived by two sisters, Mrs. Ella Feeley,
of Wilson, and Mrs. H. C. Homan, of
| Antioch, Nd.
/ Maryland tuberculosis AssOcia-
tiOn Clinic