The Republican., 1925-06-18
4,YAGONER GIRL RELEASED
FROM CUMBERLAND JAIL
Officials of Allegany County are
Convinced She Had No Part
in Death of Gortner

convinced DeyOnQ q DOUBT that
Miss Nellie F. Wagner, of Alaska,
w. Va, gave truthful account-as
far as she remembered-of the mur-
der of Arlington Gortner, on John
sons Heights early Saturday morn
ing, June 9Th, States Attorney Will
liam A. Hustler Friday ordered the
girls release from the county Jail,
where she was held pending an in
vestigation of the case. She at once
returned to the Queen City Hotel,
where she is employed as a pantry
woman, and will resume her duties
this morning.
Miss Wagner was with Gortner at
the time he was shot and told authori-
ties that while they were sitting at
the top of Johnson's Heights, a
strange man, whom she was unable
to identify, came up and after shoot
ing Gortner assaulted her. She
steadfastly maintained this story
during the week she was held in jail,
and although she was severely grilled
a number of times she did not change
even a detail of the account.
The authorities were skeptical of
her story until Friday, when she con-
vinced them she was telling the truth.
The girl was taken to the home of
her parents about three miles beyond
Alaska, W. Va, Friday by States
Attorney Hustler and County Investi-
gator Terrence ]. Boyle. On arriving
there the officers again told her they
believed her statement was not alto
gether truthful and that they were
under the impression she was shield
ing someone. They told her, in the
presence of her family, that if she
would tell the truth and help them
establish the identity of the murderer,
they would release her at once and
allow her to remain at her home.
Added to the urging of the officers
were the pleas of the girls parents,
@ner eighty y-seveH-yeaI-oid grand
shother and her brothers and sisters,
who, with tears streaming from their
eyes, prevailed upon her to tell the
truth about the matter.
"The suspense is killing me-" the
girls mother moaned. "Tell them all
you know about the affair and get it
over" she sobbed.
Mother, I'm telling all l know
about it-and I'm telling the TRUTH"
the girl chokingly replied.
l can't make any other statement,
because if l did l would have to lie
about it ALL" she sobbed, after she
had again rehearsed her oft-repeated
story Of the murder and the assault
upon her.
States Attorney Huster and Coun-
ty Investigator Boyle insisted that.
she must be shielding someone. 81
would not tell lie for anyone /
know" the girl cried. 81 have no one
to shield"
4 ibis point States Attorney Hus-
ter interrupted the girl to impress
upon her the fact that she had moth
ing to fear from anyone and that
she would be fully protected should
her statement aid in the capture of
the murderer. Still she remained
steadfast in her stand that she was
telling nothing but the truth.
When the officers concluded quiz
ing the girl, which was done out in
the orchard beyond the house, in the
presence of her parents-they al
lower her to mingle with her four
brothers and two sisters, who tear
fully urged her to tell all she knew
so that she could return to them. To
their pleas the girl also remained
steadfast that she was telling moth
ing but the truth.
After some delay during which
they gave the girl ample time to talk
with her relatives, the officers told
her to get ready to accompany them
back to Jail. When this was done
her parents, and even her brothers
and sisters, became frantic in their
appeal, and the hue and cry they
raised could be heard hundreds of
yards away.
The mother, grabbing the States
Attorney by the arm, tearfully insist
ed that her daughter was always
n truthful and obedient girl and that
sshe was absolutely sure she gave a
correct account of the affair on John
sons Heights.
Notwithstanding the pleas of the
family and the fact that the girl sob
bed over and over on her way back
to Cumberland that she would "die if
she had to stay in jail another day."
the officers said nothing about her re-
lease until they reached the portals
of the jail