Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-18
Justice of the Peace and
JaiIer Among Victims of
Shotgun Wounds.
GIRL AND 2 WOMEN
ARE WOUNDED BY HIM
West Virginian Is Captured by
Sheriff Who Was Among Quintet
Named on Death Roll"
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RC)MNEY. w. Va, December 18.-
Three persons were killed and three
others were wounded by an apparently
liquor crazed man who visited them at
their homes here early today and shot
them down with a shotgun. A justice
of the peace, the county jailer and an
other man were slain. An 1l-year-old
girl and two women were injured.
One of the men, Asa Wolford, %, was
slain as he sat at the bedside of his
father who was i'll. The county jailer,
Ben E. Miller, SIS, was shot down at the
Jail, where he lived. Miller was decapi-
tated by the charge from the shotgun.
List of Names Is Found.
Walter Crabtree, IS, was arrested as
the slayer an hour after the man
had walked through the streets of
the town dealing out death with his
shotgun Crabtree completed six
month Jail sentence two weeks ago. He
had been jailed for possessing liquor.
County authorities said list of names
including those of the slain men were
found on Crabtree. These names were
believed to have composed death
list" of the mans intended victims
Sheriff Saville said that while Crab
tree appeared to be very much intoXi-
Gated, he was not certain that liquor
had caused him to commit the crimes.
He did not appear to be so drunk
when we arrested him." the sheriff ex-
planned. Residents of the town claimed
Crabtree had talked previously OF the
he
sheriff said the man had been jailed
from time to time.
None of Wounded Hurt Seriously.
The slain Justice of the peace was H
C. Inskeep, so, a prominent citizen OF
the town. He was called to the door OF
his home and shot in the abdomen
Inskeep was the second to be killed.
The wounded persons were Mrs. Car
RE Wright, Mrs. Grace Woolford and
Mildred Holt, IL. Sheriff j. B. Saville
said none of them was seriously hurt.
Sheriff Saville and State Trooper
Joe Horne were summoned to the
home of Crabtree's father this morn
ing, where they learned OF the
killings. The father, S. D. Crabtree,
told the sheriff his son was upstairs.
The sheriff found young Crabtree COM
pleting the cleaning of a shotgun.
The officers said search OF the
young mans clothing disclosed the list
of names. Besides the name Of Sheriff
Saville and those of the slain men. the
list bore the name of former Sheriff
Ruckman.
Crabtree was removed to Keyser. in
an adjoining county, for safekeeping.
Set Out Early Today.
According to county officers. Crabtree
set out on his mission of death early
this morning. He killed Wolford, first,
then fired at Mrs. Wolford and Mrs.
Wright through a window, according
to reports to the sheriff.
Mildred Holt was wounded at the
home of Mrs. Blaine Holt. County
authorities had not determined how
the man gained entrance to the Hott
home.
Feeling among residents of the town
ran high against Crabtree. Romney
police notified B. E: Rankin. prosecut-
ing attorney Of Mineral County, at
Keyser, that they feared mob violence
against the man and warned him to be
prepared to protect the prisoner.
According to reports here, Rankin
advised Gov. Conley at Charleston Of
the situation and was said to have re-
quested the aid of the State in pre-
venting possible mob violence.
Sheriff Saville said his name and the
name of former Sheriff Joseph Ruck-
man we're included in the alleged death
list" Crabtree carried. Crabtree was
taken to the county jail here for a short
time before his removal. He did not
seem to realize what he had done be-
cause of the state of intoXication he was
in, officers said.
H. Carter Inskeep, Romney, w. Va,
justice OF the peace, who was slain
when called to his door early this morn
ing by man he is said to have SEN
fenced to jail yesterday, was the father
of Lester N. Inskeep, Arlington County
correspondent of The Evening Star.
Upon receiving news Of the death of his
father Mr.. Inskeep departed for ROM
ney.