The Weston Democrat

ASSASSINATION.

Two Persons Slaughtered in Cold Blood.

On the night of the 23d of December occurred the most deliberate and careful murder that has ever been committed in this portion of the State. Not even in the midst of war, when men's passions were unrestrained, and human life esteemed so lightly, was there recorded such an instance of deliberate, premeditated and cold-blooded murder. In all the annals of crime, no more fearful proof of 'man's inhumanity to man' has ever been brought to light.

The victims of the crime were John R. West and his son Edmund M. West—the former a man of about 50 years of age; the latter a youth of about 18 or 20.

In company with many others, West and his son had been attending a protracted meeting at what is known as Hopewell Church—a little church on the waters of Stone Coal Creek, but a short distance from the Upshur county line. Before leaving the church, West prepared and lit a large torch, for the benefit of himself, his family, and others, who were going in the same direction. The parties crossed over a fence, into the meadow field of Mr. William Linger, and were probably 150 yards from the church, when a shot was fired, and young West fell dead. The older victim, although shot in the head (his brains oozing from the wound) lived until next morning. Then followed a scene of the wildest excitement. The wife and mother of the murdered men was within a few feet of them when the fatal shot was fired. One of the bullets cut a lock of hair from the head of a young lady in the party; and another passed through the hat of a gentleman near her. Amid the shrieks and cries of the people, the bodies were carried back to the church. Information of the occurrence was conveyed to Squire James Wilson, who immediately summoned a coroner's jury. A great deal of testimony was heard, and finally a warrant was issued for the arrest of Richard Dowell, as the principal in the murder, and George Peter Eckes, Edwin Hersman, David Hersman, and Andrew Lunsford as accessories before the fact. The parties were arrested and confined in a school house on Stone Coal; but on Sunday, the 26th ult., Prosecuting Attorney Ellyson having been sent for, the parties accused were brought to the jail in this place for safe keeping. Excitement ran high, and it was feared that attempts might be made to summarily punish the parties accused. On the 29th ult., aided by Justices Strickler and Washburne, Justice Wilson and the jury resumed the taking of testimony before the inquest; and Mr. Wotring was employed to take down the testimony as required by law. After examining some eight or ten witnesses, the jury expressed their willingness to render a verdict, and after consideration, submitted the following:

State of West Virginia,
To Wit:
Lewis County

An inquisition taken at Hopewell church, in the county of Lewis, on the 24th day of December, 1875, before James Wilson, a Justice of Skin Creek District, in said county of Lewis, upon view of the bodies of John R. West and Edmund M. West, there lying dead, but continued and concluded at the Court House of said county, on the 29th day of December, 1875, before the said James Wilson, together with George W. Strickler, a Justice of Freeman's Creek District, and O. H. P. Washburne, a Justice of Court House District, in said county

The jurors sworn to inquire when, how, and by what means the said parties, John R. West and Edmund M. West, came to their death, upon their oaths do say:

That Richard Dowell, on the 23d day of December, 1875, with force and arms, in the county aforesaid, in and upon the bodies of the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, feloniously, wilfully and of his malice aforethought, did make an assault; and that the said Richard Dowell, with a certain army musket gun, then and there charged with gun powder and leaden bullets, which said gun he, the said Richard Dowell, in his hands then and there had and held; then and there feloniously, wilfully and of his malice aforethought, did discharge and shoot off, to, against and upon the said John R. West and Edmund West: and that the said Richard Dowell, with the leaden bullets aforesaid out of the gun by the said Richard Dowell discharged and shot off as aforesaid, then and there feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did strike, penetrate and wound the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, in and upon the heads of them, the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, giving to them, the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, then and there, with the leaden bullets aforesaid, so as aforesaid discharged and shot out of the gun aforesaid, by the said Richard Dowell, in and upon the heads of them, the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, mortal wounds, of which said mortal wounds they, the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, then and there died. So the jurors aforesaid, upon their oaths aforesaid, do say that the said Richard Dowell them, the said John R. West and Edmund M. West, in the manner and by the means aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did kill and murder.

And the jury aforesaid, upon their oaths aforesaid, do further say: That George Peter Eckes, Andrew Lunsford, Edwin Hersman and David Hersman, before the said felony and murder was committed, in form aforesaid, to-wit: On the — day of —, 1875, in the county aforesaid, did feloniously hire, procure, aid and abet the said Richard Dowell to do and commit the said felony and murder in manner and form as aforesaid.

In testimony whereof, the said Justices and Jurors have hereto set their hands.

James Wilson,
G. W. Strickler,
Justices.
O. H. P. Washburne.
Sobeski Stalnaker, T. R. Hardman,
Henry Linger,
E. L. Smith,
C. M. Smith,
M. J. Smith,
Nathaniel Bush,
J. M. Guston,
Wm. W. Wilson,
Z. T. Tillman,
Asa Goodrich,
C. P. Summers.
Jurors.
On Thursday, the 30th ult., the prisoners were brought up before the same Justices for examination, and were defended by Messrs. George J. Arnold and Henry Brannon. Some 50 or more witnesses were examined—the case occupying nearly three days—and resulting in committing all the accused to await the action of the County Court. Application for bail for the four parties charged as being accessories to the murder, was promptly refused by the Court; and all the parties were then remanded to jail. At the suggestion of the county authorities, the jail is strongly guarded, night and day—Dowell being confined in one cell, and the other parties in another.

It would not be proper, at this time, to publish even a synopsis of the evidence against the parties accused; so much interest having already been manifested in the case, as to make it doubtful whether a jury can be had in the county, composed of men who have not formed and expressed an opinion in the matter.

It is proper to say, however, that Justice Wilson, Prosecuting Attorney Ellyson, and the people of the neighborhood in which the crime was committed, deserve great credit for the energy and fearless determination they have manifested to ferret out and bring to condign punishment the perpetrators of this horrid deed.

One of the most terrible reflections in connection with this murder, is the fact that this makes three members of the West family who have been murdered within the past few years. Edmund, the brother of John R. West, and uncle of the young man Edmund, was murdered near his home; and Ezra Owens sentenced to the Penitentiary for life, as the criminal.