State vs Ellen Fluharty Part 2

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 8, 1905

CASE WILL BE TRIED AGAIN AT

THE AUGUST TERM OF

COURT.

     The jury in the Fluharty case failed to agree and was discharged at 11 o'clock this morning.  It is reported that they stood 10 to 2 for conviction from the first vote to the last.

     Ellen Fluharty was recognized in the sum of $200, and Daisy Blodgett in the sum of $100, to appear for retrial on the first day of next turn, August 15.

     The jury took a recess from six o'clock Saturday night, after having been out three hours, until nine this morning, when they were again sent to their room until eleven.  At that time Judge Kendall had them recalled, when the foreman stated that they were unable to come to an agreement.

The Fairmont West Virginian., October 24, 1905

     The Fluharty trial had begun this morning.  The jury empaneled consisted of the following members:  Charles Crim, Shorden Murphy, Dan Toothman, Jonathan E. Jolliffe, Bud Merrifield, Jack Jones, Ezra Keener, John M. Millan, J.D. Radford, Jacob Carpenter, Charles Linn, Lonnie Hayhurst.

     Ellen Fluharty is accused of keeping a house of ill fame at Mannington.  The case has been up for trial once before - at the May term - and the jury failed to agree.  The principal witnesses for the State are .G. Jones and his daughter, Mrs. E.B. Hayes, who are, or have been, next door neighbors of the Fluhartys.  Both Jones and Mrs. Hayes have given most startling testimony as to what they have seen next door.  Mrs. Fluharty's daughter, Daisy Blodgett, is under indictment for loitering at the house of ill-fame, and Daisy's conduct, according to Jones' and Mrs. Hayes' evidence, is a long way past the limit of decency and morality.

     So, my source for old newspapers doesn't have any more information on this second trial.  People submit copies of these old newspapers, and those from October 25-31 are unfortunately missing - which is when the second trial most likely took place  I did however, find one more thing with the name Ellen Fluharty in it, and it looks like she was indeed convicted in the October trial.

 The Fairmont West Virginian., December 19, 1905

Big Posse Pursuing Masked Murderers

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 5, 1905

      PARKERSBURG, W.Va., May 5 - A posse of officers accompanied by a large number of infuriated residents are searching Calhoun county for three masked robbers who at an early hour yesterday morning shot to death Charles Berkshire, a farmer living near Brooksville, after inhumanely torturing his wife.  The family were aroused shortly after midnight by the robbers, who, after binding the wife, led the husband to the center of the room, turned up the lights and ordered Mrs. Berkshire to count ten, stating the if her husband did not tell them where his money was they would kill him on the tenth count.   The couple insisted that they had no money and the outlaws pinched and beat the woman and applied burning matches to the soles of her feet.

     Screaming in agony, Mrs. Berkshire finally consented to count ten, and on the tenth count a shot rang out and her husband fell dead.  The fiends becoming frightened, fled, and it was hours afterward when neighbors found the woman in such a pitiable state of collapse that it is feared she will die.

     I have searched but can find no more information about this event.  Nothing - not even if poor Mrs. Berkshire lived. 

Frank Fisher Killed His Sister

The Fairmont West Virginian, June 22, 1906

Coroner Amos Telephoned For

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     A telephone message was received here this afternoon to the effect that Frank Fisher, on the head waters of Buffalo Creek, in Mannington district had shot and killed his sister this morning.  The message stated that the killing was intentional and was witnessed by a sister of the murdered girl.  Coroner Amos was asked to come to the scene of the murder but her has not gone yet.  He and Prosecuting Attorney Lowe will probably go this evening.

     The Fisher home is said to be within a half mile of the Wetzel county line.  Very few details of the affair could be learned at press time. 

The Fairmont West Virginian, June 23, 1906

Was Arrested Then Released

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     As stated in yesterday's West Virginian, Coroner Amos was called to Mannington district yesterday afternoon to investigate the killing of a sister by Frank Fisher.  Coroner Amos started to the scene of the killing, but before her had gotten far from Mannington her met Deputy Sheriff J.D. Charlton, A.F. Millan and Brice Jolliffe, who had been at the scene of the shooting.  They reported that it was impossible to find out how the affair happened and that it was absolutely unnecessary to try to ferret out the facts in the case.  The Fishers seem to be a very trashy set of people, the father and one brother of Frank now serving time in the penitentiary.  The girl who was killed was said to be fairly good looking and had a brighter intellect than the others, but the lives of the whole family are said to be on a very low plane.

     An investigation by the officers failed to establish a sufficient number of facts upon which to base a further attempt and an order was issued to bury the girl without a coroner's investigation and Fisher was released.

     There's no more info to be found about this murder, not even what the girls name was or her age.  The whole thing just seems really strange, and I get the feeling the Fishers may be the inspiration for Deliverance.  Perhaps the police figured it best to just keep their distance!  

February 15, 1906, The Fairmont West Virginian

SMALL GIRL

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CONFESSES TO FIRING SHOT

WHICH KILLED N. AND W.

BRAKEMAN.

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     BLUEFIELD, W.Va., Feb. 15 - Nora Taylor, twelve years old, has confessed to officers that she fired the shot that killed Winfield Compton, a Norfolk and Western brakeman, who was shot while in his train near Nemours, W.Va.  She stated that she fired to scare the trainman and did not know that the shot had killed one of them until the officers came to the house to arrest her.  She will be sent to the reform school.

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 SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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FOXY BOYS 

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DIDN'T USE THE MAILS TO SEND

OBSCENE VALENTINES TO 

TWO GIRLS

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     Two colored girls, whose places of abode are on Coal run, consulted Prosecuting Attorney Lowe and Justice Amos this morning in regard to indicting some known parties who sent them valentines which were objectionable.  It wasn't so much the valentines themselves but the sentiments which were written by the senders and in each instance this was very obscene.  The senders were foxy because they delivered the epistles in person and did not utilize the mails.  For this reason they decided that nothing could be done, but you all can look for a battle, if any of the parties meet.

  

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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GETTING PEEVISH

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     A "certain fairly well known morning publication" hereabouts is getting very peevish and spiteful, which is the clearest kind of evidence that it feels whipped.  It made three of the bitterest kind of attacks on the West Virginian this morning, but we are in a ....on now just to laugh at its ....eness and let it go at that.  It .... be said is passing, however .... the Times accuses the West Virginian of "shipping cogs" and "slipping cobs" to both which accusations it pleads not guilty.  The "experienced" editor of the Times was evidently not in when the indictments were read off this morning.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.
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YOUNG ITALIAN MINER MET

DEATH AT TEN O'CLOCK TO-

DAY AT MONONGAH.

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    Joe Alexander, a young Italian miner aged twenty years, was killed at Monongah mine number six this morning at ten o'clock.  Alexander had prepared a shot and applied a match to the fuse.  Just at this time the unfortunate man's lamp went out.  He ran into a coal car when the shot went killing him.  The deceased has no friends in this country.  The funeral will be under the direction of Jenkins Bros. and will take place this evening at Monongah.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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DEATH INSTEAD OF WEDDING

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    PHILADELPHIA, Feb 15. - Instead of the joyful words of the marriage service, the sad strains of the funeral ritual were read yesterday afternoon for Miss Verona Oliver of Chester, who, at the very hour of her burial, was to have become the bride of Charles Baker of Wilmington.  The service was recited by the minister who was to have officiated at the wedding.

     The body was clothed in the wedding gown, the bridal veil draped about the head.  The coffin reposed in a room filled with flowers, arranged for the nuptial ceremony.  The pallbearers were the six young girls who had been chosen to serve as bridesmaids.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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A Small Matter.

      "Oui, Madame is ill, but ze doctor half pronounce it something very trifling, very small," said the French maid to an inquiring friend. 

     "Oh, I am so relieved, for I was really anxious about her," replied the friend.  "What does the doctor say the trouble is?"

      "Let me recall.  It was something very leetle," answered the French maid.  "Oh, I have it now!  Ze doctor says zat madame has ze smallpox." - Philadelphia Ledger.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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Sped the Parting.

     Eva - I hear that they eloped at midnight by a dark moon.

     Edna - Yes, and her father detected the elopement and ran after them with a whip.

     Eva - Gracious!  And did he catch them?

     Edna - Oh, he wasn't trying to catch them.  He was merely trying to speed the horse. - Judge

     

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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Down and Out.

     Lazee - My boss told me today that I ought to go away somewhere and rest.

    Mrs. Lazee - How kind of him!  How long did he say you should rest?

     Lazee - Well -er- he said, "Indefinitely." - Baltimore News

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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Easily Guessed.

     Hewitt - A fellow told me today that I had more money than brains.

    Jewett - And he didn't have to look up your financial standing either. - New York Press

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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FACTS AND FANCIES.

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     A school for women chemists has been opened at Dessau, Germany.  Graduates can earn from $20 to $48 a month.

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     Japanese have been caught circulating counterfeits of gold coins in Tacoma.  The molds and batteries were made at Hiroshima, Japan.

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     The average weight of a stationary gas engine, in proportion to its horsepower, is only about one-fourth as great as that of a steam engine.

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     While passing over a railway crossing near Burnswick in his motor car recently the Grand Duke of Oldenburg was nearly killed by an express train, which missed the car by only a few feet.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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STARVES HERSELF TO DEATH.

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Woman Worth Nearly $1,000,000 Sacrifices her Life to False Notions of Economy

     NEW YORK, Feb. 15. - Miss Maria Corsta, aged 56, whose fortune is estimated from $600,000 to $1,000,000, is dead at the home in the Bronx where she lived alone.  Her death was caused by starvation and exposure, due to her life of seclusion and false economy.  She denied herself even the necessaries of life and refused even the warmth of a fire. 

     Miss Corda [sic] died last Monday night after 36 hours of medical treatment which was provided by neighbors.  Miss Gussie Zink found her Sunday morning in the Corsta home.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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A FENCE

DOWN PIKE STREET WAY CAUSED 

QUITE A SENSATION 

THIS MORNING

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     Members of the city council and citizens generally were much worked up this morning when it was rumored around town that Morgan Billingsley had placed a fence on his property in such a manner that traffic by teams was impossible.

     An investigation by the street committee resulted in the showing that teams could squeeze by but by the narrowest margins.  Cers and tems [sic] cannot possibly pass at the same time.  Mr. Billingsley was visited and a compromise will be effected it is understood.

     When the rights of way were talked of the forthe street car line down there some claim that Mr. Billingsley agreed to do whatever the other property owners consented to and his action this morning came as a surprise.

     He explained that the land, which is partly in the city limits and partly out, belong to him and that if it was used her would have to be paid for it.  Only the posts are in position now, but he claims that unless a settlement is made he will complete the fence.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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Only One Transgressor.

L.G. Beazell, residence unknown, was the only sinner in police court today.  Officer Gould got him on Madison street at closing time last night and he was gloriously drunk.  The mayor fined him the customary $6.     

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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  Saved an Express Train From Being Wrecked.

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     CUMBERLAND, Md., Feb. 15 - Howard S. Hunt of Cumberland, freight engineer, was killed in a wreck on the Baltimore and Ohio while asleep, his engine running off the derailing switch at Sleepy Creek W.Va.  Fireman Andrew Moreland, caught in the debris, was released by his clothing burning from his back.  He then grabbed a lighted torch and flagged express No. 3 to Wheeling, in time to prevent a catastrophe.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.

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SWEET MELODY FLOUR.