Learned, George W. (d. 1879)

LEARNED, WEAVER, HORINE

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/28/2024 at 17:19:02

The Guthrian, Thursday, December 4th, 1879, pg. 3, col. 6:

A TERRIBLE OCCURRENCE

DEATH OF G. W. LEARNED

S. T. HORINE AND ___ WEAVER IN JAIL FOR HIS MURDER

On Fridry (sic Friday) last G. W. Learned, of Highland township, S. T. Horine, of Dodge township, both residents of this county, and a Mr. Weaver, a neighbor, but residing on a farm belonging to Horine, in Greene Co., were at Scranton and late in the evening started together, riding in the same wagon, to return home. Horine and Weaver had been drinking freely during the day, and some say that Learned also had been drinking, but this is generally denied. After getting out of Scranton about two miles a quarrel broke out between them; some say about a pair of gloves, others say about an old grudge existing between Weaver and Learned. In the quarrel Weaver and Horine joined against Learned and threw him out of the wagon. For some reason or other he got into the wagon again, when, it is said, one of the two held him while the other beat him terribly about the head, Learned pleading with them not to kill him. After they had beaten him to their own satisfaction they threw him over the front end of the wagon box and a fore and hind wheel of the vehicle passed over his body. The wagon was partly loaded with lumber and its running over him inflicted such serious internal injuries upon him that he died the next morning.

After throwing Learned out of the wagon Horine and Weaver drove on leaving him in his terribly bruised and suffering condition in the cold of the winter night to his terrible fate. A house, however, stood some twenty-five or forty rods from the site of the murderous affray to which the wounded man managed to make his way. On the discovery of his condition by the family of the house, a doctor was called and all was done that could be done for his restoration. Medical aid, however, was in vain, and he died early on Saturday morning. Before his death a justice of the peace was called and his ante mortem statement was taken.

As we have said the parties were neighbors and were all men of advanced years, Larned [sic Learned] being about forty years of age. Weaver has grown children and Horine is about 60 years of age. Horine is a stout robust man, although given to drink and said to be quarrelsome when under the influence of liquor, yet we have never heard of him being in any serious trouble before. He is a man of considerable property, has a family whom we hear spoken of very favorably, and whom we doubt no, greatly regret the sad difficulty in which the father is now involved and the trouble that he has brought upon himself. After the death of Learned, which occurred in Green county, a coroner's inquest was held and the jury found that Learned came to his death by injuries received at the hands of Horine and Weaver. These men were then arrested and we understand are now in jail at Jefferson, awaiting an examination under the charge of murder. Their examination will doubtless develope the facts in the terrible occurrence. Enough is now known, however to prove that liquor was at the foundation of the dreadful affray that the blood of another victim and the destruction of the happiness of three households are to be charged in the long, dark list of terrible crime that for ages has flowed from this fountain of moral rain. A fearful admonition that they who drink of the cup is sure, sooner or later to meet with sorrow and that they who put the cup to their fellows lips may expect that fellows blood to be found upon their skirts and his life chargable [sic chargeable] to their hands.

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