5 years ago: Dec. 23-29, 2002

Some witnesses failing to cooperate in homicide probe

JEFFERSON - State police on Sunday continued to piece together details of an altercation outside the Jefferson Hotel early Saturday that resulted in the death of a 43-year-old Jefferson man.

Mike (David) Myers died after he was punched once in the head as he and his brother walked down the street away from the bar, where they had just been involved in a fight.

Myers fell, striking his head on the sidewalk. He was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. at Greene County Memorial Hospital.

An autopsy conducted Saturday determined Myers, a self-employed builder and tradesman, died of head injuries, which are believed to have resulted from his head striking the sidewalk, police said.

Brandon Lee Teasdale, 26, of Rices Landing, who is in the Marine Corps and apparently on leave for the holiday, was arraigned early Saturday on a charge of general homicide before District Justice Lou Dayich of Waynesburg.

Teasdale was placed in Greene County Jail without bond.

Police said Sunday that they were continuing to investigate Myers' death though the investigation was being hampered by a lack of cooperation from some witnesses.

25 years ago: Dec. 24, 1982

Even Santa is looking for work

WAYNESBURG - Everyone knows that times are tough, but when Santa Claus and two of his elves were spotted in the unemployment line here Wednesday, many people were taken aback.

Actually, the surprising entourage consisted of three furloughed coal miners en route home after visiting a special education class at Waynesburg Central High School.

For the second straight year, Frank Agyari, alias Santa Claus, of Millsboro, along with Pete Angelo of Clarksville and Bob Deems of Fredericktown, the elves, brought some joy to the students of Bob Follman, a lifelong friend of Agyari.

The men distributed candy, toys and treats to the students Wednesday morning. Lucille Angelo acted as Mrs. Santa Claus.

However, the miners had another appointment Wednesday. They stopped at the Waynesburg office of the Bureau of Employment Security to sign up for their weekly unemployment check.

During better times, they are employed at Clyde Mine in Fredericktown, but the mine has been shut down.

50 years ago: Dec. 25, 1957

Stained glass installed at St. Ann's

WAYNESBURG - The beauty of St. Ann's Catholic Church has been greatly enhanced by the installing of stained glass windows in the baptistery, chapel and sanctuary.

The windows, installed by George Hunt Studios of Pittsburgh, depict various events in Catholic history at St. Ann's, in Western Pennsylvania and in the Eastern United States.

In the baptistery, the following events are depicted: The arrival of the first permanent pastor, the Rev. Thomas Hearne in 1897; the Rev. Patrick Lonergan, a Franciscan missionary, bringing the first colony of Catholics to Greene County in 1796; the baptism of 90 children by Father Peter Helbron, known in church history as "the apostle of Southwestern Pennsylvania" and who made many journeys between Waynesburg, Brownsville and Washington; Father Andrew White, apostle to Maryland and a Jesuit missionary, baptizing the American Indian chief, Chilomacon in 1640; and, Bishop Kendrick dedicating the first church building at St. Ann's in 1883.

100 years ago: Dec. 26, 1907

Man dies from wounds

RICES LANDING - On last Thursday evening, a fight took place in Rices Landing between two colored coal miners, resulting in a homicide, the first which has occurred in law-abiding Greene County for several years.

The facts concerning the affray, as nearly as we can learn them, are as follows: James Fields had borrowed a razor from Turner Reed to shave himself. He went to the house of another miner to do the shaving, because the latter had a looking glass.

Reed, evidently under the influence of liquor, later appeared in the door of the shanty and an argument ensued. Reed left, but he threatened to return with a gun.

He made good on his threat, returning to the shanty a short time later with a large revolver. Fields ran and Reed followed him to a nearby house, where he shot at Fields twice, missing him. Fields turned upon him and wrested his revolver from him. Reed then drew a knife, with which he attacked Fields, cutting a long gash on his neck.

Fields then, it is claimed, fired three shots from Reed's revolver, with each shot hitting Reed.

The doctor of Dilworth Coal Co. dressed the wounds of both men. On Friday, Reed was taken to Memorial Hospital in Monongahela, where he died that night.

Fields was arrested, but he maintained that he shot in self-defense and that Reed would have killed him if he had not done so.

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