“John Canaan, who murdered Joe Gentil at Hanging Rock on the evening of July 4th last, was captured by Sheriff Ward of Ironton at Manchester, Adams County, Saturday morning. He was taken over to Peebles and brought to this city on the night C., P. & V. train and then taken to Ironton on the N. & W. train due here at 9:15.”
“While the party were at the C., P. & V. depot awaiting the N. & W. train which was to bear them to Ironton, a Times reporter had a few minutes’ conversation with the prisoner. Sheriff Ward seemed to have the fullest confidence in his man and did not handcuff him. In truth, Canaan did not look much like a murderer. He is a man perhaps 45 or 46 years of age, rather undersized and stoop-shouldered. He will weigh probably 140 pounds.”
“Mr. Canaan seems to think he is justified in killing Gentil, although he refused to talk much about it. It will be remembered that the reason for the murder was the alleged intimacy between Gentil and Mrs. Canaan, this having been the cause of several ruptures between husband and wife. On the evening of July 4th, Canaan discovered Gentil communicating with his wife, and at once took him to task about it. After a wordy quarrel, Canaan drew his revolver and shot the despoiler of his home twice, the last shot killing him almost instantly.”
“After the murder, Canaan took to the hills back of Hanging Rock, and says he was secreted there for several days. He then made his way to Kentucky and wandered around in that state several weeks. After working in Cincinnati, Salem, and Kenton, he finally, about five months ago, landed at Manchester, Ohio, where he has been working since in the Manchester Stove Foundry, under an assumed name. A few days ago, through some indiscreet confidences to a fellow workman, his identity was tipped off to the authorities and his arrest followed Saturday.”
“Canaan did not seem to take his arrest very much to heart. On the contrary, he seemed to be rather glad of it. He said that he could now have the matter settled and there would be no more worry about being arrested. The constant fear of arrest was wearing him out, he said, and he intended to give himself up May first, anyway. While at the depot, Canaan was greeted by a number of old friends.”
“John Canaan, the murderer, is well known in this city, having worked at the Ohio Stove Foundry for years. He is an excellent workman and was well liked.”1
