The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-03-10
The Case of J. w. Wetherill.


will remember that We gave an account of
the transaction, at the time Of shooting
young Bertron, last fall. Wetherill, un-
der appointment legally made, was acting
as a Government Detective for the arrest
of deserters, and was, consequently, ex-
clusiyely military officer He had a de-
scriptive list and an order for the arrest
of Bertron, deserter. In the scufle
that succeeded the arrest, believing that
his life was in danger, he shot Bertron,
and from the effect of the shooting, Ber-
tron died. For this, after the lapse of
several months, and after WetheriPs office
had been abolished, or himself relieved
from service, he was arrested on the charge
of murder and lodged in Jail, where he
still remains. At the last Court an at
tempt was made by the military authori-
ties to procure his release, with a view to
his trial by military Court, he having
been arrested at the time of the shooting,
by the Provost Marshal, and at large, on
his parole, only until such time as the
business Of the military Court would per-
nit of his trial. On the part of the mil
itary authorities it was contended that his
| offense, if offense there was, having been
committed while obeying a military order,
/ for the arrest of Bertron for crime known
only to military, law, the Court, a civil one,
which held Wetherill in durehce had no
Jurisdiction in the case and could not try
him. From this Judge Barrett dissent
ed, and decided that the Courts Of Mon
roe County had jurisdiction, and held the
prisoner for trial There the matter rests
for the present.
The Monroe Dcnocrat Of last week ell
evated this opinion Of Judge Barrett's the
business Of which is, to say the least
questionable, into a cause Of rejoicing,
: and congratulates the people Of the Dis
trict over it. That paper goes further
For reasons known only to himself, the
Sheriff has seen fit to place irons on
Wetherill, as upon man who had COM
mtted murder in cold blood and we are
informed contemplated placing a guard
around the Jail, as though there was dan
+ ger Of a rescue and this doing and this
contemplating is further cause for re-
joicing on the part Of, the Democrat and
acting on the ''tickle me and I'll tickle
YOU principle, the Sheriff is boosted with
the assurance that he is remarkably
''keen, that is, "sharp, and sup tosnuif'
that he administered "a poser to the
lCourt-that cold rats are not easily to be
caught in trap" thus iuferentially es-
tablishing that the Sheriff is an old rat
and cannot be caught; and to cap the
climax, that Sheriff Marsh "is a little
smarter than most people attribute to
him." And for what is all this said
simply because the sickening pressure for
a Union officers blood compelled him to
use undue severity, and undue security
to retain man who never harbored a
thought to escape, or to do aught but
what was and is strictly in accordance
with the law We do not know at what
point of elevation public opinion places
Sheriff Marsh's smartness, but it is evi-
dent that the Squire, from inquiry or 9TH
er we'll settled sign does, and that he deems
it necessary to have that opinion improve
upon itself
The Democrat in concluding pretends
that as the prisoner will be tried at the
next term ofour Courts, twill withhold its
opinions, that may prejudice the cause.
Who after reading its article, can believe
that. Every word, every syllable and
every letter of it is put together with a
view to feed the fame of prejudice, which
is being lit up against Wetherill Dis
torted reports, underhandedly circulated
arc most ably seconded in the hellish pur-
pose by just such articles as that in which
the Squire notices the case and purpose
ly so too. Else why so greedily rejoice
over the failure of plain, civil attempt
to take the case to that Court for trial.
where common sense, if not uncommon
law, points it as belonging. Bat no the
vindctiveness of Copperheadism must be
appeased; and where the stamina does
not exist in its followers to make open war
upon the government, they must needs
attempt to make our county Courts the
cats-paws with which to pull the burning
chestnuts from the fire. There was no
attempt made by the military authorities
to Interfere with the action of the Court,
or to curtail its powers. There was no