The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-12
MARION COUNTY.
FAIRMoNT, October 6, 1868

| EultOrS OF the Register:
Many rumors have proceeded from
this county during the present week in
regard to the proceedings of the Board
of Registration. 1t has been asserted
that tumultuous and disorderly mob
have assembled here from day to day to
intimidate the Board in the discharge of
it's duties. The authors of these re-
ports know them to be false and mali
cious. The following is a correct state
ment of what has occurred:
On Monday morning, six Democratic
members of the bar of Marion county
presented themselves before the Board
of Registration and stated that the
people desired them to assist those
who were notified to appear be-
fore the Board, and those who
should apply to be registered, in
examining their witnesses and manag-
ing their cases. They told the Board
that they desired to protect them, if
necessary, in the discharge of their
lawful duties They declared that it was
not their purpose to ask that any should
be registered unless they could bring
themselves clearly within the qualifica-
tions of voters as prescribed by the
Constitution and the law. The MEM
bers of the bar were accompanied by a
committee of the most estimable cit
izens.
The Board of Registration, after con-
siderable hesitation and parley, con-
sented that the members of the bar might
accompany and assist the applicants for
registration.
The Board then adjourned until the
afternoon.
When the Board mot after noon the
first and only case heard was that of
George J. Martin. The Registrar of his
township had refused to register Mr..
Martin, and he presented his case to the
Board by way of appeal from the de-
cision of the Registrar. The Board
called upon him to produce his evil
dence, and show cause, if he could, why
he should be registered. The writer OF
this article assisted as counsel and at
torney for the applicant. The evidence
produced was as follows:
lst. The written affidavit of Mr.. Mar
tin himself, in these words, to-wit:
Vest Tuginia, Marion County, to-cit'
|, George j. Martin, do solemnly
swear that since the first day OF June,
Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-one, l
have not voluntarily borne arms IN re-
bellion against the United States, nor
accented or exercised, or attempted to
exercise, any Office or appointment
whatever under any authority or pre-
tended authority, in rebellion against
the United States nor counselea or ad-
vised any person to go into or aid re-
bellion against the United States, or in
any other way whatever, aided or assist
ed in such rebellion and that take this
oath freely without any mental reser-
vation or purpose of evasion.
And / do further solemnly swear that
| am white male citizen of the State
of West Virginia, residing in the Town
ship of Grant, III the said county of Ma
rion that am over the age of twenty
one wears, and of sound mind: that |
am not Pauper or under conviction of
Treason, Felony, or Bribery in an cleo
tion, and that on the Fourth Thursday
in October, 1865, | will have been a
bona fide resident of the said State of
West Virginia for one year, and of the
said county of Marion, for thirty days
next preceding said Fourth Thurs
day in October, 1868.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 9th day of October, 1868.
Z. A. BENNETT, Notary Public.
(Signed) GEORGE j. MARTIN.
Cd The oral testimony of Mr.. Martin
himself delivered at the instance of
the Board in answer to interrOgatories
propounded by members of the Board,
in which he answered substantially the
same facts set forth in his written afti-
davit.
Sd. The testimony of w. G. Martin,
to the effect that witness had known
the applicant intimately and continu-
ously since the first day of June, 1861;
that he was his near neighbor, and that
during all that time the applicant, Mr..
Martin, had quietly pursued his ordi-
nary avocations-part of the time as a
farmer and part of the time as mer-
chant; that he had net in any way
whatever aided or assisted in the rebel
lion nor couuselled nor advised ethers
to do so, to the best of witness knowl-
edge. And although witness admitted
that he did not hear every word spoken,
and that he was not privy to every act
done, by the applicant during all the
time aforesaid, yet he could not easily
have done any of the things aforesaid
without witness having had some
knowledge of it.
4th. The testimony of Elijah Wat
kins to the same effect.
5th. The testimony of r. +. Hughes
to the same effect.
9th. The testimony of John C. Hall
to the same effect.
| All the witnesses testified that they
were near neighbors of Mr.. Martin aud
had known him intimately, and seen
him perhaps every week during the en-
tire period since June l, 1851.
By way of cross-examining the wit
nesses the Board propounded the fol-
lowing questions:
Are you entirely free from rebellion
yourself'
Have you not been before this Board
Are you q voter of this county,
Are there any secret organizations in
your neighborhood |
Are you member of any secret or
ganizationf
Have you known the applicant Mar
TIM to de anything for the Govern
menti
May he not have aided the rebellion.
&c, when you did not see or hear him !
The answers to the above questions
developed not even a suspicion against
the loyalty of Mr.. Martin. Here the
case closed. No witnesses were called
no testimony of any kind was offered
against the applicant. Yet in the face
of all this testimony, and without one
half minutes deliberation, the Board OF
Registration decided, not only that the