The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-10-21
The Fruits Of Registration
High Times in Greenbrier.
a Family Quarrel.
PUaiLIsM AND A PACKED JURY.
Fight Between Loyal" Officials.
NAT. HARRIsoN's HEAD PUNCHED.
Joel Mcpherson the Puncher
The Courts Dignity Sustained
with a Derringer.
The Military Called In.
Exciting Scenes and Incidents.
Malicious Indictments Ensti-
gated by "Oid Scratch"
Joel Mcpherson the Puncher
The Courts Dignity Sustained
with a Derringer.
The Military Called In
Exciting Scenes and Incidents.
Malicious Indictments Ensti.
gated by "Oid Scratch"
A Registrar Indicted TO Pre-
vent His Succeeding
Doctor Caldwell.
A Purely Republican Muss.

[The prime cause of the trouble mar
rated below was the effort OF NAT. HAIR
RIsoN and Doctor CALDWELL to dis
place certain other Republican office
holders by DISTINGUISHING them. The
Supreme Court having ordered them to
be reinstated, CALDWELL & Co. attempt
to thwart the Courts decree by put-ur
indictments. CALDWELL having been
removed from the Board ofregistration
procures the indictment of his sue
cessor. A fine comment upon the regis
traton system.-ED. REG.
LEwIsBURG, w. Va, Oct. 10. 1869
Editors of the Register:
SIRs An affair transpired here yes
terday afternoon, a correct statement OF
which should 60 before the public.
Onr Circuit Court, Judge n. Harrison
presiding, began its session on Tuesday
last. For several days prior, it was
uoised abroad that an effort would be
made by the Grand Jury to indict Col
Mcpherson, Wallace Robinson and 9th
ers for perjury in taking the oath OF
office. During the sittings of the Grand
Jury this rumor gained strength until
Thursday afternoon, when the foreman,
John l.. Snedegar, came down and going
upon the platform where the Judge sat,
handed him communication in writ.
ing. The latter directed Snedegar to
go down and take his position in front
of the bar. The Judge thsn intimated
that the Grand Jury wished to know
whether they should, in considering an
Indictment for perjury, compute time
from the period at which the act was
committed, or from the period of the
alleged false swearing in regard to the
act. He then went on to say to Snede-
gar, that even If the act were commit.
ted fifty years ago, if the alleged false
swearing was within the last three
years they might indict.
Here, Col. Mcpherson, whe was sit
ting within the bar, and who supposed
that all this had reference to himself
arose aud began, in respectful manner
TO address some words 10 the Judge
The latter, seeing the drift of his lie.
marks, Interrupted him and ordered
him to take his seat. Mcpherson, smart
ing under the fact that up To that time
he had not been reinstatCd In his office
of Clerk, which the Supreme Court had
decided he was entitled to, and in the be-
lief that the Judge was taking an i'm
proper part in the attempt to indict
him, refused to sit Gown, and went on
10 say that the Grand Jury, then in ses
sion, had been packed. Here the Judge
ordered the clerk to enter up "A fine OF
S25 against him for contempt Of Court.
Col. Mcpherson still persisted in his re
marks, when the Judge ordered Oscar
Callison, acting Sheriff, to arrest him
Col. Mcpherson then left the space in
front of the bar, and ascending the plat
form, advanced to the chair occupied
by Judge Harrison. The Judge then
asked him why he came there. He re
piled, "to ask an explanation" or words
to that effect. Judge Harrison again
ordered the Sheriff TO arrest him, wher
Col. Mcpherson seized him by the throat
with his left hand, and with his right
hand on the Judges forehead, pressed
him violently backwards, forcing hi:
head through q pane of glass in the
window Immediately in the rear of his
seat.
Of course the assault caused great ex
citement and confusion in tho Court
room, all supposing that the Judge
was about being hurled through the
window to the pavement, seme twenty
five or thirty feet below. One or two o.
the officers, several Of Colonel HcPher
sons relatives, and two or three Others
sprang forward, aHd seizing the com
batants, Ro further harm was done
| While down, or in the act of rising, az
Colonel Mcpherson was jerked back
ward, Judge Harrison drew Derriu
ger pistol, which, however, was wrench
ed from his grasp by DR.. Samuel Austin
a son.iD-law of the former, and handed
to Mr.. Oscar Callisoh.
Immediately after the separation o
Harrison and Mcpherson, Oscar Cali
sos, acting Sheriff aforesaid, summoned
various parties to arrest Mcpherson, but
little or no attention was paid to th,
summons, as most of the crowd seemed
more intent upon escaping from the
scene of the assault than anything else
Colonel Mcpherson then left the Court
House, accompanied by few of hi
most intimate friends, and proceeded
ldown street to his Office. Mr.. CALI
Son announced TO the Judge that be wal
unable to make the arrest, whereupor
the latter sent messenger TO Union 70,
the military.
In a short time the Court House bel
was ruDg; the Judge took his seat; tn,
officers of the Court and the jurors re
turned, and everything went on smooth
ly during the remainder Of the after
noon.
About sundswn Colonel Mcpherson
went TO Jail at the instance Of Justic,
Sperry, before whom be was brough
this morning and recognized to answer
an indictment for assault and battery.
When the Court met this morninI
Justice Harrison brought the assault t
the attention of the Grand Jury. H,
eIonerated DR.. Austin from all blame
remarking, in substance, that he wa
satisfied the Doctor only intended t.
prevent the more serious consequences
which, but for his timely interference
ght have followed. He then notified
Mr.. Cstlison that Colonel Mcpherson
was still at large aud ordered him t.
arrest him and take him to Jail. Mr
Csllisen said be desired to surrender hIi
office, at once, TO Wallace Robinson
Esq, the former incumbent, in pursu
ance Vi the decision of the SupIem,
Court. An order was therefore entered
and Mr.. Robinson entered at once upor
the duties of his office. with Henry 4
Robinson as deputy. Shortly after this
Colonel Mcpherson voluntarily deliv
cred himself into the hands of tkI
Sheriff and went to Jail, where be nov
is.
l learn that Judge Harrison has re
, ceivsd an answer from the Z. s. Office
al Tnion IN thu effarf that ba will i'm