The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-05-02
THE LEADING TUrrr

get done mquiring what has become Of
spring.
the LEADING TurIC
of discourse for week has been the
bcligcrent relations existing between
Marshal Slack and Judge Ferguson,
with the rise and progress with which !
already made Won acquainted. For tie
benefit of such anxious aSpirants IL
may have hoped anything from Il posi-
bic collision between those gentlemen,
would state that their ENHANCEMENT i
not likely To occasion vacancy either
in the Marshal>hip or upon thcJudiciaI
bench
As Won aIr aware the Marshal was
indicted for sringiu- improper influences
to bear upon the Grand Jury of the
Federal Court, among which have been
mentioned, few paragraphs of per
sonal profanity and pistoI-drawlug
gesture or two. The Indictment was
not sustained the jury bringing in Il
verdict of not guilty. The rule against
the Marshal for contempt of Court, wa-
dismissed at the unanimous request of
the Grand Jury.
LINCOLN COUNTY AND THE MILITARY.
This Grand Jury also examined at
length into the alleged lawIrss condi-
ton of the people of Lincoln, for whose
special correction troops were brought
into this Valley. The report of the
jury is as follows:
We, the Grand Jury, do respectfully
present: that in accordance with the
suggestions contained in the charge de-
livcred to us ut the opening of the pres
ent term of Court 10y his Honor, the
Judge. We have carefully andimpartially
examined into the alleged unlawful
combination of citizens III Lincoln and
other counties To obstruct United States
officers in the discharge of their duty,
and 10 resist the execution OF legal pro-
cess from this Court. \ large number
of witnesses have been examined before
us concerning the condition OF affairs IN
the region referred To, and, as the result
of that examination, we have astcrlaln-
ell the following facts:
During some wears past, SUITS have
been pending in this Court involving the
validity of the title 10 large tracts OF
land in Lincoln and adjoining counties.
In these suits there are upwards of two
hundred defendants who are actual set
tiers, have long been in possession otthc
land and many of them are among the
best citizens of these counties. The
running of surveyors lines in the inter
est of the Land Companies prosecuting
these suits and the service of wrltS OF
eiectment in these cases has always been
unpopular and exposed the person
making the survey or serving the pro-
cess, to the displeasure of the people
who were directly interested. In addi'
ton to this, it has been widely rumorcd,
during several years past, that threats OF
personal violence had been made to
deter these officers from making surveys
or serving writs, and we are well con-
WINGED that many people residing out
side of the county Of Lincoln and hav'
ing but slight opportunities for ascer'
tanning the real sentiment Of the peo'
pie of that county, were led by these
rumors to believe that a combination OF
the people of some neighborhoods IN
Lincoln county actually existed with a
purpose to resist the execution OF pro
cess of this Court in relation to the
land suits heretofore referred 10, and that
the officer serving the process would be
exposed to danger OF personal violence.
We find also that, in the summer OF
1868, threats were actually made against
the United States Marshal while in the
discharge of his duy, by one person who
has been already indicted hy this
Grand Jury for his offence. Since that
time no attempt has been made toserve
process Of this Court in these cases
neither has there been, so far as the
evidence before us shows, any request
made of or order given to the Mar,
shall TO execute wrlts IN these