Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-28
WEST VIRGINIA "BARBA-
RIANS."
The True InwardnesS of the Tay-
lOr IncendiarismS

Uniontown Pa. Genius OF Liberty.
1t has been the custom of the leaders,
and the press, OF the Republican party
for decade or more of years, to get up
a list what they term Southern Ontrages,
and spread them before the public, week
after week, during election campaigns.
This year it seems necessary to wave
the shirt with more vigor than usual,
and the New York TrjL,me takes special
pains to do its full share OF this kind of
work. In a late issue it publishes a let
ter from Washington City, in which the
very doleful tale OF man by the name
of Taylor, who resides in Greenbrier
county, West Virginia, is related at
great length. Taylor states that he To-
Gated in that county several years ago,
purchased large tract OF land, and
made very valuable improvements; that
last spring his house, saw-mill, grlstmlll,
and other valuable property was burn
ed TO the ground, and all because he
was a Northern man. The Tribune en-.
dorses this story, and calls the people OF
Greenbrier county a set OF "barbarians.' ~
knowing that Col. AMI ). Fuller
one of our citizens, had property
in Greenbrier county, and spent
portion of his time there
everv summer, and besides had fire.
ouently told us personally of the many
advantages of that part OF Virginia and
the inducements it held out to men OF
some means and energy from tue North,
We concluded to interview him on the
"barbarianism' OF Greenbrier county.
As the Colonel is prominent and un-
compromising Republican, always ready
to take the stump for his party, uphold
ING ON all occasions what he believes to
be the only correct and legitimate poll
cv, we knew he would not shield the
Democrats of Greenbrier or any other
county, or gloze over any OF their short
comings or defects The substance
of the interview with Mr.. Fuller was as
follows:
Colonel, have YOU seen the article
in the New York Tribune in regard to the
barbarianism of Greenbrier county, W.
Va 2"
eyes; and it is a gross libel upon the
people of that county. There is not a
county in our own State OF Pennsylva-
MIA where life, liberty and property are
better protected than in Greenbrler
county, West Virginia, and that, too,
without regard to race, color or previous
residence. The prosecuting attorney OF
the county and the Circuit Judge are
earnest and able men, and will compare
fayorablv with similar officials in any
district | know of in the nation. Few
crimes are committed in the county,
and those few are promptly punished.
Some two years ago house of a friend
of mine from the North <as broken into
bv thieves, who were shortly afterward
arrested, and | think never saw crimi-
nails anywhere punished so promptly
and severely as they were. know OF
no community in which the public NOR
ais are better than in Greenbrier coun-
tv. Whisky is not sold except in one or
two places in the county. There are
three flourishing seminaries OF learning
now in operation. 1t is dotted all over
with churches and school-houses, and
everything indicates a sound state OF
moral sentiment.
"What do you know, Colonel, about
this man Taylor, and the destruction OF
his property"
"f have always understood him TO be
queer kind OF hair-pin. He made a
large amount of money in Philadelphia
in the beef and pork business, and hav-
inc become infatuated with another
mans rather good-loOking wife, went TO
Virginia and purchased large tract in
one of the back townships where land
was poor but cheap; then having
brought tins woman out there, he ex-
pended very large sum in very foolish
MISUNDERSTANDING large grist-
mill where there was no grain 10 grind,
and a saw-mill where there was no one
to buy his lumber, and made other
equally imprudent ventures, his pecu-
liar domestic relations doubtless I'M
PEELED him to settle in this remote
place. | was in Greenbrier county after
these fires occurred, and no one, either
Northern man or native, seemed to
have any idea that any Nirginian had
ANYTHING to do with il. One theory
was that former husband of his wife
had followed them out from Phila-
delphia to take vengence on the man
who had broken up his domestic peace
and happiness. Another was that a
member OF Taylor's own family, tired OF
this enforced seclusion, had done 1t in
order to get him out OF the county, and
prevent him from squandering the
balance of his fortune in his mania for
useless improvements. To say that
politics or sectarianism had anything to
do with the affair is an utter absur-
dlty."
Besides the above, the Colonel stated
that there were some other matters OF
domestic and private nature that would
account for most OF Taylor's troubles,
and that he thought it was small busi-
ness for the Tribune TO try to make poIt--
ical capical out of matter that had
another and entirely different founda-
ton. When the term barbarian is
used it should be applied to those
whose disregard Of propriety and de,
cency merits it, and not to moral and
law-abiding community.