West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-05-18
IMPUDENCE OF THE TRAFFIC
'Ku-Klux in Lowell.

10 leave there within given time,
is only another evidence of what
whisky will do when it becomes
king. The DR.. is Mississippian
by birth, but since the war has been
a resident of this county,, a good,
law-abiding citizen; is member
of the Congregational Church and
Sunday School Superintendent, and
a strong advocate of the Temper
ance cause, which attribute has
brought upon him the displeasure
of the whisky-sellers and drinkers.
The whole affair is mean, cow
ardly attack, not only upon a pri-
vate individual, but upon the
rights of all good citizens, and bids
open defiance to our laws. If DR..
Morris has violated law, let him
be judged by the same and suffer
the penalty, and vice uersa, the whis-
ky-sellers. 1t seems as if affairs in
Lowell have nearly reached a crisis,
and it is time for every one to take
a stand openly; perhaps five good
persons can be found and the place
be spared for reformation. We
truly sympathize with the few who
have enlisted under the banner of
right, and would cheerfully lend a
helping hand.-OBsERvER, an Mari
eta Leader.
In connection with the foregoing,
we copy the following extracts from
last weeks Register:
A PETITION.
To the Honorable Council of Marietta :.
We, the undersigned, citizens and
taxpayers of the city of Marietta,
o., respectfully submit the follow
ing to your kind consideration:
WHEREAS, one Henry Guckert, a
policeman of this city, has unjustly
and maliciously indicted our fellow
citizen, Jacob Schultheis, for keep
ing open his saloon on Sunday, con-
trary to law, and
WHEREAS, the said defendant, ia
cob Schultheis, knowing himself to
be not guilty of said misdemeanor,
demanded a jury, which said jury
gave its verdict of mot guilty" in
conformity to the testimony brought
by the defense, and
WHEREAS, a large number Of wit
nesses having been summoned, in
curing an unnecessary and unjus-
tifable expense to the city, we, the
undersigned citizens, respectfully
request your Honorable body to dis
miss the said Henry Guckert from
our police force, deeming him unfit
for the position entrusted to him.
Appended to this are the names
of a large number of saloonists and
their friends, and then the Register
comments as follows:
If these petitioners will substitute
w. g. Way, Solicitor, for Henry
Guckert, policeman, or include
both, they will have better case.
Mr.Guckert is not lawyer, and the
city has a prosecutor whose busi-
ness it is to examine complaints and
prosecute them where there is
ground for it. 1t was Mr.. Ways
business to know what the city
could prove in the Schultheis
case, before calling a jury'and wit
nesses, "incurring unnecessary
and unjustifable expense to the
CITY," Gentlemen, amend your pc
tition and strike at the man who
was direlict in his duty, and don't
make a scapegoat of a policeman,
who made a mistake to be sure, but
who is one of the gerry fen who
manifest any interest in the ordl-
nances of the city.
Verify, it would seem that there
is no limit to the bold impudence
of the trq6ickers, in our goodly neigh
boring city over the river. Ordina-
rilv when a man is charged with
crime or misdemeanor, and escapes
conviction, through ingenuity OF
counsel, or from lameness Of tech
meal proof, he is content to con-
graduate himself upon his good for
tune; or, if he be really innocent
and feels that the prosecutor has