West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-06-02

no * caught, Tie IL n poor, lying, thiev-
ing cur. periurcd liar. and ia accused
of murder and CARRYING oil beehvos and
mnnv other things too mean To- mention.
Old Billy was here before him and his
Rcd Men and intends tn stay. AMI says,
Come on with your Red Mon"
-~ 80. ---------
The Courts aud the prcss ia Wis.
souri,.
Missouri has lately been somewhat un-
fortunate in the occurrences which have
drawn public attention from other parts
Of the county To that State. There vert
incidents connected with the murder of
Jesse James which were not altogether
creditahle to the administration of Justice
there; the financial standing of the State
has been injured by the extraordinary nc
ton Of the Governor and the Attorney
St Joseph Railroad; aud now Judge in
ST. Louis has been guilty Of misconduct
that would be bad in the backw0ods, and
isssimplY intolerable in a civilized commu-
nifty.
The Judge of the ST. Louis Criminal
Court is Henry ID. Laughlin. Last year
the Missouri Legislature enacted statute
10 suppress gambling, which has become
known os the Johnson Gambling law, and
contains stringent provi- ions for the pros.
ecution and punishment of the offence.
The jurisdiction of the 81. Louis Criminal
Court was duly invoked under this statute,
AMI several prosecutions were begun
there, when Judge LNughlin pronounced
the law unconstitutional, by reason of dc
| feet In i'e title, and made nm order trans
| fcrring tue Indictments To another court
This action subj ctcd him to consider.
able criticism. The correctness Of th,
decision was questioned by the PRESS, ent
by the st. Louis Evening Chronicle il
particular. That Journal printed an ar,i-
Gle on May II, entitled "The Citizens Get
echism," consisting Of sixteen question:
concerning the gambling law and th'
failure TO enforce H. We have read tn,
article carefully, and do not fad a sentence
or suggestion In 1t relating To- the Court
! which ovcrsteps the recognized bounds o.
| lair comment on n matter of general pub
| lie interest. Judge Laughlin, however, a
once proceeded 10 take steps to punish tn
author.
lie began by on order ''quiring the cd
! itor of the Evening Chronicle, Mr. Stan
Ley Waterloo, to show cause why ke shol
not be- punished for contempt Of c, ~
In publishing the the article. Mr. Water
loo came boldly forward, declared that
was published by his consent and with hi
sanction, avOwed his responsibility for il
and denied the jurisdiction Of the Court {
question him or 10 punish him.
On the very day he did this, May 90 tn
Supreme Court of Missouri, sitting at .Jei
ferson City, reversed Judge Laughlin's d,
cision in the gambling cases, pronounce
the statute IN question clearly c0nstllr
tionql and held that his order sendng tb
indictments out of his court into anothe
was null and void, being wholly withou
authority Of law.
BY the time he had heard Mr.. Water
loo's answer in the contempt proceeding
the Judge evidently began TO doubt III
legality Of the method he had adopted
He admitted that the power 10 punish ia
contempt, under the circumstances, W,
questionable, and even said he was inclii
ed TO think that it did not exist. ~ IT.
tend TO postpone the vindication Of N
rights Of this Court" he added, "until III
rights of the citizen are vindlcated. III
public demand have 10 make is a.retra,
ton Of he article. or IN hcu thereof II
disclosure Of the author Of the article, an
for this will wait until just the settiu
Of the sun this evening"
No retraction Of the article was for,t
coming, but Mr. Waterloo naturally info
red from these remarks that he might e.
poet some hostile demonstration on Jud,
LauRhlin's part Immediately after sunse
. Accordingly, he awaited the coming
, the irate Judge until long after the a.
pointed hour, but the offended maqslra
, came not. He sent TO Mr. waterlo
r however, the following letter:
ST. LOUIS CRrMrNAL CouRr.
Hon. HgSBY ID. LAUGHLM JUDCK,
sT LOUIS, May, y, 1882.
To Stanley Waterloo.
Sir: That you may have no cause
plead surprise. when we next meet, y,
are now notified 10 make such preparati,
j. for an emergency as you may deem 1T.
o / shall make IT my business 10 see y,
soon. henry ID. LAUGHLIN
: This was understood 10 mean, al
n doubtless did mean, that the Judge pr
q posed 20 sheO; the editor on sight.
. Since II was written and received, n
r. u0a,io 81. Jones OF ST. Louis, hlms,
e formerly a Judge, has publicly avow
N that he wrote the article which gave r
10 the controversy; but whether Jud
n Lqughlin intends also TO kill him or not
j. unknown.
q Afer this statement Of facts. no q
n wlll be surprised 90 hear that Jud
,e Tnuahlin's resignation hiss been demand
4 by lhe leading journals IN Missouri.
NJ would Sc an aoor1mcnt 90 ..e penite
n tiary, bus nc Is a disgrace ~ ,ae judio
bench.