Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-12
EccLEs CONVICTED .
Of Eiqht OF the Twelve Charges
8 Preferred.
The Trivial Matters 0verlooked-The Ar
gument of the CounseI-The Commit
"A tee will Report the Verdict
Without Recommendation.

The work OF the Eccles investigating
committee is concluded, and OF the twelve
charges preferred, the committee has, by
unanimous vote, decided that eight have
been proved. This verdict will be reported
without recommendation and Council will
be lett to do as il may see best IN the
premises. -,
The committee met last night, with
every member present. The evidence had
all been taken, and it remained to hear the
argument of counsel before the case was
Submitted to the committee for the verdict.
Ifpon motion, il was decided to allow thir.
ty minutes to each OF the speakers, Mr..
Caldwell to open and close.
Mr.. Caldwell's opening speech was very
general in its nature: He took up the
charges, seridtipl and argued that each had
been proved, briefly citing the testimony
relating to each.
Capt Dovener followed for the defense.
He STYLED the charges trivial from begin
ming to end and thought that when, here
after, charges were preferred against pub
lie officer. the complainant should be COM
PEELED TO
GIVE GOOD SECURITY
for the costs in case the charges should not
be sustained. Here the city had been going
on for long time with this case at heavy
expense, Which WOulu' nc thou6hp go o.
for naught. That the charges were
trivial was evident from the fact
that they were the laughing stock
of the town. The evidence, he claim.
ed. showed that Eccles had not defrauded
the city of penny and all that had been
shown was that he had fed his horse few
bushels of oats. The defense had shown
that the charge of shooting his horse at city
expense was untrue. as Eccles had ordered
the cost charged to his personal account
and did not know it was included in the
Vigilant bill. The charge OF retaining
money received for rent, he denied IN toto,
and c. aimed that if the payments OF the past
three years were figured up, they would
show not one cent against Eccles. There
was no ordinance compelling him tocollect
rent, and when he did so it was matter OF
accommodation to the city.
The fact of the matter is, said the Captain,
the whole matter is the work of malice,
and he proceeded to pay Barney Calligan
number of
LEFT HANDED COMPLIMENT,
STYLING him high.minded and generous
citizen, etc The charge of selling oats, he
thought. was entirely unsustained. Eccles
knew nothing of the receipt of the $40, and
when he learned of it, had it promptly paid
over, before these charges were preferred,
The charge OF C0nSplrlng 10 DreaR uOWn tue
reel he STYLED as maliciously untrue and
never mentioned until Mart. Clark had
been discharged and he told it ito get
even" Finally, winding up with second
scoring of Barney Galligan, the defense
rested.
Mr., Caldwell began his closing argument
by saying twas VIM. Eccles and not Barney
Galligan who was on trial, and then he
opened a cross-fire OF hot shot upon the
Chief, raking him upon each of the charges.
He dwelt at length upon the matter OF rent.
submitting the following statement for the
guidance of the committee:
AN ACCOUNT OF RENT.
DIR.
Rcccipts of Miss White accrued during
Windrr's time to Dec. LIST, lS1S............Sl2 w
Rent accrued for December, 1873, being
all rent TO January lst lS79................. W
Rent accrued from January LIST, 1879, 10
July LIST, 1879, six months @ 81 U........--. q W
Rent accrued from September LIST, 1879, to -
January LIST, lSSO, four months a 81 t0... IL W
sii %
Rent accrued from January LIST, 1880, to
july LIST, 1850, six months at Same.........s2i 20
Rent accrued from September lst, $780, 10
January lst, 1881, four months at same 10 W
$40 90
Rent accrued from January LIST, 1881, to
July LIST, 1881, six months at same..........S2i %
Rent accrued from September LIST, 1881, to
December LIST, 1881, three months nj