Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-26
FEDERAL OUTRAGES.
Fresh and Glarins Proof Of the
Lawlsss D0ings Of
BOSS ATKINSON AND HIS DEPUTIES.
Unoffending Citizens Arrested on Charges
of Which They We're Innocent and
Dragged a Hundred Miles
to Trial.
Special to the REGISTER.

SPECIAL 10 the ReQlStsT.
KEYsER, W. Va, March 24.-Reference to
abuses under Boss Atkinsons administra'
ton and the outrageous exercise of federal
authority as disclosed in the Gibson expo
sure, brings to mind several informations,
petty prosecutions and failures in convic'
ton from this and adjoining counties
within the past two years. The most re-
markable now occurring to the writer is the
Anderson prosecutions.
T. P. Hilland, alias D. P. Boyd, native
Of Westernport, Nd, and pretended L. s.
detective, was during last summer in the
employ of Deputy Marshal Haggerty and
nosing around for violations Of the internal
revenue laws, several arrests were made
upon information given by Hilland. One
complaint was against John Anderson, who
was charged with selling intoxicating
liquors in Elk District, Mineral county.
AWarrant Of Arrest Was Issued
and the supposed offender was found aud
carried by the officer one hundred and
eighty miles to the L. s. Court at Parkers-
burg to answer the indictment. Hilland
was OF course summoned as witness.
When confronted by the prisoner hilland
failed 10 identify HIM, and declared he was
not the Anderson. He was discharged and
the John Anderson hunt renewed. Some
time last fall J. Anderson, OF Frankfort
district, was spotted as the offender. Dep
uty Marshal Hsggerty came TO Mineral
and deputized w. +. Head to make the ar
rest. The poor fellow, an inOilenslve man,
was terribly surprised aud shocked when
taken in custody and informed OF the
charge. He protested there must te some
mistake; that he did not know where Eik
district was, and had never been in 1t. The
neighbors knew from his occupation, hab
its and declarations that Anderson was
innoce Mt of the otiense, and general indIg-
nstion was expressed that poor man
should be dragged from his family and
home on frivolous and unfounded charg-.
he TOO was carried to Parkersburg aud tue
chronic Hilland alias B0rd-detectlvr, So
called summoned as a witness. Naeh
put upon the ste i'd, mrabite dtctH, be sS're
I is vas Lot the man either, and the An
d rs0n farce becoming monotonous D'strici
Attorney Flick promptly dismissed tht
case ard sent the man home. 1t ls not
know how long the Anders1 IN hunt would
have been kept up but the Johnsand Pa
were about exhausted and the Jims, Jack
sons and Jonathans were becoming res
less, when the play was shut off by the
court. Let's see what this nonsense cost
The government One hundred and NIFTY
miles carrying prisoner, two trips, S3d;
Witness Hilland, alias Boyd, &c, milage,
tie same; besides per diem, add cost OF
summons, arrest, clerks cost, and 1t will
resch in the neighborhood Of one hun 1red
dollars-for what?
Illegally Arrestfng Two unOfending
Citizens
on tie testimony OF an old ( '' nd
taking up the time of the court in !;
what ludicrous and outrageous things may
sometimes be done in the name OF justice,
besides bringing into reproach the section
from whence the pretended offender Is
brought.
We want to know what redress there is
for for the personal wrongs inflicted upon
Jaw abiding citizens, and the responsibility
festered upon the power, officer, party or
ir rdividual that participates in or approves
the acts. NlNDItAIuR'