The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-10-28
HIS cause WANING.
JUDGE JOHN .tnnANNoN's son
Attacks nm ex.Confedcrate Supporter OF
aon because He Opposes his Father. +
Does Judge i'rnnnon Fnvor Poiygn.
my-A Little lit OF History.
Special Dlpn:eh 10 he I,ttllioenef,It.
WEsroS, W. VA, Oct. -Brannon's
cause Is becoming desperate in his own
county. Ills son assaulted an ex.Con-
federate Democrat this morning on the
street for his support OF GoG. .lt t'}ts
a. QUEER CASE.
~ Judge Brnnnon u Defender OF tho Prnc.
9. tlce Of POlyEnMS? -.EL

Judge Brnnnon u Defender OF tho Prnc
- tics of PolyEamy?
correspondence cf he Inttiii9motr. -r Il
WESTON, Oct. 2G.-lna speech made b,
Ex-Judge John Brannon here on the ols
inst. he preferred divers charges agains
tho Republican party. He arraigncd then
especially for permitting Mormonisln Il
exist In this country. Now it. so happenl
that Drannon has n record iavoring Nor
nonisnl as well as free trade. / am elae
that his speech called my attention to thi.
matter, rs it reminds me oia mystcriousl,
managed case which came under his juris
diction while Judge in this district. Or
tho 9th day Of March, 1873, the Grant
Jury OF this place found indictment.
against Lconidas Sinitlland Sarah Swishe,
Tor lcwd and lacivious cohabitation. Y The
cases passed on till September, 1878, and
on page 42l in Il chancery order book, No
ii, Is. found Brnnnon's final action in these
cases, to-wit: rs+
'1 "The State Uponan attachment
st;' 5H vs.. for lewd ani Ia.
l.eonidas Smith and civious cohabita-
Sarah Swishcr. tion."
'"The Prosecuting Attorney by and
with the consent of the Court, SAYS that
he will not further prosecute the defend
scts, Leonidas Smith and Sarah SwisLer.
upon this indictment. Therefore it is
considered by the court that they be dis
rhar.ed thcrcfrom and 80 thereof without
day.
lSigned1 "JouN BRANNoS."
The facts Of their cases are these: This
man Le0nidas Smith prior to the finding
OF this Indictment, was married TO Il
woman whom he left, or ut least they sep.
arated, and no legal grounds were alleged
lor divorce under our statute, so Smith,
through an attorney in Utah: Territory,
applied for divorce, and shortly after
wards it was forwarded to him, where-
upon he went and married Mrs. Sarah
swisher, and they lived together as man
and wife. The matter coming before the
Grand Jury, they found. the Indictment
referred to. and deeming that Salt Lake
divorces were invalid and illegal they
found these indictments.
The public here were very much in
censed at the audacity OF q man trying to
practice Mormonism in our midst and had
no other idea than that Judge John Bran
non would rule against such conduct, but
i'll that they were amazingly surprised, Tor
ut the September term Of tile court in ISIS
the case was dismissed and the order
made us heretofore copied. "By and with
the consent OF the court they were sent
lOrth without dav.h .ss -. 2 &. -
Various opinions are entertained as ia,
why Hrarnon ruled that way, hut it is
sufficient for the public to know that he
virtually recognized Morlnonism while on
the bench and gave it cordial support,
and the twain under that Utah divorces
live within the suburbs OF Weston and
the head Of the family is a strong adyo-
cate and supporter OF John Brannon for
Congress. IM;nk il ,rN be a great pity If
Brannon should be eleratcd td- that posi-
ton, y Jor no other reason than 10 prereni tie
continuance Of biormonism and prdsect the
'lmeican industries, us it is plain to sec
from his past record that be has reformed,
to some extent, that. is he will defend the
protection theory in Wheeling and doubt
less ii a majority OF the Ohio county. peo-
pie are opposed TO- .Nlornonism lie will
promise them to use his influence in send
ing the poor NIormons where !"the wood
bine twincth." .BunBLE BUSTER.