Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-03
GIBS0NIANA,
Ire TLCr't District GOngressman's
Ans, r TO "HOss" Atkin-
sons Defiance,
Comparative Statements from Re-
ports ofAttOrnsys General
Since 1879.
Proportions Of Business to Fass
GCbbIsd by Wss' Myr-
mid0ns.
Intimidatinu Defendants to Prevent
Exposure of Numerous
Flimsy Prosecutions.
Professional Witnesses Who We're
Kept on Pay to Swear
Generally.
Sham Arrests MAIDS to Sscura
New Clothes and Pocket
Money.
lincolnshire Figures and 65nsral
V.ntiIation of the Real
Situation.
Iniimidating Defendants to Prevent
Exposure Of Numerous
Flimsy Prosecutions.
Professional Witnesses Who We're
Kept On Pay to Swsar----
Generally.
Sham Arrests MAIDS to Sscurs
New Clothes and Pocket
Money.
lincolnshire Figures and General
V.ntiIation of the Real
Situation.
S2ecial % he Rsgistsr.

Special % ihe Register.
u WAsu,NGroS, March l.-As telegraphed
you some days since, Congressman Gibson,
of the Fourth District, has been engaged
during the past week in gathering facts
a1d figures to demolish Marshal George W.
Atkinson. The following resume OF tie
results Of his investigations thus far fur
nisbtd nre yesterday, will illustrate how he
Is getting along:
"l bsye made comparative statements
from The reports Of the Attorney General,
for the years ~, 80 81, 50, 50, Of the in
terpsl revenue cases alone, and they all
show how enormously West Virginia has
been imposed upon and advertised to the
world as the great criminal State OF the
Il Union, her average population Of ABOUT
five hundred thousand people bearing the
buIdgh Of from one-sixth to one-tenth OF
81 all the criminal prosecutions carried on by
s Federal courts against the whole $1,000, 600
y PEOPLE Of the United States.
ION July lst, 1879, there were 954 cases
pending. while 35S had been disposed Of
that year, making the enormous total Of
l.4l2; making about One.sixth OF all the
y criminal prosecutions carried on by Fed
eral conrts in the L aitsd States, whereas
her proportion, all things being even ,
ought only 10 have been one and one
hundredth.
"For this year her marshals gObbled
$i5,S25 out Of the total expenditures OF
s53,7lS 50, being more than double the
PROPORTION Of the marsha,s of other states
according to population. Besides this, out
OF the appropriation for 80, the marshals
got further sum Of 81, $40 for 10.
"You see this was about the time when
Atkinson was organizing and carrying out
his scheme for crushing and buying out
our end OF the State with the Federal
Courts and the purse OF the nation.
More About MarshRIs' Fees.
"July /, 1850, there were 756 criminal &C
tions pending, while 59l had been disposed
of during the year, making about QUE
eighth OF all the criminal prosecutions for
AthaI year in the United States, in
stesd Of about One-One hundredLh,
This year does not seem to have
Sbeen a good yesr for marshals. Still our
West Virginia marShals came in for little
more than double share. The total eX
pendilure for these officers in the [ nited
States was 81, 80 West Yirginis's fair
proportion would have been about s., ,O0O
But her msrshlls gyt 5000; with total
expenditure in the State by the Federal
IA Court Of S47,@52 70 July l, lSSl, there
were pending 4JU cases, while for that year
"A All had been disposed Of, making a total o.
a S7l, about one tenth of sll the criminal
prosecutions for that year in United State!
Courts for all the States and Territories.
This year our Marshals come in tor S4OC
back pay for lS79 another sum Of 81, ,0O) fol
$50, and SS2t5 for lNNl; aud the total sp
preparation for Federal court for Wes
Virginia for this year was $50, 1861 S,
that this year our marshalS got about thel
proportion with other msrshalS; while thI
court expenses were nearly
BOuhle a Due Proportion.
"For the year ending July lst, lSS2, ther
were lG criminal prosecutions pending
n while 55I had been disposed OF for tina
year, making total Of 7r3. The totl
~ number OF prosecutions in the Cuitel
~ States Tor that year was q, 80; so that Wes
~ Virginia hgures with the lions share o
, about one-Hiuth, instead Of about one
- huPdredth.
Il Again in this year tie Marshals lo7risl
WIN tGcG pay. For lS>O they got S7l5 1t
Tor lSsl they got S-U22: while for lSS
~ they IUNurisisd IN Slb 100, and the tots
Court expenses were Sj4, ,23OU5. For thi
~ yssr sSsin the West Virginia Marshal
gathered in from the public treasury abou
uouO.e their proportion Of the syag ths
- other Marshals got; aud tue Court expense
Nere about double also in proportion t
other States and Territories.
80 Under the Atkinson Regime.
RrfF fNr he y-aar 49,,
they fairly went wild They increase,
Their number from l. iu l>S2 to 36 in lSSS
~, snd ran up their fees from 30 700 10 abou
"A SLoNU ana, mark you vita less business
than any former year. At that date thsr
were only 35S cases pending. ana ther
hau only been 20 convictions duripp tins
year, and AZ the same time they ran up tn
witness fees from 5000 in lSS2 20 owe
SS-u,V'V IN l>>3. You see we ha
Il. SSSng'esSionai I'm e.e tons in our Stat
81 July, lN>2, and that wa
iSsa 'ue hscal year ending July
Tt,Is aao.e ~ SHe marshal boss and all tn
tir'H tir'.e oosses we're very active sbau. tina
the S ate. '1ey "O"'d carr
bgS but there is some other things desir
~ ca, attention 10. ont Of This gr.nC
t 80 a; a.. >yo cases for three wears, l 9S.
,r ~ oI' dismissed, because there WAS nothins
''" - were aclUittals.
iHtimidatInx DeIcad,nt,.
But this does not tel. all ths t,,s HIM.
@ oIsus Q, parties as he near.s, and ls,,
So. t-,FFt FeIS'Fe Wsy, with the assent NJ tbs ne
go .S' ,E" a oIney anu the Cou-t. MEAD ,niItv
nj S-i5 'Ie Oeurt, satisfied tbst tba go 80.
|. - @ ordered, rs IL bad the ri,ot 10 Az
|. S+'S-su O1suI % have done, 4 susosSg;o1 ~
s.. LrosneA' IN them. Tske tn sn1-,,,o. -
- 80 ssssF1sS'ea Judgments ami the sno, =,
- nHeS coltsctrd and one "a, s,s;I,. =,
'| ..a ~ itSSl half Of he cases Ts,,,.,ss as
WI I'''' We-e OF this n,rv-. u -
"a SLeS'ei we're sometimes ,hrs,.s,,5 - -
ihrt' mNrSASls Wlth Conviction 80 "
"a JsGn - u they dared employ -, - p'u q,
Ct'Ni o 'Sem, Know u yss;f ~ - - -
a ,tsSe- eileve This kind NJ iI,;S,:, -, : sCu
II r's rsfr 20 on largely They =, .2u %
II G uFou tne mercy ct the court a,
Src s'torley. Oi cpTr.s ~.
h''s are not known to thess otfici.i, I'''
Professional WI,neSssa
I.r' hss been saqIher SD. - f.,
5,'rly esrrisd on by these ms,,b,,. .s.l
80 ct Professional witnsssss So.
q" would enter into coliusin, .,',S
y o." r-"fsr charges sgsip,t ths,,, 20 20
D., u a. n. m 20 CRar,es,,,p n M 80
uf !, NtSTe, u caurss pa,n i,1aa,S
W. 'Eey Wnpid De- acuuitisd ana 80.
'1'I - hsS' h7i srd witness Ia, ,La -
N'uio be tscked out in a .,a,, srSt -
IA -0tAss' ana they would All come hom, ~