Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-24
HlNroN.
Nswsy Notes From samnsra County and
the Kanawao.

the KARawao.
SDeeisl CorrespOadsass u tAs Ssp'day Rssisisr
HINTON, February 2I.-The present term
of the Summers county Circuit Court Judge
Homer Holt presiding, has been one ofgen-
eral interest. Court opened on the 9Th
inst, and viii probably last another week
yet. Several very important land suits in
volviDg the question Of titles have been de-
cided The Court has disposed Of great
deal Of ehancery business during the pres
emit term, besides hearing several criminal
cases. An instance Of the strange freaks OF
Jury was developed in 9 recent land suit
regarding the division of certain property
Len By viii to the heirs Of deceased eih.
zen OF Summers county. The jury awarded
verdict for the plaintiff, giving
him possession Of certain land
which he did not claim, and which
be had admitted rightfully belonged to the
defendent in the case A motion for new
trial was granted by the court. Probably
the most interesting case on the docket, at
least to the citizens Of Hinton, is the noted
contested election case now pending. and IN
which Judge Holt is expected to render
decision to-day or to morrow. The follow
ing is brief history of the case as related
to your correspondent by well known and
responsible citizen of Hinton:
At the recent municipal election there
we're two tickets in the field for Council
headed by two Republicans, Burke Prince
and l. H. Dunn for Mayor, the tickets tor
Council being composed ofthe best citizens,
irrespective Of party principles. 1t seems
that there is principle involved IN the con,
test which makes the matter one OF special
interest to many of our citizens The
Prince element and the Dunn element, al
though both in favor Of license,
differ as to the extent to which
the sale of liquor should be
authorized. In other words, the Dunn fac
ton allege that Prince and his ticket, which
was elected by small majority, Princes
majority for mayor over Dunn being only
two Votes) are in favor Of monopoly OF the
hauor business, and in order to effect this,
are in favor Of charging an exoroitsnt
license thereby preventing all but favor
lite one or two from sc ling liquor. Dunn and
the Council candidates on bis ticket are
known to be liberal on the license and are
in favor Of q reasonable license tax aud
strictly enforcing the law IN that respect,
The friends of Mr.. Dunn urged HIM to con-
test the election on the grounds of illegal
voting, claiming that many persons had
voted who were not citizens OF the town;
for instance, men in the employ OF the rail-
road company, and whom it is alleged their
EMPLOYEES forced to vote the Prince ticket
by telling them that their bread and butter
depended upon the way they voted; that If
they refused to vote the Prince ticket that
they could look for other employment &c
The following eminent array of legal
lights engaged in the fight. For Dunn, the
plaintiff, Albert Fowler, j. II. Miller aud
! John Hereford, for the defense, ii. c.
Simms, Of Huntington, ]. S. and W. r.
Thompson, and Mr.. Peck, of Hinton.
These attorneys are assisted by the entire
Summers county bar, which is also repre-
sented on both sides Of the question. Oar
ing the ventilation of the matter in court, it
appears that the entire election viii be de-
ciared illegal, as certain requirements re-
gardipg the publication of notice and other
points not observed as the law requires,
and it is the opinion of many that the court
will declare this election illegal, and in this
event the old council and municipal officers
! will hold over until new election IS held.
Mr.. Dunn is one Of the most popular
men in the county and has always ran away
ahead of his ticket on all other occasions.
Many of our best citizens openly charge his
defeat to fraudulent voting, and if q new
election is held the results will be quite
different from the last one held.
A stranger watching the proceedings OF
the court while in session is struck with the
apparent good nature of the whole
machinery. The smiling, scholarly face
of the Judge on the bench, the members OF
the bar, mostly young men of an intellect
ual cast, all arguing their points in an
earnest but good nstured way, tend to i'm
press the spectator fayorably. With one
exception the members of the Summers
county bar have not yet passed the meridian
of life. 1t was the pleasure ofthe REGISTER
correspondent to meet j. S. and W. K.
! Thompson, the genial editors Of the Noun.
| tain Herald, the Democratic organ of Sum-
mers county, and live county paper. The
Messrs I. are also promising members OF
the Summers county bar.
Henry c. Sims, Esq, late law partner OF
Hon. Eustace Gibson, Of the Fourth Con-
| gressional district, is here as counsel in the
| contested election case in the Circuit Court.
| Mr.. S. is now regarded as one of the best
lawyers in the State.
The genial Major S. F. Mcbride,
/ late of the Hinton Republican is now the
popular postmaster of this mountain town,
| and finds it more remunerative than the
| publication of Republican newspaper in
! Democratic county Mac published bright,
spicy paper, but the Republicans did not
support it as it deserved, and it was sus-
/ pended.
Summers county has no candidate to offer
| for any positions under President Cleve-
land administration.
Among the many Democrats Of Summers
\ county there is one now seyenty-fye years
of age, and who, although always taking
! enough interest in politics to vote tor county
| and State officers, never voted for q Presi-
/ dental candidate until last November,
\ when be went to the polls in Jumping
/ Branch district and cast his first presiden-
tial vote for Grover Cleveland. The gentle
man referred to is Mr.. Michael Harvey who
lives on the waters OF Little Blue Stone, this
county.
The heaviest fall of snow known for many
wears is reported in the mountains of Sum-
mers, Raleigh, Mercer, snA other counties,
and at this writing the snow is still falling.
Up to the present only little snow has fallen,
and in consequence the winter wheat in the
agricultural sections is reported badly dam
aged. The farmers say that the outlook for
a wheat crop was never so discouraging as
at present.
K. L Hamilton, formerly known as the
genial host ofthe old Swami House Of Par
kersburg, is pleasantly situated here, and is
the agent Of the C. / o. railway and the
Adams Express Company.
DR.. c. NJ Shrewsbury, of Parkersburg
and representing John Tuft & Co, of Balti'
more, Is here interviewing the drug men.
The Central Hotel here is now
managed by as clever set of Young men as