The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-17
A WHISKY WAR
COnVulsing the Inhabitants Of the
Little Town of Weston,
The Council and the Mayor Fail
to Pull Together.
The Revolutionary Action of the
COunCllmen,
A Mass Meeting of Citizens Passes
Tart Resolutions.
The Excitement iu the Village
Still at Fever Heat.

WESTON, W. Va, August l6.-Westor
and Lewis county to-day is red.hot with
excitement. There never was q time dur
Ing the Presidential campaign when pub
lie feeling ran any higher than to-day, Al
the bitterness Of the red-hottest campaign
on record would not exceed the bitterness
that exists here at this time between ths
illegal whisky sellers and their followers
and supporters and lovers Of law and or
der. The story OF the origin Of the excite
ment is briefly as follows:
The County Commissioners have refus'
ed license now for several years, but the
saloons have been almost as bold and
open in their defiance Of the law as though
license had not been cut oil. Nothing
effective was done to prevent II, either by
the town authorities or the county proge.
Cutor, Louis Bennett, who was supported
in his eleCtioneby-the whisky dealers, Ra
has been generally charged by the anti.
whisky people for tho express purpose oi
defeating the ends OF the law.
Whether the charge be true or not, the
people rushed In witnesses on him aud
had found at various terms OF court over
700 indictments. At the last term OF the
circuit court he cleared the records after
being pushed to the wall, and this Is the
style In which he did 1t: One BUD
Dawson owned the most prosperous saloon
In the place, and II | have been correctly
informed had III indictments against him
Tor the sale OF liquor illegally. 1t was 70.
ported before the session OF the Coult that
Dawson would confess and settle up the
whole batch OF indictments for about 5000
Many people thought II singular that 1t
could be fully known what would be done
in tho premises before the sitting OF court
and many were the nutterings that all was
not right. When court came along Ben
nett, the prosecutor, allowed Dawson To
confess To 10 out Of the III cases In the
sum OF $lU and costs, and against the most
earnest protest and condemnation Of tho
Jury empanueled made them return vir.
dict OF "Not guilty" US to the remaining 0S
indictments. AS result Dawson got oil
on about 5000 as before had been declared
he would, aud as that was less than hit
license would have been during the period
he was permitted 10 sell, he was well sat.
istied. On this kind OF q bargain aud sale
principle the docket was cleared, aud the
saloons, although indicted also as nuis.
auces and orde.ed abRted by the court
went on as usual.
The people were outraged and indig
nant, and denounced the fdrciCal proceed
ings in the strongest terms, while the illega
whisky dealers, supported by such OIL
GERS, were defiant, bold and insulting. But
while the Taxpayers were enraged a
the method by which the docket had beer
cleared OF the 700 indictments, they b0
came more enraged when they SAW how
the money was applied, which was on thiI
principle:
HOW THE FINES WE'RE APPLIED.
For instance, on each case. tho sheriff
acting sis presumed, under the direction
OF the county attorney, collected $29 80
and Of that sum the record shows th,
money was appropriated in this kind Of I
style: Paid on the within Tor whatever ma,
be the termsl to the Prosecuting Attorney
$40 90, to the Circuit Court Clerk 60 much
and the balance to the sheriff, and as Il
tho remainder OF tho execution 1t Is 70
turned mo property found" and the re
mainder In every instance Is the State fnC
and the costs In the case. In other words
the money collected from the Baloonistl
was applied to the payment OF the costs o
the officers aud the State was left Il
whistle for Its fines and costs, AS beforI
stated the great mass OF the people werI
indignant and bitterly denounced suct
fraudulent proceedings, and right here i
might be added that the Judge, Henry
Brannon, who sat by and allowed suCt
farCiCal trials to be conducted In court o
Justice, without raising bis voice 10 pre-
vent It, Is almost as bitterly denounced BY
law.abiding people as Bennett.
II might also be remarked here tina
while Louis Bennett was prosecuting
the liuuor men, 1t was a singular fact thai
W. s. Bennett his brother, one Of the go
leitB" at the BuCkhannon Senatorial Con
yontion, was engaged In almost every In
stance for the defense" From thest
cirCumstguCeBa great many people though
like the negro that the whisky men wert
being "cotChed goin' and Comln'," bul
for all that the money captured in thil
bleeding process didn't get into the pocket
OF The State.
Now for the sequel. W. w. Brannon
Esq., two years ago was the opponent o
Louis Bennett In the Democratic primary
for tho nomination for Prosecuting Attor
ney, but was defeated.
ANAYoR or PLUCK.
A few weeks since Mr.. Braunol was ap
pointed Mayor to All q vacancy. The
town had a very strict ordinance In refer
enco To the sale Of liquor illegally, but 1t
like the laws Of the State, was dead let
ter. Mayor Brsnnon, however, 10 younl
man OF indomitablO pluck and energy, aut
one who has shown that he will do hi
duty iearlessly. 50 the frst thing The
people knew lie had up one NJ. w. Dough
erly, charged In several instances with tht
lllegpl distribution OF the ardent. He wal
found guilty In the four Of five cases, ant
was fined to an amount exceeding $500
and In default ot payment was sent to iai
for 30 days In each case. This was tht
keynote. Law abiding citizens knew tha
two or three jerks ot that kind woult
break Up the business In Weston, ant
they rallied 10 the support Of BEGnnon oil
The Council allowed Dougherty 10 bt
Jailed without interference, Rs he was run
ming strong opposition to "Bqd" Daw
6nnIa aalnon and gambling den, vhilf
seems 10 have been the iavoflte. But q
soon as Dougherly was jugged the Coun
oil met and discharged the policemen WHIT
hsd secured the evidence, and In defiance
OF common deDenpy put An ex.galoonlst
In hearty accord with tho illegal business
on the force As policeman. This raiaed I
iutofe Of Indignation, But 40 Mayo
Bfannon had the power, lie appointed lh,
two discharged policemen as special Off
GERS, and ID q day or two had eight or lei
cases against mDId" DAvRon, This seem
Cd 10 be striking Al the "klng ilee Rpl
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