Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-06-30
THE ARGL ML.NT--

ANAlttll NbllAllNibls 4 ~ lA'N EA'N
Of tie dress; | only noticed it was torn.
II ARGUMENT
This closed the evidence, and argument
was opened for the State by Mr.. Ewing.
The attorneys remarks were addressed To
the Importance OF holding all the prisoners
for the action OF the grand jury, stating
that there was no question rs to the policy
of holding Eugene Johnson, and contend
ing that there was probable cause rs to
Alexander Johnson aud Minnie johnson.
Mr.. CriSwell followed for the defense, in
his opening abiding to the studied at
tcmpts made To prejudice public opinion
against the prisoners, and thereby 10 lose
sight of the mitigating circumstances con-
nccted with an event which all deplored.
He contended that the paper under which
Thatcher sought to arrest Johnson and
commit him TO Jail for twenty days was IN
illegal document, founded upon no Orti-
nance of the town of MOundSville, nor vet
upon a'.y statute of West Virginia; and also,
that, when he forced open lie door of John
sons house, armed with this paper, That
cher was guilty Ofan unlawful act, and the
residents of the house had 4 right to pre-
vent invasion of their home. He did not
want tn say unkind things o! the deceased,
and he considered it not unkind-
ness to say that Marshal Thatcher was over
Jealous and transcribed his duty to an ca
tent unparalleled in Marshall county or in
the State of West Virginia. lie went over
the manner OF the arrest of Mrs. Johnson
the screaming of the woman, the drag
ging of her down stairs by the arm and
through lie mud, the tearing of her
clothes-and asked II that was he manner
in which the civilized citizens of the town
of MOundSville desired to have their Laws
enforced. He thought not. If, two weeks
AGO, a man had asserted on the streets OF
MoLIGsville that Marshal Thatcher would
have acted in the h,aEgcr he did in this
case. the lie would have been east in the
teeth of he who made the statement. De
ScribinS the thrice repeated threats OF
Eugene Johnson to Thatcher-"Let her up
or I'll shootr'-he asked what man was
there in tits o. $E. other community, who
would stand by and ses hls AitE thus
roughly handled and publicly diS3raced
the street. without making some such
threat rs that.
Capt. Dovener. at o'clock, followed
Mr.. Criswell. 80 Rr ID Eugene Johnson
was concerned, the speaker conceded that
he should be held to answer an indictment
in the Circuit Court In saying this, he
was guilty of no neglect to the interests OF
his client. But with regard to Alexander
and Atrs. Jqhnson. he contended and urged
that no crime bad by them been commit
ted, and that they should be discharged
from custody. He recited the nature Of the
paper with which Thatcher went to john
sons house, showed c~OncluSiyely that 1t
was a void PROCESS, Spd coutended that any
man would be justified In defending his
home from such an invasion. Referring to
the actual shooting, he said il was strange
that Johnson. seeing his wife 80 maltreated,
did MOI sho3t at once, instead of pausing to
cry three times, ''Let Ey wife SO or I'll
shOOtr'.
Al twenty minutes past 3o'clOok Prose
cutting Attorney Meighen took the floor for
the closing argument, prefacing his remarks
by saying he spoke only in the discharge of
his duty, and not for the purpose ofmfam-
ing the public mind; on the contrary, he,
as a public officer, expressed the hope that