The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-21
TUE WHISKY WAR


THE WHISKY WAR
AT Weston-Fair Play Has Something to say
of tho Recent Excitement
10 The EIitor Of the IntsHigsacer
SR:-Perhaps o few facts concerning
the indignation meeting held at Weston,
on the l4th, to pass resolutions condemn
inc the action Of the Town Council for
their act in amending the whisky oIdin'
apce might not DO inappropriate.
The Town Council Of Weston was elect
ed Az a license council, with q full under
standing with the saloonista that in the
event The County Court would grant
license they would issue the necessary
nrejinlnary permits and even went 30
lar ma TO grant them with the hopo that
ths County Court wouldregard the Wishes
NJ me people OF the town, The court ~
Insed 10 do so, and in kind Of negative
manner, Its illegal sale in tho town OF
Weston was never looked into by Its
NIayor until following the ideas OF Louis
Bennett, Prosecuting Attorney, who has
elways openly and Gv0wedly held that the
Moyor'a office, and not the Circuit Court
was the most practical aud speedy place
TO suppress this traffic, Complaints were
made before W, W. Brannon, who had
lust been appointed to succeed Hon.
Andrew Edminston, resigned,
He now seeks to ride Oh the strong tenn
pergnco feeling that Is rising In the Coup.
| try, Since rendering his reckless deCi'
siopg and fearing the reaction that 10 TAX
ING plaGa among tho real law and order
people, he can DO seen in daily conference
with the saloonists, and within the last
iorLy.eiQht hourR has made apologies 10
them. telling I. Il. Dawson that II he now
desired no could find at leaat fifty cases
ugaint him, indicating that he was not As
accused q prosecutor, Dougherty, who
was comparatively newcomer, was the
first against whom complaint was made
lIrauuon admitting evidence that the party
who was shown 10 have gold the liquor
has raid that he wac clerk, convicted him
in three cases ut thirty dollars each. This
was repeated In three other cases at sew
enly.liye dollars each and Dougherty con.
fined in Jail for failure Of payment,
Il, q, Dawson WaG tho next against
whom n warrant was sworn out, and upon
the bare fact that beer had been bought
OF one Thomas Burr in building, the
legal title OF which ia In John DaWson's
name, and in which T. Il. Dawson had
been known TO spend good deal OF hiS
time, Brannon was proceeding 10 inlet
the Same heavy fines against him when,
at this iunCLuro, the Council amended the
ordinance and reduced the fine. This
was matter strictly Of their own motion
and accord. W. q. Bennett, who is their
attorney, was called upon without consul
tation as to it's advisability to draw 1t up
in proper form, which perhaps LIE did as
in duty he should have done. Louis Ben.
nett was out OF town and had no knowl.
edge Of The contemplated amendment and
only learned that 1t had been made alter
his arrival. The Council gave as an ex.
PLANTATION for their conduct that they did
not intend W. W. BrannOn should persG.
Cuto any one for his own political advance.
mcnt, and that he had been guilty Of
great dupliCity toward them, and his
wonderful political shadow that was 70.
ileCted in the mirror Of the near future
blinded him to every sense OF Iustce and
dethroned his mental capacity, besides
putting the town to great expense by in.
generating men in jail whose proven
guilt was extremely doubtful. There was
much ill-ieeling expressed against tho
council and an indignation meeting was
called at the instance Of W. w. Brannon,
who forgot all rules Of common deCenCy,
and aided by hia personal efforts the
movement in that direction, suggesting
and debating tho wording Of the "0ul.
rageous" poster which was issued for the
call Of the meeting; and on the following
day paraded the streets with his pocket
full OF these circulars handing them out
in every direction. Not yet satisfied GU
the day Of the meeting he was
Cats.pawing everybody, insisting upon
their presence in Ills behalf never
once appearing to recognize It's bad taste.
At the meeting he sought the first oppor-
tunity to launch forth into speech filled
with his own praise aud exalted worth.
And In order to make himself shine tho
brighter, he soon began to cast reflections
upon Louis Bennett, Prosecuting Attor.
ney, and hiu management Of the i'm
mense number OF whisky cases that had
heretofore Clogged our courts. And right
hero let 1t be said that Louis Bennett Is
one Of the most popular young men in
this county-quiet uuobtrusive, diligent
and able; but whom aroused ia fully CON.
petent TO take care OF himself, as has been
demonstrated upon more than ono oCCs.
sion. Mr.. Brannon himself had to &C.
knowledge him 10 be one OF the ablest
Prosecuting Attorneys Of any court
in which he had ever praCtiCed, qualify.
ing 1t by excepting whisky cases only.
Elk years ago Bennett was elected to
his office over both Republican and an
independent Democrat by a large major.
ity. Two years ago he again received the
nomination over this same Mr.. Brannon,
receiving OF the primary election, nearly
700 more Democratic votes than his op.
ponent, or about doubling him. The
fight that Mr.. Brannon made at that timo
WAS a bitter, personal TRADE throughout
the county until finally Bennett met him
at q picnic on Sand Fork and literally
crushed him In their discussion there,
the crowd finally leaving him standing on
the stump OF a tree saving the air to only
two listeners. 1t was here that Brannon
denied that he was opposed to license
and stated that II his auditors did not DO.
lieve hlB statement for them to come 10
town and he would drink with them In
hot weather to keep cool, and In cold
weather to keep warm, etc.