Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-02-16
THE WAR NOT OVER.

THE WAR NOT OVER.
The Mayer-Adam, Contest Still Rousinl
Bad Blood In Tucker.
Special Correspondenos OF tie Register.
ST. GEORGE, W. Va February l2.-Tht
trial of the famous contest case between
George A. Mayer and John ]. Adams fol
the Circuit clerkship began here last Mon
day before County Commissioners Harper
Jones and Lambert. No case before the
court Of this county has ever attracted 80
much attention from our people and those
OF adjoining counties About 400 wit
nesses have been summoned. Adams
lawyers are Woods and Martin Of Grafton,
and W. B. Maxwell and P. Lipscomb OF St.
George Mayer lawyers are Capt Bradford
Of Philippi, j. n Hawthorne, OF Kingwood,
and A. B. Parsons and L. S. Anvil, Of St.
George. John T. Harris, OF Harrisville, is
employed as stenogrspher.
The readers OF the REGISTER can form
an idea Of the intense interest manifested
in this trial by the people Of Tucker when
they recall the great excitement here after
the last election. About two-thirds OF the
voters of Tucker are Democrats. Bot as
the county is small and spsrsely settled,
and every man knows almost every other
man in the county, many Of the Democrats,
as we'll as Republicans, think no conven.
tions should be held to nominate men for
county Office, but that each candidate
should take his own chances aud run on
his own merits. This being so, a great
many OF the Democrats refused to 60 into
the convention that nominated the county
ticket The result was that the independ
ent Democrats and the Republicans united
to defeat this ticket, and one OF the most
bitter local contests ever seen in this State
occurred. Arguments often we're not
deemed sufficient 10 carry point and
blows were resorted TO. Nearly all the
DeHocratic nominees were defeated, and
independent Democrats and Republicans
elected. The majority of Adams, the indie
pendent Democratic candidate for Circuit
Clerk was declared 10 be fourteen. But
Mayer, the Democratic nominee, protested
that fraudulent votes had been cast,
which, if thrown out, would insure
his own election But Adams claimed
that il all fraudulent votes we're thrown
out from both sides his own majority
would be increased But Mayer while
Adams was at the New Orleans Exposi.
ton brought the case before the County
Court, and as Adams was not expecting
the case to be tried till in the following
February, and had summoned no witnesses
and made no preparation TOR the suit, no
defense could be made and Mayer was de-
clared elected But the Sheriff thinking
the proceedings unlawful, at once sum
moned strong posse and took possession
of the Court House and refused to let
Mayer have access TO the Clerks office
For several days and nights the Court
House was bsrriCsded and the intensest
excitement prevailed throughout the coun
ty and several times bloody riot seemed
inevitable Meanwhile Adams friends
laid the matter before some Of the Circuit
judges and the proceedings Of the
County Court were declared invalid and
the caae remsnded back again TO the
County Court. FROM this decision an sp
peal was taken 10 he Supreme Court This
Court sustained the decision OF the Circuit
Court judges.
Though this Tucker county war, az it
was called by the papers Of the country
occurred more than year ago, the bitter
feeling among the sturdy and dar.
ing natives Of these mountains has been
kept up. The two local papers, the Pioneer
and the Democrat, have 10 the interests Of
their respective factions waged an intense
partisan war upon each other, and when
the meauest words found in the English
could no longer serve for cpl
the,s, the editors would fall TO pulling one
anothers hair or scratching each others
tGces. Members Of the various churches
Of the county someimeg have found it very
difficult TO dwell together in unity aud 90
into the church and prny after standing
outside OF the door and calling one an.
other liars before the services begin. In
a few instances ministers and class leaders
have been boycotted because they took part
with the faction opposed TO the majority Of
the church members.
Since the contest began last Monday
the town has been thronged with people
from both factions, manv cf them looking
ard talking veusense 10 one another.
The te.tiraony Tor Mayer was concluded on
Thursday. Most of the Witnesses were TO
prove that tradulent votes had heeH cast
for Adams at Davis City. EseE faction 10
that the evidence is in its favor.
The examination OF Adams witnesses is
in progress. About 2j0 have been sum.
moned BY him, though all ore not present.
In the evening after the last Issue OF the
Tucker Democrat +. 6. Piles acting
Sheriff Of the cou-t and an important wit.
ncss .or Adams, met W N. Csyton, the
editor aud quarrel ensued, concerning
an editorial in the democrat which
Pifer claimed insinusted that
be bad periured hipselr and Cayton
shot piper iDSiciiSt q sfght wound Men
hearing tss shot rushed TO the scene, and
sGon about 200 were present, greatly eE.
cited, ard believing Pifer mortally wound.
ed Cayton was soon in bis once and
barricaded the dOorG and seized his shot
gun and with ,oar or fte friends, deied
the crowd, many Of whom we're crying ont
hang him, lynch him" run for q
rope" Sheriff II. V. Miller and q posse
Of special police arrived uSt a. he crowd
were about TO bate; down The doors, and
rescued Csyiou II is bard telling what
would have been done had the crowd had
their way. This occurrence has made the
factions more bitter than eyeE, snd no
matter how the snt ia ds1dsj. 1t will be
years before tkeis hatred Is forgotten.
sTPRENE COURT,