Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-06-28
INDICTMENTS QUASHED.
THE ANIMUS OF THE BEN
ANDERSON MATTER
SHOWN UP.
"No Offence Charged and None
Committed"-What Leading
Citizens of Martlnsburg
Have to Say.

The late Grand Jury indicted
three gentlemen, ,.under the Local
Option Law, for giving away beer
at Martlnsburg during the primary,
and our contemporary has indus
,triously advertised the fact that
Ben Anderson, Collector of Boone
county, was one of these parties,
but has never mentioned the other
parties at all. The animus of this
is plain and known to all who have
Investigated the matter. Ander-
son is Francis man and the Intel
igencer is endeavoring to injure
him all it can. He is a candidate
for reelection to the Office of Col
lector of Boone county. Because
he wont wear the Morehouse collar
he is to be defeated by fair or foul
means. The parties indicted de-
manded an immediate trial and the
result shows that no offense was
committed or even charged.
The cases of the State of Mis-
souri, against Ben. M. Anderson, of
Boone county, and Oscar Krieger
and Geo. Winzel, of Martinsburg,
this county. charged with giving
away beer under the late Local
Option Law, were called in Court
Friday and were quashed in the
Circuit Court on demurrer filed by
defendants. Geo. Robertson filed
and argued the motion to quash
the indictment. His claim was
that that portion of section six of
the Local Option law which in
hibits the sale of intoxicating
liquors is unconstitutional, for the
reasons:
First. That the title of the
Local Option act does not mention
the giving away of intoxicating
liquors and is, therefore, not with
in the rule of legislation laid down
by section twenty eight, article
four of the constitution of this
State.
Second. The question of giving
away intoxicating liquors was not
and cannot be submitted to the vote
of the people under provisions
of the Local Option Law.
Third. The only question sub
mitted to the voters was the ques-
tion of the sale of Intoxicating
liquors.
Fourth. That provision of sec
ton six inhibiting the giving away
of intoxicating liquors is void, be-
cause derogatory to common right.
The Court sustained the motion
upon the ground that "no offense
against the laws of the State was
charged or had been committed. "
The fact is that none of these de-
PENDANTS had been engaged in any
thing unlawful or that initiates
in any way against the interest OF
good morals or good citizenship.
A reporter for the LEDGER was
detailed to call on a number of the
prominent citizens of Martinsbure
in order to obtain statement of the
manner in which Mr.. Anderson
conducted himself while in that
town during the recent Guberna.
torial county canvass. The re.
porter first found Jos. Muster, to
whom he explained the object OF
his visit. The gentleman was sur.
prised that there had even been an
intimation that anything Mr.. An.
derson had done while in Martins.
burg was construed as being of a
dishonorable or ungentlemanly
nature. To use his own words,
Mr.. Muster said:
AZ was a Claiborne man during
the recent canvass and was work.
ing for Rucker. i was in a posi-.
ton to be thrown in contact with
Mr.. Anderson at different times
during the canvass and at no time
did | see him do anything that was
not perfectly honorable. think
HIM one of the most clever men
ever met. He is to my notion {
perfect gentleman. He is one o
| the best takers / ever met and ht
got in some good work for his man
He dld nothing at any time during
his stay with US that was out o
the way. He talked with our peo
pie and argued points with them.
Ought to know, for | was right Their
and saw everything that occurred
/ understand he 10 running for re