Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-04-22
FR0N THE BHNcH.
Some Pertinent Remarks From Judge Jack
son, in the U. s. Court
AT THE CLOSE OF FHE BARGER CASE
NsighborhoOd Quarrsls and Jsalousiss at the
Bottom Of the Matter. /,
PROCEEDINGS IHTHE CIRCUIT COURT

The usually quiet and humdrum pro-
oeedings in the United States Court were
snlivened yesterday, at the close Of the
Barger case, by some rather forcible and
merited remarks from the bench. The
jury took this case Friday night, at the
conclusion of the closing argument of Dis
riot Attorney Watts, and came into Court
at rather late hour with sealed verdict,
This verdict was opened YESTERDAY morn
ing, after Court had convened, and turned
out to be ''not guilty." Upon this an
nouncement Judge Jackson took occasion
to say that he considered the verdict
o righteous one, and added that If it
had been 'gailty' he vac not sure hut
what he would have set it aside. At the
same time, there was considerable
amount of evidence against the defendant,
and referring TO this, he proceeded to ad-
minister little wholesome advice both TO
Mr.. Barger and the witnesses in the c,use
against him. To the defendant he said
that this was not the first time he had
been charged with offenses against the
pension laws, and sometimes where there
was so much smoke there was little fire
as we'll. He hoped the result OF this case
would hp warning TO all who, either ig-
norantly or vilfnily, bad violated the let
ter and spirit Of the Federal pension laws.
Upon ths prosecuting witnesses be was
rather severe. BE told them that the evi.
dence in the case made 1t apparent that
neighborhood quarrels and petty jealousies
and spites had great deal more to do with
the matter than & sss;Es to see that the
law was enforced. There wac sometning
the matter with the people in the vicinity
of Littletpn, where this cause came from.
He was sure taess was no greater proper
ton of lawltssnsss in tAst part pl
the Safe than in any other,
and vet somehow or other large
number of Federal cases came from there
The Courts of the United States were not
the places 10 settle personal animosities
He had seen the whole machinery of the
United States Court clogged for two or
three days With cause which should never
hsye GeIae up, end the thing bad to stop
About forty witnesses had been brought
here and kept for several days at the ex-
pense of the government, important bust
ness had been delayed, and a good deal
of energetic swearing done, and all for moth.
ing. Thare yould be no further liberation OF
prosecutions instituted for the punishment
of real or faDcied cffenses OF puraly per
sonsl character. He hoped the people in
tersslsa ip this matter would 90 home and
he iaw-abiding sitissps; and that instead Of
abusing the Federal laws, they warld feel
it their patriotic duty to uphold the lay
and the courts under the law. II the mat
ter did not ead sosa, he greatly feared that
the most serious results would fQllow.
The remarks of the Court were delivered
with great earnestness and impressiveness,
and were universally commended By all
present.
The case of the United States V. A. NJ
and George W. Grow, was then called and
was put on trial before the following jury:
G. A. Stalnaker, William Morgan, <. A.
Roger, Creed w. Hart, @. w. Morgan. W.
M. Reitz, Frank Cox, Fred Miller, john
Adams, James Mcnamara, d. II. Virden,
and Jacob Bayha. This case comes from
the sags part of the State as the Barger
case, and is for o violation of the postal
laws.
At noon the Court adjourned until Nom
day, and Judge Jackson and Clerk Moore
left on the afternoon train, over the Ohio
river road, for home.