The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-08-31

In Preston County-A Well Known
Lawyer in Contempt.

Kingwood Era.
A decided sensation was produced
in the court room Monday afternoon,
after the jury in the case of the State
against John Gidley had retired to
it's room, Judge johnson called the
bar together and in dignified man
ner began to address them. He said
that in career of thirty years at
the bar and on the bench it became
his duty for the first time to do a
most unpleasant thing. Without
honest court officials justice could
not be subserved-lawyers are Off
Gals of the court, and it is necessary
that they should be honest. His ex-
perience convinced him that there
was as much honor in the legal pro-
fession as in any other, and he had
found the bar of Preston to be equal
to any other in this respect with
but one exception. He then read
the following rule ordered against
Mr.. l. G. Ralphsnyder. member of
this bar, for contempt of court:
WEST VIRGINIA, S.:
At Circuit Court held for the county of
Preston, on Che 10Th day of Aug, 1889,
The court is informed that |. C. Ralph
snyder is a practicing attorney in this
court, and as such an officer Of the court,
and that when ON the 10Th of the present
month the case OF the State Of West Vir-
ginia against John Gidley and Brooks
Devall, who stand jointly indicted in
this court for defacing a house, was
called for trial, the said G .Ralphsnyder
appeared for the defendant Devall and de-
manded that the defendants be tried sep
arately; he further stated that he was
not ready to proceed with the trial be-
cause he had just been employed that
day to defend Devall and was not familiar
with the case, that his brother had APP
peared for Devall on the trial before the
justice.
The court ruled that the parties must
go to trial, but the case was not tried on
that day. On the next day, the 10th
day OF August, 1889, the attorney for the
State elected to try Devall first, there
upon said |. c. Ralphsnyder said he did
not want them tried severally, and the
court being reminded that he had so
elected the day before, he denied that he
had made the election. The case against
Devall proceeded to trial, the said |. c
Ralphsnyder appearing for the defend
ant and conducting the defence for him.
He spread out before him notes of the
evidence of each witness for the State,
as he claimed, who had testified at the
trial before the Justice when a witness
for the State was being examined he was
asked by Neil j. Fortney, the prosecut-
-. +hn he a
PENDANTS before the justice, and he an
peared before the justice for the defend
ant; thereupon the said prosecuting at
torney called the attention OF the court
to the statement made by the said
Ralphsnyder on the previous day, that
he had on that day been employed for
the defendant, and said Ralphsnyder re-
marked to him, "What are you going to
do about il ?" That before the case was
through he rendered as evidence in the
case said written statement signed as he
claimed by the witnesses for the State,
and which writing he stated to the court
he had prepared at the time. Therefore
for the reasons aforesaid, it is ordered
that rule be awarded against said |. c.
Ralphsnyder and that the Sheriff of
Preston county, in the name of the State
of West Virginia, is commanded to sum
mon the said l. G. Ralphsnyder to APP
pear before this court, on Thursday
morning next, at O'Clock a. M, to show
cause, il any, why he should not be at
tached for his contempt of this court,
for his misbehavior as an officer of this
court, in his official character, as set
out in the information aforesaid. That
service of copy OF this order on the
said l. G. Ralphsnyder shall be deemed
equivalent to the service of the rule
aforesaid. A copy of the record
Test: JNo. w. WATSON, Clerk.