Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-29
THE FEDERAL COURT.
POUR ADDITIONAL ELECTION CASES DIS
POSED OF YESTERDAY.
All the Defendants Declared Not Guily-General
Golf Views the Scene From the Bench
Two General Utility Men in Court

The defendants in the election cases be-
fore the United States Court Wednesday
were all Democrats.
Yesterday the circumstances were re-
versed; they were sll Republicans.
The.results reached at each session, how
ever, were identical-all the defendants
were acquitted yesterday, verdicts of not
guilty being returned in three cases, after
the District Attorney had expressed his
belief that the evidence was not suffi-
cient to warrant anything else, and in the
fourth instance. the verdict was returned
by direction of the Court, before Mr.. Watts
had indicated what he thought Of the testi-
mony adduced.
The first case called was that of the gov
eminent V. Chancellor Verse alias Chan
cellor Staunton, colored, he being charged
with casting an illegal vote at Elm Grove,
without having been citizen the prescribed
time. The jury was made up Of MessIs.
Thomas J. Britt, W. J. Dent, ]. F. Laird,
W. NJ. Morgan, George Phillips, George
Holiday, J. W. Gallaher, S. A. Wilcox,
NJ. R. Hobbs, Thomas O'Brien, K. E.
Fleming and James Mcnamara. The pre-
ponderance of evidence showed that the
defendant was entitled to vote, and Mr..
Watts indicating his satisfaction with YER
dict of net guilty, srch a verdict was re-
turned. The CAGES OF Thomas McCurdy
and Henry Strauser, the former being al
legged TO hsve cast an Illegal vote at Elm
Grove and the latter at Tnadelphia, were
successfully put on before the fame jury,
and a like result WAS reached in each cause.
Al the afternoon session an incident &C.
cure which provoked & ripple Of laughter
throughout the Court room.
/ There was a discussion over the con-
| tinuance of the case of the government v.
Leonard Bissett, charged with perjury, and
| a " illness for the defense having presented
a physician's certificate that she WAS too
| i'll TO travel to Wheeling, the government
submitted an affidavit showing that 1.-THE
latter part of last week. the sick witness
was able to travel three miles from home,
To visit village in Greene county, Pa. The
gentleman signing the affidavit was in
Court. and was called to the witness
stand by Captain DOvener, who endeavored
to impsach his character and hold him up
to ridicule. Finally the Captain said.
II Just wanted to see whether or not
Won were a general utility man"
The Court-If you should succeed in
showing that, Captain, the witness would
be in about the same situation you are in.
You seem to be here in general utility
capacity yourself Laughter
The case of the government V. Edward
johnson, charged with a violation of the
election laws, was then placed on trial be-
fore the following jury: Thomas G.. Britt,
J. F. Baird, w. NJ. Morgan, George Phil
lips. George Holiday, J. W. Gallaher, S.
! A Wilcox, NJ. r. Hobbs, Thomas o. Brieu,
K. f. Fleming James Mcnamara and Be
noni Fesy. Daring the hearing OF this
case General \. Goff occupied seat on
the bsnch beside Judge Jackson and was
an interested spectator.
The evidence for the government was
that defendant was not legal voter in
Wetzel county, he having voted at Little
ton, and witnesses produced said they had
understood that a short time before the
election be was staying with his "son OF
son-in-law, - in Marshall county, but the
great prepOndersnCe of testimony was to
the efrec. that defendant was legally en-
titled to vote where he did. During the
hearing the fact was brought ont thai
Johnson had always been Democrat, but
had last fsll voted the Republican ticket
When the defendant came to 20 on the
stand himself he explained this apparent
change of heart, politically speaking by
saving he voted for President Harrison be-
cause they had lived on sdiOinirg farms IN
Indiana, and had been on the most intimate
terms in their early youth, defendant bav
ing often carried the present Chief Execu'
tive of the Nation in his arms. This was
deemed a sufficient excuse by the audience
which was much interested in this partlcu'
lar hit Of evidence.
When the evidence for the defense was
in, the Court euquired Of District Attor-
new Watts whether he hsd anything TO of
fer n rebuttsl. TIE District Attorney SAID
lac had ro,hing further. The Court ther
directed that verdict be entered for tn
defendant, and this was done.
An adjournment IVES then taken unit
$50 this morning