The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-03
LAWYER w. p. HUFF now.
Tho First Ward Councilman Successfully
Defends Himself.

"aiu' was arrested yesterday and
dragged to the Third ward, whore he
was surreptitiously put on trial for dis.
turbing tho peace of the CITY on the
night of December 81.
1t appears that Mr.. Huff went TO
Ecklof,s store on the night in question,
anu hndlng there the bass drum Of the
Roanoke Machine Works Band, wanted
to know where Cou acilman .'Scotty''
Graves was.
rat Greedy said Scotty had been
hauled home partly intoxicated. A keg
OF peer was near by, and Mr.. HUFF
thought ho would like to believe it,
After partaking OF about four quarts OF
beer, as 1T was alleged, he shouldered
the bass rum and all hands started out
to serenade Councilmen Scotty Graves
Ed. Welch and John Sheehan.
The crowd was noisy. On the way
they wore joined by about twenty
others, and nightin the Third ward was
made hideous. From house to house
they went, and everybody was aroused
at the doad hour of midnight.
When the residence of Councilman
Graves was reached, the windows wore
dark and nobody was at homo Mr..
Huff had been misinformed. Mr..
Graves and his family were at tho ball
of tho Vigilant Fire Company.
After the crowd had as much fun as
they wished they left the Third ward,
with the hideous din still reverberat-
ing between the Machine Works stack
and Tinker Knob.
a consultation was held yesterday
among the Third ward councilman, and
was determined that Mr.. Huff should
be arrested and tried.
Mr. Sheehan swore out the warrant
before Councilman Graves, and the in
strument was placed in tho hands of
the constable. The trial took place at
the residence of Councilman Graves.
Justice Ray, who was to try the case,
did not appear at the time, and it was
decided that Mr.. Graves should try the
case. Several witnesses who had been
summoned were present.
The first thing tho defendant did was
to demur to the jurisdiction of the court,
claiming that Councilman could not
try case in cities of over 5000 inhabi-
tants. Mr.. Graves contended that he
did have jurisdiction and was about to
force Mr.. HUFF into a trial, when Mr.
Sheehan, who acted as prosecutor
thought Mr.. Huff's demurrer ought to
be sustained.
took charge of the case. A new warrant
was issued, and Ed. WEIGH being APP
pointed constable, executed tho war
rant. But MIR. Huff succeeded in uuash-
ing this warrant. 1t had been badly
bungled by Mr.. Sheehan, who drew it
it up. Instead of having Whereas
John Sheahan has this day made com
plant that w. p. HUFF did thus and sou
it reed "Whereas w. p. Huff has this
day made complaint that w. p Huff
did thus and SO - Mr.. Huff did not SEQ
hnt ha ,1-A II
himself, and so had the warrant dis
missed.
Another warrant was issued and Mr..
Hull produced the code and demanded
continuance of five days according to
law.
This was refused by Justice Ray, who
told him he would 'ha We to go to trial.
Mr.. Sheehan conducted tho examina-
ton of witnesses, all of which we're
cross.eXamined by Mr. Huff.
Mr.. Welch testified that crowd came
to his house headed by Mr.. Huff and
disturbed his slumbers. He know Huff
very well-could see him in the crowd.
Pat Greedy was with the crowd when
they started out, and gave an interest
ing account OF the depredations and
noise which was made He gave Mr.
Huff four quarts of beer before thew
started.
Frank Jones gave like description
of the serenade.
w. E. Thomas testified that the party
were very noisy, and the music very dis
cordant. He was sure Mr.. Huff was re-
sponsible for the conduct of the others.
MIR. Graves was examined for the de-
PENDANT, but his testimony turned out
to be all on the other side. This closed
the evidence and Mr.. Sheehan began
his speech for tho nrOspcntiOD Ha
poured hot shot at Mr.. Huff, and asked
the justice to impose fine.
Mr.. Huif's recent purchase of law
books made him master of the situation.
lie asked that the warrant be quashed
on the grounds that Mr.. Sheehan had
not made oath to it. He was sustained
by Justice Ray. who discharged Mr..
llnf from custody.
Mrs. Graves. who had heard the whole
proceedings from the next room, came
in with wine and cake. Her sympathy
was all for Mr.. HUFF, the under dog as
it were.
The proceeding was no joke. Every
thing was conducted in dead earnest,
and strong effort was made to have
Mr.. Huff fined. Squire Ray told
TIMES reporter afterward that it was
no joke with him, and Mr.. Huff's under
standing of the law was all that saved
him.
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