Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-04-15
THE CHENOVRTH CASE
TEE FINDING OF THE COMMITTEE AGAINST
THE DEPENDANT.
The Hearing in No Sense Trial, but Simply a
Preliminary InyesdgahOn-Ihs Trial Occurs
in Grafton in Ssplsmbsr-Pscahr
journalism, and the Facts.

NeSugduOn OF tue @HOe~
Rev. ]. +. Chenoweth, concluded It's
work yesterday morning about eleven
o'clock. and returned = verdict that
latter careful consideration and ex-
animation of the testimony offered the
charges against the defendant were
unanimously sustained.
This settles the matter until the
meeting Of the annual conference at
Grafton. in September, when regular
church trial will be ordered and held.
The proceedings at Moundsville really
amount to but little more than an in
dictment after a preliminary examina-
tiop. and should be so regarded by the
disinterested public. Meanwhile the
accused stands suspended from the
ministry, aud will remove TO RoWles-
burg, where be has purchased store
and where be will engage in business
Yesterday an evening paper puoush-
ed this city devoted nearly column OF
space 10 a rabid criticism OF the I'M
biased accounts OF the examination just
closed which have been published IN
the REGISTER, this criticism being pre-
faced with the remark that "the REGIS
TEI has been securing its Information
from the defendants counsel, aad nat
urslly has gotten q One-Sided report
A reputable paper doesn't make aSseF-
tioDs of this sort unless il knows them
10 be true. Let US toy with the asser-
Cbenoweth were Rev. Or. Fullerton
and Rev. q. w. Grimes, the former OF
mis- citv and the latter Of MOundSville.
Neither gentleman furnished the kES-
lister a word Of information concerning
the case. Both gentlemen were re-
ouested TO furnish Information, and both
declined, giving their reasons, which
were good and sufficient In the
same breath with the utterly faiSe
and baseless assertion quoted above the
same paper referred 10 It's almost
strictly correct reports, when the issue
OF Yesterday was denounced vigorously
both I'm Mouudsville aud Wheeling as
beinp eminently unfair. A clergyman
Intimately connected with the hearing,
and who was not the defendant, said
last evening: WAS the article pub
lshed this evening unbiased? Was u
fairP Was 10 Just? A more biased pro-
ductiOn could scarcely have been
penned about the case. This paper
takes the REGISTER, which has been
eminently fair, 20 task when IL said this
morning that the prosecution seemed
10 have been driven 70 the wall
IL the REGISTER was wrong why was
DIR. Sterling telegraphed for to come to
Moundsvllle ia haste, and why did the
prosecution come 10 Wheeling for evil
dence? Then they question the RE
IsTER's statement that a wheeling wit
ness-Mrs. SLrait-was routed out OF
bed. 1t seems % me 10 was pretty near
that, for know positively that Rev
DIR. Fullerton was notified that Mrs.
Straits deposition would be taken at
her home at seven o'clock in the morn
Ing. The REGISTER referred TO let
ter from Mr. BOggess. That was not
letter from Mr.. Borgess., but 10 was
statement made by Mr.. BOggesS TO nj.
+. DRYDEN, aud contained in a letter
from Mr.. Dryden. Mr.. Dryden was 20
have been a witness, but was summon
ed out OF the city hurriedly, and he
wrote to Or. Fullerton, setting down
the statement about the child which
MFR. Boqgess had made 70 the writer.
This letter was read 20 the Committee
and went tn evidence. Mr.. Dryden
went to Fairmont TO look after this
matter, aud Mr.. Boggess said TO him:
Il have been at some expense for i've
wears In supporting the child, and her
mother TO some extent, and have been
supposed to be the father Of the child.
I am going 90 let the responsibility for
the next one fall on some one else.
This is the substance Of the statement
II not the exact language, and the letter
went i'm evidence. Mr.. B0ggeSS
denied this statement, IL is true, but
it was not pointed, explicit
denial. Then, the REGISTER said that
Mr.. Borgess., 10 his testimony, was fre-
ouently caught up and this paper says
no witness ever told Straighter story.
III that Is so, how did IL come that the
President OF the Court threw Mr. Bog
CESS testimony out, at the request OF
Rev. Grimes? That doesn't happen 70
straight stories The Court then gave
the witness the privilege Of trying It
again. Then the paper goes on TO say
that the accused minister denied witt
ing any of the letters 70 Mr.. BoggeSS
concerning this matter, when they
were presented 20 him on the stand
for examination. IL Is claimed
by the prosecution that every
one can be identified as having been
written by HIM and sworn 20 by an eX-
pert on writing Is this more fairness
and truthfulnsss? The fact is that no
such claim WAS made by the prOsecu-
ton, and it didn't question Mr.. ChenO-
weth's statement when he said he didn't
write them. In addition, there was no
expert there, and no expert eXamina-
lion of the letters was had. Then this
same paper says the prosecution said
to-day that the greatest effort was
made BY the defense TO cover up the
defendants tracks, and that counsel
ASel All the tricks known 20
ketsiioggery.' I happen to know that
the conclusion Of the trial the Presi-
lent of the Court, Mr. Kelley, told Rev.
~. Fullerton that the defense had
neon conducted with the utmost gravity
Ind dignity. You have conducted it
abIy and wisely, aud thank you for it,
lThe same paper SayIt throughout the
s-enit j - Aevidence was in
- BOggess ever
relations with
not the truth.
"a letter was
fined evidence
call attention
paper says
for he pros
q children OF