Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-11-30
Those Mooushine Gases.

Recent press Dispatches from
Charleston give interesting details
concerning the methods OF arrest 81
PERSONS TO be tried before the united
States Court. Mention has heretofore
been made of the charges brough 10y
the newspapers against the brutality
aud drunkenness and genera! bad he
havior of the deputy marshals.
The marshals, il is said, had orders
from the court TO 90 everywhere
leave The railroads ard tOwnS-and
bring in every man. woman aud chlid
for whom they had capias, and TO
have them at Charleston lay the hrst
dav Of court. These mandates the
officers obeyed TO the letter, some
of them. il is charged, making III
some instances unnecessary arrests.
When the first daV Of court came,
with it arrived also vast crowd Vt
United States prisoners and witnesses.
A more motley thrOng 1t would he
hard 10 imagine--of both sexes and
Colors, some infants, and men with
faces afume with liquor. One could
not help but pity them. The prisoners
were taken 10 the Jail, but il was far
too small to accommodate the crowd,
so part of it was distributed around
in the various boarding houses. The
scene at the jail was beyond descrip-
ton. 1t was impossible 10 properly
care for those 50 unfortunate as TO
make acquaintance OF its crowded
cells.
At the courtroom business is hurried
through with a rush. Twenty min
utes is an unusually long time for IA
case. The jury are instructed what
10 do aud do it very promptly. Tue
large number of acquittals has been
the cause of 80 much criticism. Pro-
pla have been brought up against
whom not even the prosecuting at
tornev. with fee in sight. can rake
M enough evidence to convict. The
Charleston papers have taken an nc
tive part in criticising this work and
the marshals have resented il. No
investigation Of their conduct has yet
taken place, but the authorities at
Washington have been notified AID
asked to look into the matter.
Investigation OF newspaper charges
was conducted III open court Thurs
dav. Evidence of Huntington and
Charleston newspaper men Is 10
alleged brutality, drunkenness aud
lewdness on the part OF United States
marshals was taken and rehuttai Cvi-
dence from marshals. Five Hunt
ington and two Charle>touurW~prp"r
men were before the court. bu, The
whole affair ended in judi Jackson
publicly ceusuring DR.. IuOs. Hal
iahau, of the Huntington Times,
aud advising him TO reJract the state
ments made by him. This Hallahau
refused to do aud was summoned TO
appear before Judge jackson to
answer the charge of contempt
witness claiming that he had heard
him make rather uucOmplimentary re
marks about his honor He was be
fore the Judge the following day, but
the charge OfcOntempt was not proven
and he was released.
Parties Interested are making
strenuous efforts TO have the court
removed from Charleston, but the
chances are thatthey will not succeed.
The people, almost without eXc-p-
ton, say il Is a shame and Outragr-a
parody on law and justice-to bring
men and women hundred of miles
from home and their dependent
families, to answer trivial charges.
The majority of cases are not for
moonshlning, but, it i alleged, tor
letting IA neighbor have ii pint of
whiskey at no profit, but simply for
accommodation. In some cases. it
is also alleged, men are brought
when they have been punished by
the United States Court before for
the same offeuse. Charges Of this
kind naturally provoke criticism.
Charleston people hope never again
to witness such scenes "a have occur
red there within the last ten dayes.
Presley Jones, Of Mercer county,
died in jail in Charleston Saturday of
typhoid pneumonia. lie was arrested
by Federal Marshal Harmon sick
though he was. pu- in Jail and slept
on an iron floor, with nothing over
him but coats thrown over him 10y
the other prisoners. 1t is said De
Barbour ordered the marshal mum
Der of times to move the man, but 40
attention was paid tohim He leaves
six small children without Il mother.
He was arrested for selling whiskey
while drunk, witnesses say.