Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-10-29
wnIrAKEk CAUGHT.


The REGISTER deeply regrets the
necessity Of holding up to the people
OF wheeling and the First Senatorial
District a man Of Mr. n. b. WHIT
AKEE's prominence and respectable
position in the manner it is forced 20
because OF Mr.. WHIrAKER's iIl-adyised
attempt TO deny certain charges against
him regarding his record in the last
two sessions Of the West Virginia Legis-
laturs. charges very easily proven or
disproven simply by reference TO the
journals Of the Legislature where the
record is down in black and white.
A careful examination Of Mr.. WHIT-
AKER's lengthy attempt in the iptc,ii-
qcnccr st denying this record Of his
shows that he denies nothing whatever,
but simply attempts 70 befOg and con-
fuse the subject in-order 20 evade re-
sUonsibuity for his votes and acts,
while he takes grossly unfair advantage
of a palpable and inconsequential error
IN the printed charges against him by
which the session Of 1891 is confused
With that OF 1898 The mistake is
plain, particularly so to Mr.. WHITAKER,
who knows at which session certain
bills were uo for consideration; yet he
deliberately takes advantage Of this
mistake to make a general denial, being
OF course able to point TO the record for
the wrong session and show that the
bills Of the numbers named were on en-
tirely different subjects, when Mr..
WHITAKER knew full we'll that he was
hiding behind the merest su0teriuge
and taking the most unfair, not to say
dishonest. advantage Of simple error,
which in no way affected the substance
Of the plain and substautiated charges
against him.
Mr.. WHrrAKER in some instances
does attempt 10 make specific denial
For instance as 10 the record Of his at
tendance, or, rather, non-attendance he
SAYS:
That a careful and Unpreiudiced eXami-
nation OF the Senate Journals or 1871 ana
1898 will show that I qualified on January
20. 1891, and was present until the close OF
the session on March IA, 1891, q period or
fftv-three days, and that / took my seat 10
the 1898 term on February III, ana occupied
IL continuously until the close OF the SEES
" J
DAYS. thus making a total Of seventy-nlne
davs instead of fOrty-three as asserted IN
the aforesaid circular.
Here are the facts which show that
Mr.. WHITAKER resorts TO the trick OF
counting in the extra sessions Of four
cen DAYS in 1891 and twelve days in
1898. in an attempt to show that be was
present seyenty-nine days Of the regular
sessions, which Included but ninety-one
DAYS. Mr.. WHIrAKER's resort 20 count
ing in the twenty-six days Of extra ses-
sions is additional proof from his own
pen that be was absent from bis seat
about half the time; because counting in
the extra sessions the total numOer Of
DAYS he ought to have been In bis seat
is brought up TO 127, aud Mr.. WHrA-
KER himself Acknowledges that be was
present only seventy-nine. But was
he present even that length Of time3
Let Us see. Mr.. WHIrAKER says he
qualified on January 90, 1891, and
WAS present until the close Of the
session. The session began January
IA. 1891, and the Senate Journal Of Jan
nary % shows that ION motion Of Sen
ator CAMPBELL leave of absence is
granted Senator WHITAKER for eight
DAYS with pay" The journal shows
also that Mr.. WHITAKER did not return
in eight days, but remained away htteer
DAYS. Was Mr.. WHITAKER speaking The
truth. therefore, when be said he iva.
present until the close Of the session.
The 1898 session began January II. Mr.
WmrAKER appeared for the first time OF
February II and the regular session ad
iourned on the Gath. Hence taking hi
own statement above Of his attendance
IN which be tricky includes the twenty
six days OF the extra Sc ssions, IL j
shown that for the two regular session
OF ninety-one days Mr.. WHITAKER va
present but fOrty-tllree days. Or, tax
ing the total regular and extra session
Of 1T days Nj WHITAKER va
present but seventY-nine days. He
Mr.. WHIrAKER drew per diem an
mileage for every day Of the two ses
slons, amounting in alI to S559.6O.
But Mr.. WHIrAKER's remarkable al
senteeism is small fault compared
his dagraut betrayal Of his people i
the short time he aid occupy his seal
He tries to dodge responsibility for hi
vote against the Wheeling Electri
Light bin 10 this fashion:
Second-Thst In my opposition q n
Electric Light bill was not 0ppOsiny %
wishes Of the people Of w heeling, who
no tine had nantes Cd -0s-sxpressed the
desire % be pos ca Of thai great lu2luE