West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-12-12
PROMPTLY ACQUITTED.
A Young Man From KingwoOd on
Trial OYER at Uni0ntown.

Trial over at UniOntOwn.
The trial Of Il. NJ. Shaw at
Uuiontown. Pa, OH Friday of laet
week on ap indictment for felonious
assault on II woman by the name of
Lewis. resulted in his prompt ac-
quittal--the jury being out about
ten minutes after the case was sub
mitted to them.
The evidence Of the prosecuting
witnesses. the woman Lewis and her
husband, showed to the satisfaction
OF all who heard it, that it was a
bold attempt at black mail. The
people Of this community as well as
the large Number of interested
listeners at the trial at Uniontown
join in congratulating Bob upon
his complete vindication from the
ugly charge.
Bob and his brother William.
were working on the farm of j. K.
Ritenour about four miles from
Uniontown, engaged in putting up
a wire fence, and were boarding
with the Lewis family. 1t is claim
cd by the woman that while en-
gagged at work few yards from the
house, Bob left his brother and the
man Lewis ana went to the house
where she was alone and forcibly
violated her person. The state
ment made by her throughout
showed conelusively that it was an
utterly physical impossibility for
him to have accomplished what she
claims even had he been i'm the
house as she said. but both Bob and
his brother William emphatically
denied his being In the house on
that day, or even away from his
work, except on an errand to a
neighboring farm. and they were
fully SD ostantiated in their claim as
to that by the neIghbor himself.
Roberts lawyer, not knowing
what kind of testimony might be
trumpet up against him, advised
him to introduce some testimony
ms to his good character and stand
ing in this community, which he
did by taking Wm. O.. Brown, DR..
5. A. Pratt, Wilbur Posten p. J.
Crogan, Neil j. Fortney. d. NJ.
Wotring. Leroy Shaw, ID. r. Jack
son, Hon. VIM. NJ. o. Dawson j. w.
Watson and Judge j. II. Hoke, whose
testimony established his character
as Of the best, and no doubt had its
weight In securing so prompt yer
dict Of acqulttal. All ofwhlch goes to
show how much trouble and ex-
pense bad and unscrupulous
woman can create, and at the same
time shows how we'll a good char
acter sometimes stands young
man IN hand.
The young man is son of Rob.
ert Shaw, Sr., of near Kingwood,
one Of the best and most highly
respected citizens in the county and
no one believed for minute that
he was guilty of the charge. The
indictment against him WAS only
found by close shave and the
Foreman Of the Grand Jury said
had they known the young mans
good reputation. the indictment
would not have been brought, but
over there in the mines and coke
works there arc go mauy foreigners,
and hard characters generally, that
stranger has poor chance when
be gets in the meshes of the law,
so that Bob was pretty bidly scared
up and came over here to see his
friends about it. They volunteered
en- mass to go over and help him out.
and over dozen OF our best and
most prominent citizens. court
officials, attorneys aud business
men, attended the trial and testified
to the good character Of the accused.
IL created big sentiment in his
favor and he was promptly acquit-
ted. In addition TO those named
above, I'll. ii. Potter and Robert
Shaw, Sr., were there also.
------------
GRAND lIfRORQ