West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-10-21
sTRONG TESTIMONY.
Some OF The Evidence Ia The Case or
The State VS.. Mrs. Atkinson
On Trial For Forgery.

The trial Of Mrs. Myra Atkinson,
wife Of Gov. Atkinson. which re-
suited in chung" jury in the Cir
cult Court at Chenille last week
has excited much comment and
newspaper reports all over the
United States. There were thirty
witnesses for the State and some OF
the evidence was pretty strong
against the defendant. The Gov
ernOr sticks to it that his wife is
innocent and declared the evidence
for the State was bought and the
witnesses lied etc. In answer to
this the Clarksburg Mil has begun
the publication OF some of the tes-
tImony and gives the following in
its last issue taken from the official
report of the Stenographer.
This is the kind of evidence said
to have been purchased by the State.
Mr.. Peters, the witness, is man OF
property and one of the best citizens
Of tho county, against whose integ-
rity not the slightest word has ever
been raised, an open and consistent
churchman and an active Republi--
can party worker. When interro-
gated concerning the testimony by
the prosecuting attorney, counsel
for the prosecution. and interested
citizens, he refused TO state what he
knew, declaring that he was under
promise not to tell. 1t is said that
he applied personally to the Judge
to be excused and even on the wit
ness stand begged that he be not
compelled to violate his word to
Mrs. Atkinson.
My name is Il. l.. ID. Peters l
moved from Upshur county into
this county eighteen years ago.
am acquainted with Mrs. Atkinson,
met her at her home in Ciarksburg
for the first time about two years
ago. Had a conversation with her
in reference to the lands which had
belonged to G.. ID. Camden.
Q. State what that conversation
was.
A. There is part Of our CONVEX
sation that | promised not TO make
mention of.
q. We insist upon an answer.
Court: Go on and answer the
question.
A. | will not be able to give all
the details of our conversation, all
that is pertaining to the land
think | can give; went TO Mrs.
Camden's, ! was looking after three
different tracts of land. We got the
map and looked up the three pieces
and we bad considerable talk over
the matter; and she said that she
would assist me all she could in
buying those lands, aud after talk.
ing ! cannot give all her CONVERSE
ton exactly, but anyway | was in
curing how We could get at the
matter at the time and how would
get at the land, and she SAID, said
she ''you must not tell any one how
we can manage it, you write let
ter to Judge Camden and date it
back during his life asking in re-
gard to the sale of lands and wheth-
er could buy them; and she would
answer back about the land" am
not giving her exact words but as
near the meaning as l can. l told
her that | did not like to do that
kind of business. Well she says
that they would make nothing per.
manent about the land no way and
If | mistake not she said that she
could give me receipt for these
different tracts of land showing so
much paid on the different tracts.
And / told her what business have
wanted to do a straight business
and ! did not want to engage in
anything Of the kind. About that
time her supper was ready and
left.
@. What part of the conversation
did she ask you not to divulge
A. The writing of these letters,
giving those receipts.
Q. TO say nothing about her sug.
gestion about writing the letters
and receipts.
A. Said / must not let it be
known and ! tol6 her certainly not
the. it would not do TO make it
public.
Q. Please give tho date Of this
conyersation il you can?
A. / don't know that l can ex-
actly do that; / think it was in Sep.
tcmber, this last Soptem Der, two
years ago or the 6rst of October,
can't tell which, but not far from
that time.
A vigorous two hours cross.exam
ination Of the witness by the"Great
CommOner" failed to shake his
statement, which tends TO show to
the mind Of our logical governor
that the testimony was purchased.
HOW PETERS CANE TO TESTIFY.
Mr.. T.. Il. Williams, a farmer OF
Lewis county, came TO me the day
before the trial, to buy tract Of
land on Crooked Run, and during