The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-12-08
Wheeling Inteliigencer.

The last issue OF the West Virgin
Ia Bar, the organ Of the State Bar
Association, contains a verbatim re-
port Of the recent meeting Of the as
ISOLATION at MergaDtowa, where there
was a discussion Of Congressman Day
tons bill for the division of this
state into two federal judicial dis
tricts. twill be remembered that
the association endorsed the purpose
of the bill and appointed committee
to urge it before the judiciary com
inittees of Congress.
The stenographic report Of the dis
cussion is interesting, as many facts
bearing on the necessity of the pro-
posed decision were brought out. In
presenting his bill Mr.. Dayton made
statement based on the attorney
generals reports that shows re-
markable condition of affairs in this
state. 1t appears that the state of
West Virginia had pending, as shown
by the last report issued on July l.,
of this year, $50 criminal prosecutions
in the United States court in 1896,
more than any other state in the
Union, save Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi, and within very few Of
the number that those states have,
save the state OF Georgia. Georgia
has 1926, Alabama has 99s, Missis-
ippi has 987, West Virginia $50, Dis
trict of Columbia $50, Texas 742,
Indian Territory 972, Tennessee 401,
North Carolina 306, Illinois 80. New
York 227, and from that down to
nine.
Mr.. Dayton also called attention to
the fact that Delaware, Kentucky,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode
Island, South Carolina and South
Dakota, ten in all, have as few dis
trlcts as West Virginia. In 1895 the
criminal cases pending in all ten Of
these states combined amounted to
455, while those in West Virginia
then amounted to 956, more than
double the former number, showing
that single court in West Virginia
has double as much work is ten
other courts combined. Some of
those states having near the same
number of cases as West Virginia
have as many as three and four dis
tricts.
This does not indicate that crime
Is any more rampant in West Virgin
la than in other states. As explain
ed by Hon. George c. Sturgiss, ex-
United States district attorney, who
took part in the discussion of Mr..
Dayton's bill, the situation OF West
Virginia is peculiar In the new re-
glon of country in the southeastern
part of the state along the border,
were many rude and lawless people at
the outset of the now development.
They were brought in by operators.
They mad their homes on the other
side of the line people who were here
temporarily from North Carolina,
Virginia and Kentucky. Mr.. Stur-
giss added that during lis term more
than Is per cent of the cases arising
from violations of the internal rev.
enue laws arose in three counties In
that section of the state
This condition is improving, and
the fact that the fee system, VII ich
tempted deputies to work up cases,
has been abolished may further tend
to lessening of the number of arrests
on such charges.
Be that as il may, it is certain that
with the growth of the state in popu-
lation and development division in
to two districts has come to BE- nee
essity There appears to be to much
for The work of one court without
severely straining its capacity and
overworking the judge.