Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1897-12-04
Dayton's Judicial District Bill.

la Bar, the organ OF the State Bar
Association, contains verbatim re-
port of the recent meeting of the as
ISOLATION at Morgantown, where there
was discussion of Congressman Day
tons bill for the division of this
state into two federal judicial dis
tricts. 1t will be remembered that
the association endorsed the purpose
of the bill and appointed committee
to urge it before the judiciary COM
rnittees 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
a statement based on the attorney
generals reports that shows a 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, 956 criminal prosecutions
in the United States court in 1896,
more than any other state in the
Union, save Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi, and within a very few of
the number that those states have,
save the state of Georgia. Georgia
has 1895, Alabama has 998, Missis-
ippi has 987, West Virginia 956, 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. Tn 1896 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 as 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 G. Sturgiss, ex-
United States district attorney, who
took part in the discussion of Mr..
Daytons bill, the situation of West
Virginia is peculiar. In the new re-
gion Of country in the southeastern
part of the state along the border,
were many rude and lawless people at
the outset Of the new development.
They were brought in by operators.
They had 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 his 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, which
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 it 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.
not