Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-25

At this mornings session OF the
Criminal Court there will be sensa-
tional allegations made as to the con-
stitution of the late grand jury OF this
county and its work. and it is very
broadly limited that before the matter
is finally disposed Of formal charges
will be made against at least one coun-
ty official, and that the resulting dis
closures will very fully illustrate a
number Of things not at present well
understood by the public. The people
who are behind this movement are
thoroughly in earnest, and do not pro-
pose to let the matter drop until all
the facts have been fully brought, to
the attention of the public, and after
that has been done other proceedings
Of most interesting nature will be
instituted, and a number of official and
semi-official secrets will be exposed.
At this mornings session OF Court
Hon. John A. Howard, counsel for the
short license" saloon men, will file
several pleas in abatement, which pleas
will make the following allegations,
among others:
That the grand jury list, from which
the late grand jury was drawn, was
not prepared by the County Court (the
Board of Commissioners.
That the members of the Board of
Commissioners never acted as a body
in the preparation Of the list.
That the records of the Board of
Commissioners do not show a scratch
OF pen upon the subject.
That the law requires the Board to
prepare the grand jury list at it's levy
term (June), but that not only was
this not done, but that nine of the ten
Commissioners submitted a list Of
names as individuals, and that the
tenth member, Mr.. Hess, never sub
mitted any list at all, and that a list
made by w. W. Irwin, during his term
OF office was used for Webster district,
and endorsed as made "by w. w.
Irwin, Commissioner, June, 1897"
when ,as matter of fact, Mr..
Irwin ceased to be a Commissioner in
January, 1871
That the list was certified by c. H
Henning, Clerk of the Circuit Court,
and not by c. H. Henning, Clerk of the
Criminal Court, the Clerk Of the Grim
inal Court thus having nothing what
ever to Go with the certification.
That the law requires that the Clerk
of the County Court make the drawing
OF the grand jury, when, as a matter
of fact, the drawing was made by Cir
cult Clerk c. H. Henning personally,
Mr.. Robertson being present, but TAX
ing no part in the official act.
That (f1nrl- bo ooooeo ~ &lo
list before the drawing of the jury, and
admitted this under oath.
Other allegations of a very import
ant and pertinent nature will be made,
and the entire matter will be submit
ted to the Court, for argument at a
future day. The saloon keepers de-
PENDANT will not be present, but will
be represented by counsel.
1t is very broadly limited that there
was motive of a personal nature be-
hind the whole drawing of the grand
jury, that individuals expected to be
benefited by its findings, and that ex-
tOrtiOnate charges were made in GER
tain instances. This latter matter Will
be made the subject of a distinct ap-
peal to the Courts. and counsel say
character will be developed.
individuals, it is asserted, are al
ready at work in the hope of breaking
the force of this determination to OBJ
tain justice, and to smother the COM
ing investigation, but the defendants
are fully advised of the facts, and are
guarding all the points with care If
all the allegations made are correct,
the acts leading up to the constitution
of the late grand jury of this county
were rotten" throughout. and a full
and fair judicial investigation will as
tOnish the public.
and they appear to be- the acts lead
ing up to the constitution of the late
grand jury of this county were rot
ten" throughout, and a full and fair
judicial investigation will astonish the
public.