Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-14
TIE SIAIHERS ENQUIRY
May Be Prolonged During the Entire
Week,

W0J DU 4lV1uuSou OuliuS VIZ 1naio
Week,
PRESIDENT MEIGHEN CHARGED
WITH BIAS IN FAVOR OF THE
DEFENDANT-THE BOARD IS
FRIENDLY TO DR.. STATHERS.
BEYOND A .DOUBT-ONE MORE
IMPORTANT WITNESS FOR THE
PROSECUTION-ABOUT FORTY
FOR DEFENSE.
Staff Special
WESTON,W. Va, August Sit is
hardly likely that the investigation OF
the management of the Hospital for the
Insane will be concluded before the mid
die of the present week, and there is a
possibility that it will be prolonged un-
til Saturday. A great deal of the delay
has been occasioned by wrangling,
which has resulted from the absence Of
any rules of procedure. President
Meighen has endeavored to apply the
| methods obtaining in ordinary prac-
tice, but this simply precipitated con-
troversy as to whether or not it is
the primary object of the Board to as
certain the facts relative TO the
charges, Independent Of the restrictions
of technical and legal points.
President Meighens legal training
prompted him to object to certain
| questions as early as the first day OF
the investigation, and his Interruptions
always resulted in protracted argu-
| ment, although the Board did not ap-
pear to question his statement that his
purpose was purely to facilitate the
examination of witnesses. Neverthe-
less, the Board sat down upon him in
very decisive manner, by the adop-
| ton of a motion requiring all objec-
tons to come from the respective coun-
sci.
Counsel for the prosecution do not
regard him as fair, and Mr.. Foster, who
has been conducting the examination
of witnesses for the prosecution, openly
charges him with bias in favor Of DR..
Stathers. Mr.. Foster safd to the Reg
| lister representative: ''He has acted
more like an attorney for the defense
than as an impartial Judge. He has
repeatedly made objections that even
the attorneys for the defense have re-
fused to follow. You may say for me,
that the people of this Judicial circuit,
judging by the manner in which he
presides over the investigation, must
be a subject for eternal congratulations
for the correct estimate they placed
upon him when he offered himself as
candidate for Circuit Judge.
1t cannot be denied that the Board
has been manifesting a very friendly
disposition toward DR.. Stathers, and
that the test votes which have been
taken are strongly indicative of that
fact. 1t might be said that Mr.. Alex.
McVeigh Miller is an exception.
Whenever a question arises as to the
admissability of evidence objected to
by the defense, his voice and vote have
with uniform regularity, been found
upon the side of the fullest and freest
investigation of all the facts bearing
upon the conduct of the institution,
and more particularly the conduct OF
its official head
The statement above as to the pro-
bable length of time which will be re-
CURED to complete the investigation,
is based largely upon the progress
which has been made. The prOsecu-
ton still has several witnesses to ex-
anime, and there will be no less than
forty witnesses fer the defense, in
Guiding DR.. Stathers, who will take the
stand in his own behalf. The examin-
alton of some of the witnesses for the
defense will require very little time,
however, as many of them will be in
troduced for the purpose of impeach-
ing the witnesses On the other side.
There is at least one more very i'm
portant witness for the prosecution,
Miss Alferretta Wilson, who is expect
ed to testify tomorrow, and who will
probably occupy the major portion of
the day. 1t is understood that no
more witnesses will be examined to es
tablish the alleged fact that DR.. Stath-
ers and Miss Harriet Greene took
trip to st. Louis together. 1t is said
that man was sent to ST. Louis TO
hunt up evidence in that city, but that
diligent search CT the hotel registers
and boarding houses failed to bring
forth anything of an discriminating ma
ture. relative to the charge. 1t is re-
ported to-day that the prosecution has
sent for two witnesses who live in adj
joining counties.
when we are through with the in
vestigation of the charges under which
we are now proceeding" said Attorney
Foster, 1--WE shall say to the Board
that we have substantiated each and
every one of them, and We shall then
demand that the other charges which