Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-04-06
STATE NOTES.
Some of the things being talked
about over the state.

Authority OF justices of the peace in
insanity cases-N0 man is safe--If
justice declares him insane there is
no appeal Wonderful point brought
ont recently i'm Wheeling Row In
Ohio county court Will get into the
courts-0ther items of interest.
WHEELING, w. Va, April 6--The
authority given to justices of the peace
in insanity cases brought before them
is now receiving considerable atten-
tion from lawyers, owing to a famous
case in Wheeling, which will not be
disposed of for some time. DR.. II, S.
Hisson, a young physician OF that
city, was arrested on a lunacy warrant
sworn out by his father ]. Il. Hisson,
a wealthy oil man aud at one time d
preacher on a Methodist circuit, and
also candidate for the legislature on
the Democratic ticket at the last cleo
ton, although he has lived in Wheel
ing only few years. The hearing
evolved some sensational features.
The father maintained that the son
had threatened his life unless he
turned over the management OF the
estate to the young doctor, while
young Hisson claimed he was the vic
tim Of an unjust prosecution. The
family history was raked fore and aft,
and the justice adjudged the young
man insane. The Justice refused to
allow the cress- examination Of wit
nesses, nor would he allow the defend
ant to testify in his own behalf An
appeal was taken to the circuit court
and the squire was upheld. Inyesti-
CATION showed that the only hope for
the accused was the examining board
of the state hospital at Weston,
whence he has been consigned, and
they constitute the court OF last re-
sort.
The point now agitating legal gray
matter is the large authority vested
in a justice of peace. In him is vest
ed the right, according to the develop
ments In the Nilsson case, to decide a
man insane and no other authority
can interfere aside from the hospital
board. The law is SO construed, and
it leaves a loophole for the bragg lug
of any man. sane though he be before
squire, who may send him to the
asylum trusting to the examining board
to pass over him. OF course this reas-
oning is mere statement Of the pos
sibilities afforded by the law, but that
such loophole for .villainy exists has
come out in the general discussion of
the Hisson case. Young Hisson's at
torneys will carry the fight to finish.
Dr. Hisson is now at Weston pending
the action of the examining board. A
sensation growing out of the case was
the arrest the other day Of the older
Nilsson on the charge of bribing one
! of the witnesses in the case against
! his son. A star witness in the bribery
case has since disappeared. Mr., His
/ son is wealthy man, whose sudden
accumulation seems TO have brought
unhappiness to his Preside. He gave
bond for his trial this week on the
bribery charge.
The Ohio county board of commits
sioners has been in deadlock regard
! ing the election of road supervisors
and other county officials since Christ
mas. The friction arose from the Re-
publican caucus. After forty ballots
each a tie, on the nominations, the
next showed majority Of one in favor
of certain candidate, but after the
caucus majority took affidayits that
they did note vote for this particular
candidate, and they refused to abide
| by the choice. The Republican house
was thus divided against itself.
There are six Republicans and two
Democrats in the board, and by a
piece of strategy, which has since been
questioned as Illegal, the slate Of one
fraction was pushed through last
week The court will have to decide
the miniature Quay squabble.
| A Keyser boy has collection of
eggs of birds native to his state which
lis accounted equal to any, If not bet
ter than, those in school or college
museums.
HUI Maxwell. the prolific writer of
West Virginia history, will shortly be-
gin work on the history of Barbour
county.
/ o.
,s..~~ tor