The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-11-28
sent, The constitutional provision

present. The constitutional provision
referred to applies to taking deposi-
lions BY the state IN criminal cases
and any attempt to adduce evidence
in the absence Of the accused. That
the News has shown itself contempt
ible ignoramus on this subject OF
wilful prevarIcator is no fault Of ours
and it is not our duty to shield them
from rldIcule and cenSure.
Even when indictments are found
by grand juries, the prosecuting at,
torney has the legal right to keep the
names Of the witnesses in the case a
secret, and, if he chooses need never
use these witnesses in the trial of the
case but may prove the crime by
others. The News ought to become
familiar with this feet before it makes
itself an object of ridicule and stamps
itself with self-confessed falsehood.
According to the prosecuting attor-
ney, Newsome will not alone be relied
upon to furnish evidence for the in
dictments OF the persons who have
been arrested on warrants sworn out
BY him. Witnesses Will be plentiful
on that occasion and the News staff
win likely be given the opportunity
to find out how much Or how little the
grand jury thinks Of their own truth
and veracity. With this opportunity
afforded, the News need not be uneasy
about there being some evidence at
least to corroborate Newsome, pro
vided the News stat does not perjure
themselves or shun the grand jury
room and thereby shirk a public duty
called upon to perform, as they did at
the last session of that body.
The prosecuting attorney has the
right to swear out warrants upon in
formation and has done 50 at times in
the past. The News staff themselves
have that right, if they really believe
that their statements before the cleo
tfon we're true. Why then should
Newsome not swear out warrants, II
he chooses ? The Justice believes
what Ncwsome says. He la, never
caught Newsome in lie. The Justice
makes no bones in his declarations
that the News reporter who is mixed
up in the article has been caught in
lies by him. The records of the
Justices office show that only few
, months ago this same reporter was
elected from n widow woman'S house
because he robbed her of the rent
Justly due her, or at least refused to
pay her and broke his contract with
her. This same Justice expresses
confidence in Newsome that he can
not conscfentiuusly have in this re-
porter Under such conditions the
grand jury would doubtless regard
Newsome a more credltable witness
than the reporter.
With the exception of Wisemau not
a single one of the several who have
been arrested on warrants sworn out
by Newsome, have thus far denied
their guilt. This fact is worthy of
note and is favorable to the officers in
that the guilt of the parties is virtu,
ally acknowledged.
The methods employed have curbsd
the business and will finally stop it
altogether. Since this is true, why
should those who want that end at
tanned not be satisfied, even if not a
single man should be brought to jus,
tice? 1t is more important to them
that the business should be stopped
than that vengeance be obtained.
The course of the News in its at
temuts to obstruct the officers in the
discharge of their official duties is re-
prehensIble in the highest degree and
unworthy of paper that makes pre-
tensions to respectfully, The public
should not overlook the public ac-
Encouragement it makes of its wanton-
ness and depravity. The people should
not forget the revelations it has made
Of its own hypocrisy, They should
not be longer deceived by its hypocrlt-
ical pretensions and should remember
that 1t openly admits that it is oppos
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