Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-03-17
NEW VOL. 39.---NO. II.
Some Facts About eaye,te County.


The following article is taken from
the Cincinnati Enquirer, which speaks
badly for Fayette county, this Stste:
Ii Fayette county, in he southern
part of West Virginia. is not the wick
edest county in the United States, the
one which surpas,es it is yet to be
heard from.
To begin with, the Judge Of the
criminal court was under indictment
for embezzlement at the time of his
election, is still under Indictment and
special Judge will have to sit at his
trial in his own court.
The president of the county court,
which has sole power TO grant or re-
fuse licenses to sell liquors in the
county. is the principal owner Of the
only wholesale liquor house in the
county, and every saloon which Sc
cures license in the county buys It's
supplies from this wholesale house.
The sheriff of the county is bar
keeper, has been one for twenty years
and has been convicted several times
since he has occupied the Office Of
sheriff of illegal liquor selling.
A Justice of the peace in the county
ran away with woman and was mar
ried to her at Cincinnati 1t develop
ed that be had another wife living and
his Indictment for bigamy followed.
A son Of tormeriudge OF the erin.
inal court was tried by his fathers
successor for murder
The grand jury which has just ad-
iourued returned fourteen indictments
for murder and there are sixteen in
dictuents on the docket for trial for
murder at the present term Of court
The grand jury before the present
one returned twelve indictments for
murder.
Fifteen murders were committed in
the county during Christmas week.
There are ffty-fve counties in West
Virginia, yet almost one fifth Of the
inmates of the State penltentiary were
sent there from Fayette county.
With a population of less than 49,
600 the county bas debt Of almost
100000
Out of the 9 600 voters in the conn
ty, over 6 600 were last year returned
delinquent for the non-payment Of
taxes
The Judge of the criminal court s
w. R. Bennett. Before he was elect
ed Judge he was secretary of the board
Of education Of Kanawha district Fay
cite county. At the time Of his nom
ination and election to the ejudicial po-
stion he was under indictment for
embezzling $4,000 from the board
of education while he was its secretary.
The indictment was found in the same
court be was afterward elected topre-
side over, and which be still presides
over. He has never been tried on this
Indictment, but if he is tried special
Judge will have to sit in the case, for
the trial will be in the court Of which
he is Judge, and he, Of course, cannot
try himself.
The "Whisksy ring" of Fayette
county has become notorious ID "est
Virginia. Judge N. j. simms is the
president of the county court and at
the same time the principal owner Of
the only wholesale liquor house in the
county. The county court has the
cole power to grant license to cell liq-
uors in the county, and also has the
sole power to refuse them.
While it is not a matter Of record
that all parties who are granted IL
cense to sell liquors are required to
buy all their supplies from Judge
Simms's house, still it is a fact that
all saloonkeepers in the county buy
from it. Aud it has been charged many
times that licenses would be refused
to all persons who would not agree
to buy from the judges liquor house.
Thereare thirty-seven licensed saloons
in the county, and it ls asserted every
one of them is a patron Of Judge
slmms's Wholesale liquor house.
At the present term Of the criminal
court there sre 6fty.fve felony cases
on the docket for trial, including ten
murder cases.