The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1905-04-21

FOR MORTON M
SUIT AGAINST SAT. EN-
PREACHERS sc ORES THEM
IN SCATHING TERMS.
SAYS REFORMATION IN
y MORALS OF SALEM s HOUIlD
BEGIN IN THE HOUSE OF
THE LORD.

Jury Gives TO Morton 81 300.
Against Kendall and Others, III
Which Preachers Admitted To-
Backing Kendall. b
The trial Of the case Of Lender
10 Morton, former owner and editor
Of the Salem Express, against n 4
Kendall later editor Of that paper
Rev. w n. Blair, Rev. e. %. Eel-
lem, Elder Theodore F. Gardiner;
Elder =. A. Witter and Rev. W. ldon'
Warmer all licensed ministers Of the
Gospel for the payment Of d note
|of 81, 500 with interest as part Of
the purchase price Of the paper sold
|by Morton December il 1901 was
resumed in circuit court Friday
morning. s
The plaintiff concluded his side
OF the evidence at 10 O'Clock and
then followed the evidence Of the
defendants. Several witnesses were
introduced to- prove alleged state
nents made by the plaintiff after the
contract had been signed and de-
liyered. These the defendants
|ayerred would affect the contract
materially as 10 the provisions Of
the agreement; but they were ruled
out as # was held that all the pro
Visions Of an agreement or sale must
be in the written contract.
Much interest is shown In the case
largely because Of the fact that five
preachers are among the defendants
and will have to pay the note in the:
event the final disposition Of the
ease is against them.
Tie taking Of the evidence was
concluded, at2 o'clock ending with
the plaintiff reading editorial para
graphs from the first edition 81 the
Express after the fire, which made
positive proof Of the fact that the
plant had been purchased before the
Lire and that it was to cost 81 800 !,
also that the men who had pulcfas-
ed it were responsible and so forth.
f The defendant ministers them-
selves admitted on the witness stand
that they were back of Kendall. IT.
was also shown that he got a thirty
day option on the plant at the In
stance Of the preachers and bought
it the night Of the fire acting from
Instructions given him by them. 4
{ The judge gave the jury instEncrl
|tions and then the case was argued
thirty minutes being allotted to;
either side. Shortly after three
o'clock it was given to the jury which
then retired to its room. rs
A feature Of the argument was the
scathing rebuke along, ~Scripturaii
lines BY John J.. Davis, Of counsel
for the plaintiff. He called them to
account for having no intention Of
keeping their contracts and imploredl
them as teachers! Of the people first
to correct their own morals before
getting control Of a newspaper 20
correct the morals Of the people Of
Salem and then he stated that he
had heard a good deal about the
morals Of that place, and, if the
sample shown BY the ministers In
this instance, was fair Salem's NOR
ais were terrible. He plead with
them as ministers Of the Gospel to,
set better examples and be more cir
cumspect, avoiding the very appears
ance Of evil and he proclaimed that
reformation in morals should begin.
in the house Of the Lord.
Some Of the preachers took the
arraignment in very good humor, the.
same spirit in which it was intend
ed, but one or two showed evidences
Of being greatly worried and some-
what angry.
The address OF MI. DAVIS caused
more than a ripple Of excitement
and the many present listened with
keenest interest.
The Jury was out q short time and
then returned with a verdict Of
81, 800 in favor Of Morton against
all the defendants. IS
Following the case was that Of
Nellis, etc. against Swift & Com
pany, the trial Of which was taken
up. 's
In the case Of William B. .AcGary;
ct al. aagfnst benjamin r. Goodwin:
ETC., the death Of the plaintiff was
suggested.
The defendant in the case Of 6. I
Lindsay Boggess against @. Z. Ford,
mn any,eaI nm Owaa}nd fha no,, 49,