West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-02-23
THE RAMBLER
They are Having More Than Strenu-
Gus Times Down In Charleston.
COROEER'S JURY INVESTIGATING
The Cause Of the Death Of the Gas
and Oil Bill-eovsrnor Dawson
Makes Masterful Defense Of
His Apostleship Be-
fore The Jury.

The word strenuous" does not
express the situation in Charleston.
1t may suit Teddy and the boys in
Washington, who are showing a dis
position to defy Teddy on railroad
rates and tariff revision, but we need
different word to convey to the
people how Gov. Dawson and his
boys are enveloping the city in dust.
The Coroner's jury, which has been
holding the inquest over the remains
of the gas and oil bill, to ascertain
if it died from stranglation or an
over dose of grating, have SO far
been unable to determine the cause
of its death. Maj. Charles ID. Eli
OFT, whose experience as a United
States Marshal in hunting down
moonshiners, was expected to prove
a star witness. But Charley had a
falling of the memory a few days
before he was summoned to give
tesumoney before the Coroner, and
up to the present time his memory
has a downward tendency. Maj.
Elliott has been in precarious con-
dition since he lost his letter. The
expert physicians who were called
in to examine Charley give as their
opinion that the loss of the letter
caused the falling of the memory.
| have heard several of those who
are in close touch with us in pro.
noting legislation express the hope
that Charley may not recover his
memory until the Legislature ad-
journs.
The next man called before the
Coroner was that eminent geologist,
Prof. John Worthington, of Pitts
burg. Prof. Worthington stated
that as a professional man he was
frequently called upon to locate gas
and oil, and that he was not inter
ested in the obstruction of oil and
gas, but on the contrary the science
of geology had lead him into many
barren fields and dense forests in
the hope of discovery. The Prof.
told the Coroner that he had never
heard of the Standard Oil Company.
The South Penn was the only com
pany that paid him for his scientific
knowledge. The South Penn, he
declared, was in the philanthrophy
business and had been for years.
They could have no motive in kill
ing gas and oil bills. He said ifthe
Standard Oil Company was an out
law that it was possible that 1t made
midnight raids into West Virginia 20
plunder the State of It's oil and gas.
The next witness to appear before
the Coroner was Speaker Grosscup.
The speaker said that he had bored
few holes, not in the wall where
they exhibited blind tigers, when
they rang the prohibition bell on
them, but in the ground, in the hope
Of discovering enough Of gas to
keep alive his political aspirations.
He avered that gas was essential to
any political aspirant who was con
fronted on every street corner by
political spellbinders, as he had
been through the months of Septem
Der, October and November. lie
said that when he entered the con
test for the speakership that he
found the machine a little rusty and
that started him to boring for oil.
lie emphasized the statement that
no machine could be run successful
without being properly oiled. lie
has found the sensation so pleasing
that he has joined the gas and oil
mems union, and is kept constantly
boring for gas and oil.
The next witness summoned be
fore the Coroner was the Chairman
Of the Judiciary Committee. Col.
McCamic The Colonel said that
the FIRST knowledge he had Of the
death Of the gas and oil bill was
when they brought the corpse into
.he Committee room for exhibition.
He said the representatives Of the
Standard and South Penn came IN to
make inquiries as TO the date Of the
funeral as they desired 60 furnish
| pallbearcrs. lie naturally supposed
that the Standard and South Penn
were relatives Of The deceased and
desired to pay their respects to the
departed The Colonel stated that
he knew nothing p bout gas and oil
and the method they adopted to kill
Il when it became dangerous to the
development Of the State. He could
not say whether they bored in grav-