The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-10-05
ably PRESENTS
ISOWN.CASE
ATTORNEY THOMAS N. FIELDS
ARGUES HE'S WRoNGFULLY
IMPRISONED.
Made Foreeful and Learned Plea In
His Own eehalf-Presented Many
Leading Cases Which Were Ana.
LOCUS to His Case.

in his own behalf in seeking his Ill.,
erty from the State prison on writ
OF habeas corpus
Fl"lds is an attorney and practicel
in Washington, D. C. until his con-
Weldon in .gO5, by the court OF the
District of Columbia upon an embez.
element charge.
In Wheeling before Judge Dayton
sitting as district Judge the case
was formerly argued. and the writ
denied. ~
This time the matter was to have
CONE befvre Judge Nathan Con In the
United States Circuit Court. Owing
10 the !atter's unavoidable absence.
However, Judge Dayton had to All the
place On The Circuit Court bench.
Fields WAS assisted by Attorney
Charles Mctan,ic. OF Moundsville.
The petitioner spoke first and his
argument was able and exhaustive.
He urged In support OF his right to
the 'Sr:. OF habeas corpus, three pop
ositions.
Tho first was that the court OF the
district OF Columbia acted in excess
of Is jurisdiction In sentencing him
10 prison under m act OF Congress
which was enacted subsequent to the
time lie received the funds in contro.
vers.. lie urged secondary that in SO
doing the court had gone beyond IT,
constitutional authority in that 1t vic.
lated the constitution guaranty OF
trial by due process of law. Lastly
that it further violated the constl.
ton In that It held him in involuntary
serv!tude other than punishment of
n crime.
Many leading cases in the reports
OF the United States Supreme Court
and the United States Circuit Court OF
Appeals bearing upon the rights to
the writ of habeas corpus. All OF them
were analogous to the case of Mr..
Fields and he presented them to the
court In most masterful and logical
way. At all times until the conclu.
sion MI. Fields dealt with the laws
bearing on his own case and was I'M.
passionate and logical to the extent
that no one could have realized that
It was his own liberty that was In.
volved until his closing statements.
In conclusion the speaker referred
briefly but in a manner intensely in.
pressive, to the fact that he was u
prisoner. He stated that he had done
nothing for which to hang his heal
in shame. That he had been unjustly
imprisoned and that he now came to
ask for his freedom as would any
other human being who loved liberty.
Many OF the leading members Of
the local bar were present during his
long argument and all were impress.
ed with his wonderful ability and his
Assist,r, Dist-,a. ,t,aan
sbow,,tor ran,,oI - a. - w..
of Mr.. Fields. In the beginning he
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