Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-10
THE MERCER
REPUBLICAN SPEAKS

A. NJ. Sutton is one OF the ablest
prosecutors this county has ever
had. He looks after wrong doors |
and the criminal fears him as the
chicken does the hawk Mr. SUIT
ton is making a fine campaign and
will win easily over his opponent.
\ So in the opinion of The Mercer
Republican A. VI. Sutton is one OF
the ablest prosecutors this COUNT
has ever had. This does not SPEAK
Wei for DR.. j. w. Hale, B. w. Pen
dieton. j. NJ. McGrath, and a mum.
Der OF others that we might men
ton, and we believe that either
me men mentioned could bring an
ordinary suit OIL plain bond. We
believe either of the gentlemen
mentioned could prepare an ordi
nary contract for the erection Of
oridge without leaving out very
important clause which would in
1ure the county hundreds of dollars.
We believe that either of the par
ties above mentioned would have
advised the county court that &
was illegal and contrary to law to
pay the sherifs of the county for
making off their own tax tickets
when the Statute plainly says that
they must make them off at their
own expense. and as a proof of this
we vouch the records to show no
such allowance until the whiskey
Interests got In control. Now this
may be The Republicans idea OF =
able prosecuting attorney but it is
not ours.
But there may be another sense
used by The Republican, or the Ed
tor thereof, in connection with A
M. Sutton, and that is this, that
he was one of the ablest prosecu-
tors the county ever had, in that
he can represent the county and q
citizen againsr-the interest of the
county. at one and the same time
or 1t may be that he used this word
In connection with the conduct III
being able to prosecute and at thu
same time defend the whiskey VIC.
iators OF the county, for instance
try and make the public believ,
that he is prosecuting violators a.
the revenue law, when at the same
time he permits them to enter into
a personal recognizance while h,
knows Is equivalent to an acquit
tall and this personal recognizance
is taken Immediately after Mr.. SUIT
ton and said violators together witt
the attorney for said violators have
had a private conference in one O.
the rooms OF the court house Nov
this latter sense may be the sense
in which The Republican used the
word ablest in connection with A
M. Sutton as prosecuting attorno5
OF the county.
Another part of The Republican.
statement may be doubtful meaning
and that is this, "HE LOOKS
AFTER THE WRONG DOORS" !!
is reported that he does look after
the wrong doors, or at least that il
what some OF the wrong doors say
1t Is the duty of The Prosecuting At
torney to collect bonds that have
been executed for fines, and some Of
these wrong doors claim that Mr.
Sutton as Prosecuting Attorney
brought suit on these bonds and not
only collected the amount of the
bonds. but required them to pay
personal fee to him, other than that
allowed by law, thus taking advan-
tage OF the ignorant wrong doer.
and taking from him what the law
does not permit; possibly this is the
sense in which The Republican
spoke Of him looking after the
wrong doer. We fail to understand
how this language could be used by
conscientious man, or by a paper
whose purpose is, or should be to
educate the public. These tranae-
lions cannot be viewed in any other
light except In the light in which
We have treated It. These things
soout which we have spoken were
not done in corner. but were done
where all might see. II they would
only observe carefully. There are
many other tranactions that would
demonstrate the sense in which The
Republican used the language above
quoted, which Will be referred TO
Letter on In the columns OF this
DaDer