Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-10-31
AN UNFAIR ATTACK
UPON MR.. STURGISS
Reply to the Alleged Interview Given
Out BY Mr.. Martin From
Mcrgantown

WOf HdHhOWHa
What purports TO be a dispatch
from Morgantcwn, setting forth an
alleged interview with Mr.. J. Ami
Martin In which he is made to state
ehat he has brought one suit against
Mr.. George G. stargiss, republican
candidate for congress, and intends to
bring a second me. and the alleged
dispatch makes this statement the
basis OF an argument why Mr..
Sturgiss hould be scratched by re-
pnblicans and why they should vote
for the democratic candidate for
congress.
Mr.. Martin has recently brought
suit at law, claiming a large sum of
money on many items Of account, to
which Mr.. Sturgiss has replied, set
ting UP payments, offsets and counter
claims. The transactions did not
grow out of any partnership matters,
rs he is said to allege. Mr.. Sturgiss
and Mr.. Martin were never partners
In any legal or moral sense. Hundreds
of items, debit and credit, large and
email, entered into the accounts and
transactions between them, amount
Ing in the aggregate to a hundred
thousand dollars or thereabouts. They
had had sundry interviews for the
purpose of settling. Mr.. Sturgiss in.
fers and accounts between them, but
Mr.. Martin wanted to settle a part
only, leaving the residue for future
settlement. Rumors had come to Mr..
Sturgiss that Mr.. Martin intended to
bring a suit for the other claims after
ne should have secured a settlement
of a part. Failing to come to
an agreement, Mr.. Martin brought
suit, to which Mr.. Sturgiss replied by
plea of payments, counter claims and
sets off.
The case came up to be heard at
ZINC O1NobSi A0i M hhliC NIL. oluiS 1889
was absent in the district making his
canvass Cor reelection as the republi-
can candidate for congress. AS the
matters Involved complicated &C.
counts with many items, Mr.. Sturgiss
asked that the case be referred to a
commissioner to be appointed by the
court to make up and state the ac-
counts between them, but Mr.. Mar
tin, by counsel, objected, The case
was continued last week and remains
antriei 1t cannot be tried in the
ae newspapers; neither can any other
suit he may contemplate and not yet
nave brought be so tried. Every de-
PENDANT is entitled to his day in court
10 make his defense.
The fact that this alleged dispatch
is first published in p democratic
newspaper, only a little over a week
Before the election. and that it came
TO his notice on Saturday, October
20. wbile he vas in Rs9ddcolgh soEnty
and its Simultaneous publication IN
zyany democratic newspapers In the
district is proof positive that it was
sent out for political effect Jnly. 1t is
a campaign roorback that, like others
that may oe sprung too late for au-
thoratative contradiction before the
election, has for its sole object the
esefeat, If possibble, of Mr.. Sturgiss
and the election of the free trade
democratic candidate, Mr.. Hiner. Let
no republican be mislead or deceived,
nut redouble his efforts to elect Mr..
:Sturgiss and stamp with contempt so
aespicable an attempt to accomplish
by foul and unfair means that which
cannot be done in IN open and fair
fight. Mr.. Sturgiss' reputation for
Integrity and honor has been too we'll
established by a long life of public
service and private business to be
blasted because Of legal cnotro-
versies over private business affairs
by an angry litigant. His life has been
30 open booidk, read of all men who
know him.
Mr.. Martin a simply been used by
fhe democratic press for political pur-
poses. :"
The maj who gets his price seldom