Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-24
LET SoME OF THE COUNTY OF
FiCIALS ANSWER-A FEW
QUESTION PUT TO THE HON.
A. NJ. SUTTON AND OTHERS.
BY THE REFoRNIE" THE
NEW PAPER AT PRINCETON

Ger county who was prosecuting at
torney during the month of June.
1905?
III he tells them the truth he will
say j. Frank Maynard. and that he
was assisting prosecuting attorney
under ]. Frank Maynard, for his
entire term OF office, and that he Is
the same A. NJ. Sutton who is now
asking the voters OF Mercer county
to elect HIM as prosecuting attorney
Tor the. term OF four years. Has he
proved himself worthy and well
qualified. or has he been weighed in
the balance and found wanting?
Let his official acts speak.
Let's look at some of his official
acts and determine If he should be
elected.
If he is honest, industrious. and
capable. it may be he should be
elected; but If not the voters might
do better elsewhere.
On or about June 18th 1905, the
county court of Mercer county was
in session, and among other things.
was seeking a right of way through
the lands OF James WINNER. for n
county road. A. NJ. Sutton on said
occasion was present as assistant
prosecuting attorney of Mercer coun
ty, representing CD the interest OF
the county and on his recommenda.
tion the county court allowed Mr..
WINNER 500 damages for SAID
roadway. Would II be little
strange If Mr.. Sutton, acting as as
sistant prosecuting attorney should
accept a fee from Mr.. WINNER for
represent ng CD the interests OF
the county on said occasion? We
think so. But that is just what &C
CURED. When orders were issued
Tor the 500, an $50 order found
Its way into Mr.. Winners posses
sion, and a $40 order found it's way
INTO Mr.. Sutton's possession, and
strange to say the sheriff paid this
$50 order to Mr.. Sutton AMI the
$50 order to Mr.. WINNER, or at
least the records OF Mercer county
shows this TO be true. Is this the
act of an honest or grating Off
Ger? Let Mr.. Sutton answer and
explain If he can.
The prosecuting attorneys of this
county for many years have had as
sistants, viz: ID. w. McClaugherty
j. w. Hale, Hugh G.. Woods. b. w.
Pendleton, Il. w. Hale, j. NJ. An
derson and J. Frank Maynard. All
OF these men though 1T necessary to
have some one to assist them in the
arduous duties of the office. But
when A. NJ. Sutton was appointed
he took an inventory of his legal
acumen and concluded that he was
the equal to the demands of this
ofhce-could perform all it's duties
single-handed and alone. Bat when
1t came to instituting a simple suit
on plain bond executed on ac-
count OF the late court house cleo
ton, Mr.. Sutton was not equal to
the occasion, and the county court,
on behalf of the county, paid to
Hale& Pendleton the sum of $3.50
to prosecute this case. to which
there was no defence.
Now, If Mr.. Sutton had sufficient
ability To meet the demands Of the
Office IL was unnecessary to employ
Hale e. Pendleton at an expense of
$3.50 to prosecute this case. but If
1t was necessary, and the county
court must have thought so, to en-
ploy Hale e. Pendleton in this case.
then Mr.. Sutton is not entitled to
the vote of the citizens of this
county to elect him to this office
when ne Is not competent to attend
TO It's duties. (The order allowing
his claim can be found n order
book 6 at page 48.)
Now, this same A. VI. Sutton de-
clined to prosecute Robert Mere
dith for a felony lately tried in
the criminal court Of this county on
account Gas he stately OF his re-
lation to said Meredith. when as a
matter Of fact we are informed that
he Is no more related tORob3rt Mer-
edith than the writer is to Adam.
And this made II necessary to APP
point some one to prosecute the
said Meredith. and thereupon Judge
Maynard went to the city Of Blue
field and appointed his friend J VI.
Sanders to conduct said prosecution
and anOwed him the meager CD
sum of $3.50. which the voters Of
Mercer county must pay because Of
Sutton's feigned relation. and this
might have been avoided had he
appointed an assistant as his pred
ecessors have done for many years
The records OF this county SHOW
that on the 18th day Of August.
1901, Mr.. sutton became the renter
OF one of the Offices of the county
at the price Of $40 per year. VIII
he pardon us II we ask when and
where this rent was paid to the
county? OF course this has been
done, but We would like to know
to whom 1t was paid and when.