The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-11-10
JUDGE MASON'S CHARGE
TO NOVEMBER GRAND JURY


ness most successfully. This is M
new phase of political life. It has al.
ways existed in some form to great,
er Or less extent and in all parties.
1t Is a matter OF profound gratifica.
tion to me to know that there Is yery
strong sentiment in this county
against all forms OF corruption in cleo.
tons and that this sentiment is grow.
Ing stronger. Only few years ago
votes were openly offered for sale an l
bought for money on our streets. To
trade whiskey for votes was regard.
ed as perfectly legitimate, and the can.
didate who would not treat his friends
was supposed to be very mean fel.
low. SO open and fragrant has these
abuses become that | made an order
recurring all elections officers, and the
officers Of the parties and candidates
to be summoned before the grand Jury
after an election. Ny idea was that
these men might know much and II
| they did not have personal knowledge
OF violations, they would know wheth.
er or not, at the elections conducted
by them, any violation of law had
occurred. The mere fact that mum.
Der Of good men who were present
would be asked to 60 before a grand
Jury and who would tell what thew
knew, would deter law breakers and
thus prevent violations. My object
has been, not to place secret detec.
| tives at and around voting places, bu.
TO let It be known that men OF char.
acter whose duties required them to
be there, would be before the grand
jury. and that by tlis means viola.
tons would be prevented. The GER
tainty of exposure Is a splendid pre-.
ventative of crime. Only the most
daring criminal will commit crime
when he knows that good law-abiding
men are looking on, or will know what
has been done and will tell it. 1 lie
sire above all things to so enforce the
criminal laws as to prevent violations.
l do not want any citizen punished, but
II do want society protected against
lawlessness, and so far as can con.
troll 1t, that will be done, but in do.
ing this must have the cooperation
of the citizens of the county, as we'll
as the officers and grand juries. Lee.
lures by the court and charges to the
grand Juries are mere farces, unless
proper action is taken by those whose
duty is is to act.
feel that much good has been done
along this line. True, If the courts
Information be correct, offenders have
only been frightened and not punish
ed, but 1t has had the effect OF, to
large extent, correcting tn ends,
The law-breaker is no longer found
around voting places. Candidates and
the officers OF political organizations
are not bounded around by men who
want to sell their votes. Voters are
not tmpcrtuned and annoyed to sell
their votes. The boodlers have at
least been compelled to carry kind
of guerrilla warfare, and the use of
Whiskey is confined largely to the
"boot logger" In other words bribery
End fraud in elections are becoming
disreputable.
am aware that by asking SO many
people whose duties call them to the
polls, to appear before the grand
3urIes, that infltct very considerable
hardships upon many most excellent
citizens. This am unwilling to do.
only unless the interest and welfare
OF society require it. II the enforce
ment of the law can be best enforced
in this way am sure these citizens
will not object to the sacrifice. Pros
ecutions are necessarily expensive and
announcement. Crime always causes
trouble.
may add that the finding of 4
large number OF Indictments does not
indicate that the law is being we'll en-
forced. 1t may mean that 1t has not
heretofore been enforced. But gen
tlemen, the failure to indict all who
have violated the law, if possible to
discover the otfenses will be reflec.
tion on this court, its officers and the
grand Jury.
| After careful Inquiry as to the
late election, have reached the con-
clusion that no g9pa-Ssill be accom-
plished by enforcthgN12 order requfr-
ing these offices and candidates to
appear before this grand jury. The
fact that 1t was understood that they
would be required to. go before this
grand Jury has doubtless induced the
law breakers to very carefully and no
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