The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-11-04
Whites Exoneration.

Mayor Moore's CAREFUL inyestiga
tlon OF the charge preferred agains
Policeman London White reveale
the filmsiness of the evidence of h!
afcusers; In fact, they had no evl
dence.
A.statement by man named Hans
ford that ne looked through win
dow oil. the baggage room of tn
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Compan,
here and saw man in uniform vom
ting was SO completely refuted b.
statements by others that 1t PROVED
unworthy of notice and should rail-,
not have been considered at all.
The other witness the News pro
dnced stated that he saw no signs o.
drunkenness in the baggage room OIL
elsewhere and he declared on oat!
that he did not believe White was
drunk. TO the contrary he swore
that he was sober at half past eleven
O'Clock that night and did not lool;
like he had been drinking.
Several reputable citizens rendered
written statements in which they
said they saw and conversed with
Officer White about the time he was
alleged to be drunk and they regard.
ed him perfectly sober.
Under such convincing evidence,
partly from those produced to con-
denim him. complete generation
VISA the natural result. With such a
complete vindication. 1t is due him
that his accusers and defamers make
retraction and apology. and fair
minded public will not be content
with anything .ess.
Much has been said by his defam-
ers about a frame-up, but she mys-
terious Telephone calls thar night,
when revealed, turned the rsbles.
The inception of the attack on Off
Ger White, as thus shown, was in a
spirit of revenge having its source
In raid made on disreputable
house, resulting from which female
friend of the man who telephoned
was taken into the meshes of the
law, and. the informant, according
to the evidence, was himself very
much intoxicated the night he tele.
phoned. These facts certainly i'm.
press the belief that there was n
fmme-up but not on the part of the
police department. and the News
easily fell victim in its malice
against certain members of the de.
partment.
AT the beginning of the unseemly
agitation by the News against Off.
Ger White statements were made to
the Telegram by credible citizens
who could have no motive except thai
oil right and justice, and this news
paper merely presented the facts n.
IL was able TO learn them. Had il
entertained the slightest idea that
oi'icer White was drunk on duty -.
insisted upon by the News. the rele
gram would have been the first IL
demand his removal. Even had 4
developed during the discussion th1
those who had made statements tina
lie was sober were mistaken, the Tel
egrlm would have exposed tho nm
tfuthfulness of the statements ana Il,
sisted upon Mr.. Whites removal I
sought the facts only and had n,
intention of relying on fiimsy eyi
dence. 1t got the facts and publish
ed them.
The News published what prove,
upon Investigation not to he facts
The Telegram was fair in the state
ment that 1t believed the News ha
been imposed upon, hut that news
paper resented that courtesy nv vi,
iopsly attacking THE Telegram but tn
latter held Its peace we'll KNOWN
that in the end its position would h
indicated, as it had set out fro,
the beginning to publish the facts a
1t learned them.
The course e1rsned by the Tel,
gram in this affair is one not to /
ashamed of ana the stigma that tn
newspaper was defending a drunke
policeman did not materialize hov
ever mucr certain designers again
good government tried to heap stii
ma upon this newspaper.
Retraction is due not only the III
Justly accused officer but also to ii
Telegram, although the latter regar,
the outcome of the case sufficient VII
dication 'of Its course and does n
ask any apology to IT..