Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-01
FUR1hER DETAILS OF
CHARGES AGAINST WES1
Or. seauchaunp, Formerly Of Virginia.
Insisted Upon Resignation Of An.
ti.SaIoonist.

j
| ti.Saloonist.
RICHMOND. VA. April 30.-Fur
| Their startling reports concerning the
| charges against Rev. John W. West
former superintendent Of the Virginia
| Anti Saloon League, were received
here this morning from Kentu"ky
from which State he was forced to
fee. as his life was thought to be In
jeGr ardy after alleged indignities OF
/ fered little girls in Catlettsburgs
1t now appears from a statement
O! Rev. w, B. Beaachamp, In Louis
Vile, that Mr.. West was in trouble
before, having been accused by a
young woman who worked In his Of
fee, but this ofYense was not then
made public through the press.
Or. Beauchamp, who was formerly
pastor OF Broad Street Methodist
church. this city. took q firm stand in
the last case by requesting MIR. Vests
resignation and denomcing the lat
ter's conduct in the presence OF q
number Of little girls.
The affidavit made ty Clara Bar
ton. the little daughter of II. r. Rar-
ton, a commission merchant of Cat
lettsburg, who tried to kill Mr.. West.
Is as follows:
Little Girls Affidavit.
THE afiiant. Clara Barton. states
that she is and was II years old on
the 23d day OF April. 1909. and resides
at Catlettsburg. Ky. She states that
on. the 5th day of April, 1909. the day
on which q local option election was
held In the city Of Catlettsburg. KY,
at about 3 o'clock p. m, she. In COM
pany with a number OF other children,
was standing in front Of the Baptist
church when J. w. West. superintend-
ent Of the Anti-Saloon League q
Kentucky. called them into the church
house. and all the children went In.
and after playing around In said
church for a while we all started to
20 out OF said church. when Mr.. West
grabbed this afiiant and Virginia Mo:
ran and held them until all the othel
children had gotten out Of said
church. Then said West first placed
his arm around afiiant's waist. -
He then let loose of afiiant and said
Virginia Moran, went over and pulled
down q window. and while said West
vas doing this. the afiiant and said
Virginia Moran ran out Of said church.
"(Signed)
CLARA BARTON.
Subscribed and sworn to before
me by Clara Barton this April "a.
1909.
"(Signed)
WATT NJ. PRTTCHARD.
"(SeaD Notary Public Boyd Co, Ky"
my commission expires February
%, 1910.
Cannot ss Defended.
against Mr.. West and the name OF the
complainants. DR.. Beauchamp said:
They make very serious charges.
They allege that DR.. West was at
least very fndiscreet Urged to divulge
the real nature Of the charges, DR..
Beauchamp continued:
rs It absolutely necessary to print
this most unfortunate story! Well.
| I canno; see how he can be defended.
while l believe he was innocent Of
any intention OF thought Of wrong.
That he acted with serious indiscre-
! tion IL certain. He ADMITS As much
himself. The girls say his action to-
| ward them was not that Of . gentle
man"
As I got II from Dr. Reid. one Of
the episodes mentioned in the am.
davits occurred in the Baptist church
At CatlettsburG Dr. Reid said that
the little daughter Of Barton insisted
that West enticed her into the Bap-
list church. together with another girl
about her age, and that while in the
church he committed the alleged Of.
tense. Dr. Reid said further that
prior to the occurrence with the Bar.
ton child West had taken some un-
9entlemaHly advantage Of another
child in the Florence hotel. Or. Reid
had an afidayit embracing the state
ment Of the other child When I read
these affidavits I realized at once that
true or not. the Anti-Saloon League
must get rid Of West He was pres.
ent and made no denial OF the fact
that he was in the church with the
girls. He did not denv that some
thing had happened with the child in
the hotel. but Of course denied any
intention or thought Of an Immoral
nature.
Mr.. West himself realized that he
mnst resign. He readily agreed to
do 30. and to leave at once. He. OF
course. was anxious that the mattei
be dropped. II possible. He realized
that II would be useless TO attempt 10
justify himself under the circum
stances