The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-03-21
Six cOudCilnlen Make Confession
First Ward Election
Officials Held the Fort
Lawlessness
Got inst Rebuke

The Times account OF the election
in the First ward is as Is usual with
that paper on the side of lawIessness.
It must have got Its information
through the brewery or those who own
stock n II. If Its account came from
any one at the polls, it must have been
from sor-e of then, who were too drunk.
to see or understand what took place.
The Times says: .'Ail laws governing
election wer> violated by gang of poll.
tieians No law was violated. Every
thing was according to law and in
every detail, Notwithstanding the mob
which had assembled at the call or,
the Times, and counsefed by few
we'll known local rapers of the ballot.
The officers appointed by law to hold
the election, held the election. All
the in.imidatlon was by the whiskey:
brewery mob and heaIers, but it did
mol work. The mob took possession
Of the polling place before daylight.
and Intended by force to prevent tI,e.
lawful commissioners and clerks from
serving. Many Of them had been
drinking and some were drunk. twas
only the coolness and bravery of Nor
gar .. Orr and F. Bruce BarthoIow..
TWO Of the commissioners appointed
by council to hold the election, that
seizure cf the ballots by the mob was
prevented. and most dlsgraeefuI af-
fair upon civilized community avert
ed. The presence OF Sheriff Amos
aoubtless deferred the vicious element
present from carrying their attempt:
into breach of the peace, and thereby,
riot and further lawIessness prevent.
ed. ~,
That the law was upheld and the
rights Of the people protected Is due
TO the fact that MIR. Orr and Mr. Bar
tholow were brave enough to face the
mob ard armed with the majesty or
the law, to command them to disperse
ana to vacate the election room.
ait was indeed inspiring to see two
such fearless men facing the mob and
standing out against it." said citi-
zen wro was present. They demon
atrated that they are brave men, not
to be deterrcd from duty. by influ-
cncc, bribery. threats or intimidation.
hir Orr showed that he was not only
a general in command, but that he had
the ability ard courage to face the
enemy, irtrenehed, barrieadeu. and in
uupertor numbers. At least few men
remain such as Mr.. Orr ard MIR. Bar
thoIoW, who never run, and especially
when under fire.
That the election was fair. and held
in all respects according to law will be
acknowledged by the "wets" them
selves. The vets were given bott,
chaIlengers, who with Mr.. Geo. Il.
Richardson, made three of the ssven
CT the board-c. e. Scott, Mr.. Rich
ardscn and Mr.. Hctden-wf1o were wet
e,cuah forever the brewery. And at
the close Of the election Mr.. Richard.
con and the otI,cr vets on the board
gave voluntary expression to the fact
Tint the election was fairly held and
there was nothing Whatever in the
complaints and suspfctons of the vets.
It didn't make SO much difference,
WIN wac elected to council from the
First ward. That is temporary mat
ter. But 1t did make a difference
whether the law should prevail or
whether an organized mob should de.
throne the law. 1t is therefore to the
great credit of the First ward that the
election was not permitted to get out
OF the control of those lawfully ap.
rnieted to nold 1t.
II the attempt to seize the election
machinery by force had succeeded, it
would have then been thought to be
lawful, fer the mob to seize every
election precinct at future elections
and assurance to conduct" the .iec-
tions What use under such elreuni-
stances to pretend to hold elections?
we would then have mob rule and an
arehy In its simon pure form.
Miss Clara May Rcinheimer. MEM
bers of the West Liberty Normal
Schonl farulty has returned there nf.