Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-05-14
DETECTIVES
WERE P|kCHED HERE
Brought Here From Baltimore to
Watch Election Bribery,
JAILED EARLY IN MORNING

Men Were Here in Interest Of Citizens
Party But Four of Them Carried
Revolvers Without a License For
Which the Penalty is Six Months
in JaiI-Politieians JubiIant over
Arrest of Baltimore Detectives.
From The World OF Monday:
The most sensational incident of
the municipal election for Mayor and
five Councilmen in Maritnsburg today
was the arrest early this morning of
five detectives alleged to have been
Brought here in the interest of the
Citizens Movement. Four of the five
were carrying revolvers without a liz
cense. when arrested, and they were
hustled off to Jail forthwith. The fifth
man didn't have a gun on him when
way with the friendly admonition that
he had better leave town as quickly
as possible, and he did.
Five strangers came to town last
night on B. & O. train No. 9 and reg
istered at the Berkeley Hotel. They
told the night clerk to call them at
4.30 O'Clock this morning and were
then assigned to two ooms. They
had hardly registered, however, be-
fore some lynx-eyed local politicians
were on their trail and the word was
passed around that a bunch of de-
tectives was here for the election.
The fellows registered as e. f. Sewell,
Hagerstown; Frank B.. Berry, Bruns-
wick, Md: George T. Frederick, Har-
pers Ferry; George R. Wilson. Shen-
tin, Va; o. G. Snyder, Cumberland.
The detectives were up bright and
early this morning ready for business.
But it wasn't long before they were
picked up by the police on suspicion
of carrying concealed weapons. In
the meantime Justice Felker had issu-
ed warrants for their arrest. At $50
o'clock Officer Mcdonald saw two o.
the detectives standing on the corner
of Queen and Burke streets and ar
rested them. One of them had nc gun
on him and he was released. The
third man was picked up at the Ber-
kelley Hotel, the fourth at the Third
Ward Hose house and the fifth at the
Fifth Ward School house. officer NJ
Donald making all the arrests alone
except one when Officer Riddle was
along with him. The bunch was In
charge of Sewell who. however. gave
his name as e. A. Seaman to Justice
Felker. Seaman or Sewell, Frederick,
Berry and Wilson were placed in jail
to await a hearing before Justice
Felker.
The penalty for carrying a revolver
without a license in the State Of Yves.
Virginia is six months in jail and a
fine of $50 at the discretion of the
magistrate for the first offence, which
is only a misdemeanor.
1t may be added that a telephone
message this morning from Mr.. Smart,
head of the detective agency in Baltl-
more that sent the men here, stated
that he had given the men explicit or.
ders not to carry revolyers In West
Virginia, but they evidently dlsre-
garded his orders and their arrest and
Incarceration followed.
The arrest of the Smart detectives,
who had been employed to come here
not to coerce voters in any way at
this election, but simply to watch and
see II there was any violation OF the
! state election laws as to the bribery.
| OF voters-which 1t was believed
would be lone at this election-caus-
ed a good deal of indignation among
some of the citizens, while some
others were naturally jubilant. How
the unusual incident affected the cleo
ton today would be hard to deter
mine.