Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-06-08
JEFFERSON COUNTY GOES "DRY."
All Licenses for Liquor Saloons Re-
fused by the County Court.

Harper's Ferry will have to close their
doors. The victory of the temperance
advocates has been won after most
earnest and aggressive campaign, and we
confidently assert that it is in accordance
with the overwhelming sentiment OF the
people of Jefferson county.
The present movement was organized
couple of months ago, when largely
attended meeting was held in Charles
Town. A number of temperance advo-
Gates of that place had petitoned the
council to order special election on the
question of license or no license, but this
was denied by the council. II was then
decided to carry the matter TO the County
Court and the No-License Committee was
organized, with Captain John T. ColSton
as chairman, Judge Frank Beckwith
treasurer, and Geo. M. Beltzhoover, Jr.,
secretary. This No-License Committee
grew tremendously in numbers and influ-
ence, and the determination was made to
work for an entirely dry county, for every
section OF the county was interested and
hundreds of our most substantial citizens
were enlisting in the fight. Seeing the
Roadway the new movement was making,
the liquor interests of Charles Town in
duced the council 10 call the election that
they had formerly opposed. At this cleo
ton there was such fragrant bribery and
corruption and so much illegal voting,
that the result, which was victory for
the vets, could hardly be regarded as an
expression OF the people whose opinions
were worth anything. II therefore had
no influence upon the plans OF the No
License Committee and the movement
for an entirely dry county.
Monday last was the time set for con-
sidering the applications OF the saloon
men for licenses and the objections there
to. All of the members OF the County
Court were present, but the room in
which the court usually sits was found ut
terly inadequate to accommodate the great
crowd that was present, and so the ses-
sion was held in the Circuit Court room,
possession of which Judge Faulkner
readily yielded. This room was filled at
once with citizens from all over the coun-
ty, and a number of ladies were also
present. The interest was intense and
everybody seemed keyed up to a high
pitch.
Col. Forrest w. Brown appeared as
council for the saloon-keepers, and ne
seemed to feel that he was on the I'M
popular side and to realize the stiff fight
before him that he had TO wage single
handed. Former Judge Frank Beckwith
was the leader of the temperance forces,
and he proved himself fully equal 10 the
occasion. The applications for the Ii
quor licenses were placed before the
court, and Captain Colston, chairman OF
the No-License Committee, presented
the petitions against. One petition con-
tanned the names of about 1000 voters OF
the county, and another was from over
800 women. Then the fight began.
Col. Brown and Judge Beckwith made
their opening statements to the court and
technical matters were agreed upon.
Judge Beckwith asked that various gen.
tlemen be permitted to address the court
in reference to the petitions, but Col.
Brown objected, stating that no one save
licensed attorneys should be allowed to
speak. President of the Court Snyder
and his colleagues at once settled this
point, however, by granting permission
for remarks by any who desired to be
heard.
The leading educators OF the county
were present, and one after another they
arose and presented to the court earnest
pleas that licenses be refused and that the
temptation OF the open saloon be removed
from the youth of our community. Prof.
Thos. C. Miller, principal of Shepherd
College State Normal School at Shep-
herdstown, made strong talk in the in
terest of this institution, reciting its Sue
cess under no-license conditions and re-
ferring TO the objections that parents had
to sending their children to institutions
subject to the curse of the bar-roomS.
He was followed by Prof. Henry T. Nc
Donald, the president OF Storer College
at Harper's Ferry, who urged that the
class of pupils under his instruction be
relieved from the temptations that beset
them through the open saloon. Prof. 5.
P. Hatton, president of Powhatan COL
lege, Charles Town, made cauStic COM
ment on the recent election, and asked,
in the interest of his school, as an educa-
tional institution and as business enter
prise, that the saloons be abolished.
Prof Wright Denny, head of the Charles
Town public school system, also voiced
his opposition to the evil.
The ministers OF Charles Town made
fervent and effectual pleas to the court.
The venerable Rev. DR.. A. c. Hopkins,
of the Presbyterian Church, spoke with
great plainness OF the evils now so ap-
parent in Charles Town, and his words
carried great weight. Rev. J.. S. Alfriend,
of the Episcopal Church, made very
strong argument and scored some telling
points, as did also Bishop Gravatt. Rev.
]. c. Hawk, OF the Southern Methodist
Church, spoke very effectively and forci-
bly,, and Rev. w. r. Flanagan, of the
Baptist Church, expressed the sentiments
of his people upon the subject. The
whole morning was taken up by this time,
and the hearing was adjourned until after
| noon.
When court reassembled temperance
guns were still being fired. One of the
most effective speeches of the day was