Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-09-13

Of the court.
In part, the judge said:
"Gentlemen:-My term expires on
December 31sL OF course ! have been
On the bench long time. ! was APP
pointed away back in 1892, on the
18th of February From that time to
this have tried 10 do my duty.
Now you can see that is a long
time. In all those long years, 1 have
had great deal to do. have had a
great deal to do with the grand jury.
There has never been a charge where
/ have not presided. You can now see
the results OF the efforts of all those
years. Even this court house, take
the court houses in Baltimore, in
Charleston - compares well with
these This is as it should be-there
are from every part of the county
leading men who have served on the
grand jur!es | have always looked to
the grand jury, wherever the public
was concerned, to help me along. In
all that time, of course, great deal
has occurred
81 nave tried great many cases
a great MANY criminal cases and also
civil Int must saw. gentlement.
have never sentenced a man TO be
hung in Berkeley county. There have
beon larger countries where | have sen
fenced thin In jefferson there were
three. one in Hampshire-not a single
one in this county.
at ia trie 7 have tried people for
murder and probably some have been
sentenced for life. None of them we're
sentenced to hang. do not know
WHY that was OF course, would
have done so If the fury would have
recommended II
'T am glad TO saw that | am no;
ashamed of nv record in the past. 1t
speaks for itself. You can take up any
of the cases. All sneak for them
selves am perfectly willing TO
stand for nv record saw, gentle
men can look hack and cannot re-
call in all of the cases | have decided,
whore 7 would have changed the de
cision have had some cases where
.yonId have changed my opinion al.
for now laws were enacted and condi-
tions changed Not in a single one,
eirher criminal or civil. do | recall
a case where I would have reversed
myself. think | have that looks
very well for a record of nearly q
years
"In all that time I have received
many kindn6sses courtesies. and the
sreatest con sideratjon not only from
tho members of the BAR but from
every side | cannot 60 back and find
fault with ANYBODY or ANYTHING. There
IL only one instance where | ever fin
cd man and that fine I have remit
ted, In all that period of time have
had no complaint against either wit
nesses. Jurors. or ANYBODY else.
"Evervthing comes before YOU If
Won do not do YOUR duty, if the Jurors
do not do their duty what sort of or
der would Won have You are he court
the people look 10. You cannot ex-
pect ANYBODY else to do these things.
You are selected for that purpose.
You call witnesses before you. The
duty devolves upon YOU to see that
You have an orderly county. Tnerc is
no crime that does not come into your
court. There is nothing that you can
not look into that you think proper to
do So There are certain classified
tons that YOU ought to look to.
There is another class-the liquor
license for instance OF course wnere
parties have been selling in violation
of the law. those are the cases where
you have power | have my own views
on the liquor law. 1t is not a good
law as it is. have never thought so
since / have been on the bench.
The license is not high enough,
Again. there ought to be regulation
as to population. Suppose 40 make
application here. What are YOU going
TO do about 1t? what fairness Is 'haI
Whel II comes 10 me graht'hS Oh nc
ehses' Nhless 'here IS some I's',lH loi
now are You gong 10 prevent II w ny