The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-04-13
SENSATIONAL CLIMAX TO
MUNICIPAL FIGHT.
Ten Of Number Give Bond, Re
naming Two Left City Before
Serving of Warrants.
Information Is Made by Prosecu-
tor Moore After Examining
300 Citizens,

Special Dispatch TO the Iuteillgencer
SISTERSVILLE. w. Va, April H.
The climax In the Sistersville election
sensation came late this afternoon in
the arrest OF ten Of the election COM
missioners on the charge OF falsifying
the returns. and the issuing OF war.
rants for the remaining two. The ten
placed under arrest were released un-
der $1,000 bond pending the action of
the grand jury that meets on June
18th. The warrants were issued by
Justice w. X. Smith, at the instance OF
Prosecuting Attorney X. c. Moore, OF
Middlebourne, who has been in almost
constant attendance at the sessions
of the local Election canvassing board,
who examined about 800 Witnesses.
The election at Sistersville occur
red on March 2Sth. and had been pre-
ceded by a bitter fight partici-
pated in by friends OF the
officials then in office and a rival fac.
tion known as the Citizens Reform
League. The old officials. Mayor
Loughhney, City Clerk Noll and the
councilmen on their ticket were sue.
cessful. A recount was demanded by
the Citizens party and after a mob OF
some 400 or 500 persons made a dem
onstration in front of the municipal
building, the newly elected officials
rendered their designations. The can
didates on the Citizens ticket were
promptly installed in office.
Canvass Election.
Immediately upon the reorganizaz-
tion OF the new council they started
a canvass of the election. They.
charged the election of the old Off
cials was not regular, accused that
certain of the ballots had been burned
in the election places and others
manipulated. Three hundred wit
nesses. including voters. city officials
and officers at the election, were
cross-examined. 1t was charged speci-
fically that the name of One candidate
mad been written in on many ballots
by one person and voted.
This investigation tonight rounded
out two weeks since the election and
has been attended by Prosecuting At.
torney X. c. Moore, OF Middlebourne.
When the recess was taken this even
ing he went before Justice Smith and
preferred the charges. The board
have other Witnesses yet to examine
and are not expected to adjourn be-
fore the first OF the week. Other
arrests may possibly occur Then.
Those arrested yesterday were II.
ID. Conant, ]. II. Summers. George
Jamison, election commissioners in
tie First ward Walter Slender and
J. z. Magner. commissioners in the
Second ward; Mike Brady. Chris Con-
MIN and Lex Kenney commissioners
In the Third ward: W. c. Duffy and
OAas. Jerrard in the Fourth ward.
Warrants were issued for Wm. Roth
well and Dick Griffith. two other elec.
ton officials. but the first could not
be found and Griffith had left for
Wheeling.
Mr.. Moore. after the arrests. left
for HIS home in Middlebourne. lie
70 said to have In his possession
charred portions OF ballots which
were found in election precincts after
the election.
The arrests tonight while causing
much talk. did not produce any dem
onstration such as occurred earlier in |
the tight
Sistersville's Happy Hollow" was
closed to-day by Mayor KimbaIl