Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-05-31
WILL STRIKE BACK
Attorney Gregory and Associates 70
Charge Senatorial Candidate Is
Real culprit

kersburg, chief counsel for the Al.
legged legislative bride takers il pre-.
pairing to leave for Webster Springs
on Saturday next to be on the
ground Monday, the 2nd OF June.
ready to proceed with the trials Of
the cases. His associates are Judge
Is. c. Burdette. Of Charleston, Elmer
Stone, OF Ripley, w S. wysong and
~. c. ThGrmond OF Webster, while
the state will be represented by Con
gresham S. b. Avis. Thos. c, Town
send, of Charleston. Abe Lilly, attorn.
ey general of the state, Prosecuting
Attorney Woodell, OF Webster coun.
ty, and his assistant, s. H. Morton
There have been several hundred
witnesses summoned from all parts
of West Virginia and number from
other states Therefore. il is expect.
ed that each one of the several trials
will consume number of weeks.
The indicted legislators are Sena-
tor II. A. Smith. OF Roane. Represen-I
tatfve f,ath sDuff. of .iackaos, David
Hill, Of Mason, s. U. G. Rhodes, OF
Mingo, George s. VanMetre. of Grant.
II. f. Ashbury. of Putnam, and Rev.
j. +. Smith, of Doddridge county.
These men are all prominent in their
respective counties and have hereto
fore borne. good reputation, ! From
the array of counsel it viii be seen
that the cases will be most bitterly
fought and the public will be greatly
interested in the result Of each trial
The defense claims that prior to
the session. OF the last Legislature.
William Seymour Edwards, sthen a
candidate for United States senator,
employed detective force from the
Office of the w. il Burns agency in
New York, and had the sleuths in
Charleston early in the game in or
der to become acquainted with the
members, of the legislature and find
out who coud be bribed and who
could not They also allege that
through This agency, Edwards intend
ed to purchase his seat in the sem
Fate; that he and his alleged bird
lings created the crime and whep
caught themselves, entrapped the de-
| fndants, several of whom had been
Edwards most staunoh supporters.
having voted for him on each ballot.
both IN the Republican caucus and In
the joint assembly. i1rhe defense fur,
ther claims that if this is shown, then
under the law of ehttapment neitAer
of the defendants can be held for any
crime. 9l,sfgtFs 4
Mr.. Gregory has no hesitancy in
saying that he and his associates win
show the Burns agency to be fraud
and noyices in the detective business,
that he will produce evidence, clear
and convincing in the shape of copies
Of reports made in Burns office sent
out from Charleston and purporting
to give the inside of the workings OF
the Legislature, which are fakes, pure
and simple. He says that history
of the entrapment will read like
dime novel and that those who were
connected with the conspiracy will be
shown up in the courts.
On February last the public were
astounded to learn of the arrest of
seven members of the legislature OF
this state charged with accepting
brides on the 18th day OF that month
The men we're enticed into separate
rooms on the fourth floor of the Kama.
wha hotel in Charleston and handed
large rolls of money aggregating
more than $4,000. The detective who
pulled off the stunt was Guy b. Bid
dinger, one of Burns most trusted
men. He persuaded one senator and
SlA lutnUSIS VI tlt uOuSc W tdhC
1000 TO $4,000 each, stating to
them that he was personal friend
of Mr.. Edwards and desired to aid
those who were supporting him. He
then politely invited them, one at a
time, into an adjoining room where
he had in waiting sheriff's posse.
The men were Immediately arrested
and the money taken from them. The
grand jury Of Kanawha county alleg-
ed to have been political friends OF
Colonel Edwards, rapidly indicted the
accused legislators, but refused to in
dict either the detective or Edwards.
The cases were called some weeks
ago, but tn edefense secured change
of venue to Webster county on &C.
count of the prejudice existing in
I nr,,..txr osvot,.rt fh1r,