The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-06-29
Hatfield Did Not Treat Vio-
lently the Men Who Stole
His Bible.
TRNNNEN ON HIS SIDE
All Eye Witnesses Brand As
False Statements of Elk
ecutive's Enemies.

CHARLESTON. W. Va, June 20
Governor Hatfield did not kick o.
strike this man or use any abusive
language. ] was in plain view Of the
governor all the time and was within
six feet of him and saw and heard
everything that occurred"
The above statement was made to-
day by ". T. Pullen, brakeman on the
Kanawha and Michigan passenger
train on March 14th last. when George
H. Rausch and W. L. Ahitt were ar
rested at PIT. Marion on the charge OF
having stolen a Twentieth Century
New Testament from Governor Hat
field. Recently a suit was entered If
the Federal Court here by Abbtt;
against Governor Hatfield for $4,000
damages. charging malicious assault,
and reports have been published in
newspapers that the chief executive
had kicked and malterated the two
men who had stolen the book from
him in the dining car OF the train.
Pulleu. to a newspaper nan here to-
day, stated that the Governor did not
treat the men violently, but when he
found that one of them had the tesla,
ment hidden in his possession. he
turned them owe to the authorities at
PIT. Pleasant. where they pleaded guii'
ty to the charge Of petit larceny.
All the railroad employees on the
train have been interviewed in regard
to the episode. which has been made
the basis OF sensational reports. and
each one OF the train crew makes the
statement that the reports OF violent
treatment are untrue in every particu-
lar.
During the week Captain Ben Swift
ger, the conductor who was in charge
Of the train, made the public state
ment that the governor only acted as
any Selt-respecting man would have
done under the circumstances" and
that he did not handle the men rough.
".
Mrs. Ella Koch, an attache Of the
dining car, who was on the train on
the day in which the book incident
occurred said today she was attract
ed by the action of the two men. Alb
bitt and Rausch, and stated that she
noticed them pick up the grip of Cap
tain Switner, the train conductor. anu
Thought they were going to take it.
but when they looked up and saw me
watching them through the glass door
they dropped it." Mrs. Koch further
stated that "The Governor did not
hit or strike either one Of those men
or use n abusive language when ne
got his Bible
Miss Katherine Richer, OF Colum'
bus. Ohio, a waitress on the dining
car. was an eyewitness to the report
ed difficulty and stated that she hau
heard Governor Hatfield describing 70
Senator Gray the kind OF book he ca.
ried and the fact that he ppised II
highly as a gift from Ex-Governor
Near PIT. Pleasant. she said
a lady messenger on the car, pointed
ont Rausch and Abbitt as the two men
she saw take the book and she report
ed that fact to Governor Hatfield VIII"
accosted them and recovered INC
book. Miss Elcher said that the III.
cident provoked little attention anl
that she did not see the Governo:
strike either Of the men or use any
abusive language to them in any way.
All Of the eye-witnesses to the al
fair have branded as false the SEN
sational stories published in some
nawsnaners OF the state that the men
were severely treated by the Governor
and in view Of these statements, 1t hea
heen clearly established that the suit
for damages has not been brought In
good faith but has been instigated by