West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-06-24
CASH IN ADVANCE
GOVERNOR HATFIELD IS SUED
FOR TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
Action Brought IN Federal Court
Grows OCT of Arrest of Men at
Pt. Pleasant Over the Theft of
Bible on Railway Train During
Last March

Suit for damages I'm the sum of
$4,000 was entered against Cover
nor Henry ID. Hatfield In tho United
States district court. Southern district
of West Virginia, at Charleston last
Saturday.
The plaintifr is William l.. Abbott,
Jr,, of Philadelphia, Pa. an employee
of the Midvale Steel Company, and
the suit grows out OF tho recent arrest
of Abbott and another man at Pt.
Pleasant. following the taking of the
Governors Biblo from dining car
In the Kanawha 4 Michigan railway
train.
Two other suits will be entered soon
by George III. Raush, the companion
of Abbott. Each of these suits will
be for $4,000 damagesIlone for assault
and the other for false Imprisonment.
The suit entered Saturday charges
false Imprisonment. 1t was at tho or
der of the Governor that tho men were
imprisoned
The suit will probably bo heard mt
the November term OF court in Char
lesion with Judge Keller presiding.
IL Is said that back Of the suit is
the Midvale Steel company. of Phlla-
dolphia, by whom Abbott Ia employed.
Following Abbott's arrest the company
made an investigation through its
legal department of tho incident in
volving ono OF It's employees. Not
only did the investigation eronerate
Abbott in the opinion of the company,
but the evidence obtained was 80 con-
vincing In tho opinion OF tho counsel
for the company that IL was deter
mined TO take legal means to exoner-
ate the young man I'm the eyes of the
world. Further investigation was
made and the law firm of Pendleton,
Mathews and Bell was engaged to
gather evidence and institute suit,
which. IL is said. was not only au-
ihorized by the company but pressed
by the company.
Abbott's case will be tried first, be-
cause Abbott is an employe OF the Mid
vale company The suit of Raush, who
also lives I'm Philadelphia, will DO en-
tered later. -
IL is expected that the principal wit
nesses to be summoned will be resi-
dents oe TT. Pleasant who were wit
nesses to the scene of arrest, and wit
nesses on the railway train en- route
to Pt. Pleasant. These witnesses on
the train will include Senator Joseph
Gray of Writ county. who was the Gov
ernor's companioR waitress on the
dining car and other witnesses to the
physical encounter which is charged
took place when the Governor shout
ed at Raush, 'pickpocket, thief" etc,
which charges are made by the young
men.
The incident around which grows
the suit occurred Sunday morning,
March 10, on a Kanawha & Michi-
gan railway train en- route to Point
Pleasant. IL was the day after the
last day of the legislature, when the
chief executive was still smarting un-
der displeasure at the actions OF the
legislature.
Governor Hatfield, accompanied by
Senator Joseph Gray OF Writ county,
was on his way TO Parkersburg where
he was to make an address I'm con-
nection with the eugenic meeting held
by DIR. Il. Aspinwall McQuaig, the eu-
genie expert who was telling audi
ences at that time how to live.
On the same train en- route TO Pt.
Pleasant was Abbott and Raush. Af-
ter the train left the station at Char
lesion Abbott and Raush entered the
buffet car. which on this particular
train, has women walters. They sat
down at table and while waiting for
their beakfast two men entered and
took seats beside them, facing each
other. The men were Governor Hat
field and Senator Gray one OF the
men carried a soft leather bound book
covered with brown paper on which
were scribbled some notes. Raush
had magazine which he had carried
in the car with him and which was
lying beside his plate on the table.
Gov. Hatfield laid his brown paper
covered book on the top OF the maga-
zine and the meal proceeded and the
train proceeded.
Abbott and Raush were the first to
finish their meal and left the table,
Raush forgetting his magazine. After
smoking on the platform the two men
entered the car, and Raush determined
TO read IL occurred TO him that he
had left his magazine I'm the buffet car
and ne went there TO get It. He found
10 and on top Of it the brown book
left by the Governor, whose identity
he did not know. with the magazine
and the brown book, which he later
learned was a Bible, but which he
had never opened or even looked at
the title page, Raush returned TO the
coach and started 20 read.