The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-05-11
Misleading Statements Pub
lished Regarding Trial
Yesterday.
PElPLE SEEK MOTIVE
Mayor Bowen and Others
Approve Work Criticized
by.D Democratic Press.

byD Democratic Press.
Vigorous protests are being made
throughout Fairmont and Marion coun'
fysagainst the .unwarranted attacks by
the Democratic press on the work
done by Prosecuting Attorney Tusca
Morris, Assistant Prosecuting Attor-
ney Ernest Bell, Justice of the Peace
II. Leigh Fleming and other county
officials in enforcing the Yost prohtbl-
doplaW!t
The practice of the Democratic
press In garbling and "censoring" the
reports Of the proceedings in Justice
FIemfngis court in its news columns
SO as to lend color to unwarrantec
editorial attacks Is well illustrated by
an account OF trial which is re-
printed In full as follows:
East night before Justice Fleming
occurred the trial of the foreigner ar
rested Sunday night for violating the
prohibit ionslaw. He had jug labeled
correctly but had the jug inside a suit
case and the suitcase was not labeled.
He got the usual for his violation"
This gaTbaed report Of the trial
published In the Democratic press
taiIs toHstate that the foreigner" !"
whoses name is Louis koyacs, was
taken before Justice Fleming by Fred
s. Harf chief Of the Fairmonts police,
and James AIce.S q special oft1cer EN-:
ployeds 10y the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company, and that koVaes was
Originally arrested for drunkenness
atfeE having fallen, from a B. & o.
train Assearch of Kovac's suit case.
which bore no labels Of any kind, re.
veaIed the fact that 1t contained two
Jugs Of liquor each containing one
half gallon
TheF Fgarbled report OF the Democrat
icspress5 contains the statement that q
lug inside the suit case was properly
labeled; while as matter OF fact
neither jug was properly labeled, haT.
ing nothing attached to them but the,
dealer's price tag, which does not
have on 1t the information required
yalaw.
phe Democratic press neglected to
mention the very pertinent facts that
Koyacs confessed to the chrage OF
Violating the prohibition law as charg.
edsinsa warrant sworn to by Prosecut-
ing Attorney Morris, and that Justice
Fleming imposed the minimum sen
tenceSallowed under the law for the
cffense to which Kovacs confessed,
dneSoft 500 and 60 days in jail:
Inasmuch as the Yost prohioltion
law provides specifically for the re-
moyal OF any officer who fails to per.
form his sworn duty of enforcing its
provisions, Justice Fleming had no
option in imposing sentence.
II is such garbled reports OF legal
proceedings as the account OF the no;
yacsB trial published in the Democratic
Dress to lend color to unwarranted
editorial attacks on the county oticers
which is arousing the indignation OF
ffSe people against newspapers who
criffcise officers Of the law because
fhey perform faithfully their duty OF
enforcing the law.
Thef people OF Fairmont and Marion
county are wondering what is really
the motive which impells the Demo
craticgpress to criticise the work being
done by the county officers to enfroce
the Nrohibition laws. II the publish
ed motive, the desire to protect "ignor-
ant foreigners" is the real motive
iSslc kof the attack on the work OF the
county officials in enfrocing the pro-
I1fbition law, why did not the Demo
craficRpress condemn the county OIL.
cials for their work in causing the
Indictment of 134 Ignorant foreign.
ers,' for first degree murder as the re.
sultSofsa fight between striking coal
miners and officers which was follow.
ed blythe. death of one constable from
wounds said to have been received In
the tight.
TheS indictment of the 134 strikers
was Secured under a law passed 30
yeaFsyago to rid the state of "Regula.
TORI. .'Red Men" and similar NEIL
aees, This law was invoked to cause
tiie Indictment OF 1874 strikers on first
degree$ murder charges. Why did not
the Democratic press condemn the
county officials then and some TO the
rescue of the 1S4 Ignorant foreign.
erss indicted as the result of a fight
growing out OF heated controversy
between capital and albor.
M Commenting, upon the attacks
made by the Democratic press upon
tfie work being done by Attorneys
Mofrds8 and Bell, Justice Fleming and
other OFFICERS for the purpose OF en-
forcing the Yost law. James w. Kite,
secretary of the Fairmont Young
Menis Christian Association and q
Democrat, said this morning:
FThe West Virg giniana is to be con;
gratulated on its scoura geous ann vigil
oroua defense of the county officials
aBnlnst unWarranteds attacks made
upon them becapse OF their efforts toil
snlcrce the Yost Sprohib bitoinslaw.