The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-04
Prominent Citizens Have Been STONED
And Asked If They Did Not
"Want Something"
SOME DIRECT PERSONAL TESTIMONY
What One Man Saw Who Accepted Invitation to Visit
Basement Room of Mays Washington
Street Place. -sg

Although II has long been a matter
of common knowledge upon the streets
that liquor has been very easy TO OBJ.
tain in this city yet II has only been
In the past two weeks that those en-
gagged in this traffic have ventured to
solicit the patronage of any and all
passers by who might possibly be u
customer for their wares.
This condition has ueen learned
from the large number of persons who
have been approached and who were
Justly indignant that such 4 condition
could exist, The incidents related by
the following well known and honora
BILE men OF the community bear out this
statement and they are only few OF
those who have been offered liquor.
Marshall w. Harris, former deputy
sheriff under Geo. L. Amos. and prom
incnt citizen Of the East Side, tells this
one:
"Wednesday afternoon Chas. Haw
kins and l were walking down WASH
ington street toward Madison on oui
way to the East Side. AS we passed
the negro restaurant kept by Billy
May, big black buck, whom ] did no,
know. stepped out and said, DO you
men want somethiug?'
Il started to walk on and shook my
head. but Charley said, What have YOU
got" The negro replied that lie had
whiskey and we would have anything
from a drink up. Charley told him
that he did not care for any and VIC
then passed on"
Chas. Hawkins lives on Locust ave
nue. and is known throughout the coun'
ty as one Of the reliable and respected
citizens of the community. He vouch
es for the correctness of this story and
tells 1t in practically the same manner
W. T. Black, Of the Fairmont Wall
Plaster company. states that he was
walking down Washington street OH
the same afternoon and that a negro
unknown to him stopped him and offer
ed to sell him pint of whiskey. Mr.
Black says that he did not accept the
offer and the negro then offered to sell
him drink II he desired it. This he
also refused.
j. r. Prickett, well known and re-
spectoG citizen from Barrackville, who
has been lifelong Democrat, relates
this one:
About a week ago | came to Fair
mont and was standing on the Mai.,
street corner by the court house. A
tall lanky negro sided up to me and
asked me II would like to have dog
en- bottles of beer told him that
did not care for any and that never
drank the stuff. He said lie could get
me whiskey II ! would rather have it
This also refused"
Another gentleman who is a direc
tor In the now Fairmont hotel and pre-
fers not to mention his name, relates
this one:
Thursday afternoon was down
looking over the hotel which is in
construction at the corner OF Jefferson
and Washington streets and was
standing in the street near Billy Mays
place watching the steel beams being
swung into place on top of the build
ing. On the side walk In front of the
restaurant were standing a group OF
negroes.
Every few minutes a white man OF
a negro would come along and turn
down beside the restaurant and 20 in
the sidc room. Presently a we'll built
negro came over to where my compan