Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-09-01
AUTO SPEEDERS
Are INDICTED
Charges Also Against Parties
For Running Car While Un-
der Influence of Whiskey.
Few Didn't Have License.

The Grand Jury, which met Mon
day and adjourned Tuesday found a
number of indictments, which ought
to convince automobile owners and
drivers that the lives of the people
are to be safeguarded, and that the
public highways belong to all the
people, and the people have the right
to the safe use of the highways, free
from dangers incident to reckless
speeding by half-drunk or whole
drunk drivers.
The Grand Jury found some six OIL
seven indictments against speeders,
some of these on two charges-one
for speeding and one for driving
while under the influence of liouor.
One young man. who lives in the
county, and who had been burning
up the streets in this town and the
roads round about, was hauled up be-
fore Judge Patton and fined $4,000
and costs, amounting to $4,000 in
all. 1t was shown, so witnesses stated.
that he was smartly intoxicated, and
he may thank Providence that his
recl1lessness did not cost him his life
and the lives of others with him. In
addition to the fine bond of $500
was required by the magistrate, for
* HlOHliS.
Another Tazewell young man, in
dicted for speeding while drunk, is
said to have gone on visit to an
other state, and there are others. This
action of the authorities is timely, and
Just what was to have been expected.
These, and all other motor-men, have
had sufficient warning from the pa
pers and otherwise, that trouble would
N hn Of xl....
they failed to heed. These young men
are usually quiet, good BOYS, but the
evidence showed that John Barley
corn was the chauffeur at the wheel,
and not the boys, and everybody
knows that Chauffeur "John" is a
reckless, needless driver. The fines
imposed will go into the public treas
ury of the county as credit. and the
young men will charge up the amounts
to incidental expenses"
And it is to be hoped that this will
be a lesson needed by all drivers of
cars. The commemorative attorney,
and other authorities, have set their
heads, they say, and are determined
that the laws shall,be obeycd, and the
rights of the public guarded.
Only One Pocahontas Case.
Perhaps this was the first Grand
Jury for years that did not have a
number Of cases before it for investi-
cation, from Pocahontas. There was
only one case-that of colored man,
charged with assaulting his wife with
n knife. A true bill was returned. And
this seems to mean. says q Grand Ju-
ror, that quietus has been put on
things in Pocahontas. Think of it!
Not single case before Tazewell
court from the police courts of Poca-
hontas! Surely better day is dawn
ing!
Devilment Due to Liquor.
One man, In commenting on this
state of affairs, said that Pocahontas
people were no worse than the people
of any other town, nor any better.
They are just plain human beings like
the rest of us. For years, he said, they
have showed up seemingly worse than
most folks, but it was not because
they were worse or more depraved
naturally, but their bad showing was
due to their surroundings. He went on
to say that no people on earth have
shown up in Il better light perhaps,
under similar surroundings. With the
town honey-combed with bar-rooms
and low dives and their attendants
anu IHe ueVll pussy CWenty-four hours
every day, including Sunday the year
round. how in the world could people
be decent? But now, he declared, with
all that hell and hellery subsiding,
the city of Pocahontas is taking her
place among the quiet and peaceful
cities of the commonwealth, and after
November 1st., and with several OF
the chief offenders in Jail, conditions
will be better still, and homes will be
happier.
The members of the Grand Jury al
this term of the court were:
G. w. Doak, Foreman; M. ]. Hank.
ins, H. s. Bowen, w. ]. Mcneil, Hi.
ram Showers, James Harris, ]. C
-aPruett, w. H. Hager, Joseph Harris