Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-09-23
Government Asks Dismissal A.
ter Hearing Evidence.
GLADYS PARKER Is FREE
UPON OWN RECOGNIzANCE
Case Against Martinsburg Girl
Held In Allegiance - Frank
Belcido Convicted of Receiv-
ing Stolen Shoes.

Another espionage case of moro
than ordinary interest was called for
trial in the Federal Court this morn
ing. Fred Merriman, a mine sub.boss,
employed in a coal mine near Nor
gantown, being charged with pro-
German utterances. II was charged
that Merriman declared that this was
o rich mans war and that poor men
had no right to fight: that II the
Kaiser came to Morgantown he (Mer-
riman) would shake hands with him
and assure him tthe kaiser) that he
wanted to be on friendly terms with
him; that he made remarks calcu-
lated to discourage people from buy
ing war savings stamps. etc. The
entire morning session was taken
un by the trial
The case took an unexpected turn
after the evidence was in. the prose-
cution fling motion to dismiss the
proceeding against Merriman. This
motion was granted by Judge Day
ton, and Merriman was cleared Of
the ugly charge against him.
Gladys Parker Paroied
The case of Gladys Parker, the is.
year-old Martinsburg girl who con.
fessed to forging her sister-in-lawa
name to checks sent to the sister-in-
law by the government on behalf OF
her soldier-husband, came up in
court this morning. and as a result
Gladys was virtually paroled, with
the probability that she will not be
prosecuted IL she goes straight" in
the future. Gladys wore vivid green
sweater and an air of extreme peni4
tence when brought into court
just young girl of 10 years. scared
half TO death in the presence ut
those stern-looking he-men. She sat
with tears in her eyes and quiver>
ing lips as she waited for her case
TO be called. and IT. is probable that
there was n great deal more sympa-
thy for her than condemnation ON
the part OF the court officials. Dis
trict Attorney Walker, kind-heart-
ed man despite his occasional air of
awful ferocity., pitied the child, and
arranged to give her another chance
especially in view of the fact that
she had already served several
months in Jail and had been severe
ly punished for her one lapse. The
case against her was continued, and
she was released upon her own re-
cognizance to the next tern--whichi
means that the matter will be quiet
ly dropped, unless Gladys herself
should again call IT to the attention.
Of the court officials. II
Belcido Convicted
The Jury in the trial Of Frank Bel
edo. of Clarksburg. indicted on the
charge Of receiving stolen property,
returned verdict of guilty at a late
hour Saturday afternoon, and Bel
edo will be sentenced by Judge
Dayton tomorrow. Belcido was charg
ed with buying a large number, OF
shoes, which were alleged to have
been stolen from railroad freight
cars at various points. One member
of the Jury afterward stated that,
while the jurors were not entirely
convinced that Belcido had stolen
the goods, they were unanimously Of
the opinion that he knew the goods
we're stolen, and it did not take
them long to reach verdict in ac-
cordance, The case was holly fought
but the evidence against Belcido was
of a very damaging character.