Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-03-07
JAS. H. JOHNSON
Is EXONERATED
Elan Charged With Moonshin.
ing Proved He Had No In
terest in "Still."-N1any
Other Cases Settled.

quite number of criminal ant
civil cases were disposed of durinl
the term.
Eugene Jones, colorcd, was giver
six years in the penitentiary for liv
ing with 81 young girl.
James Nicewander was convicted
of charge of grand larceny and the
jury fixed his punishment ct one ycal
in the peaitentiary, but the case was
continued until the May term OH 4
motion of the defendants attorney
for the court to suspend the sentence
during good behavior, pursuant to q
recent act of the Legislature, this
being the first conviction. Estil Car
ter, Harden Carter and Grocia Smith
were convicted of violating the pro-
prohibition laws and given Jail sen.
tences and fines.
Will Mabe, of Richlands, was sen
fenced to serve thirty days in Jail
and pay n fine of $4,000 for strik-
ing George Morrison with club.
Cootey Slaughter, of Graham, re-
ceived thirty days in Jail for shoot
ing his chum, Ed. Moore, while under
the influence of Bluefield liquor.
There appeared to be no motive what
ever for the shooting. John Hclbert
and John Brown forfeited their bonds
by failing to appear at court and an
swer for prohibition violations.
Frank Dunfcrd was acquitted of u
charge of abducting girl for illc-
gal purposes, and Will Osborne was
acquitted of charge Of having
struck C. L. Boothc with stick.
Boothe failed to appear rs witness
against him and the case was tried
| in the absence fthe prosecuting
witness.
The trial of tho appeal OF several
Burke's Garden land owners us 10 the
! amount of damages awarded to them
by the road board in opening roao
through their lands in the eastern
part of the Garden resulted in the
confirmation Of the decision of the
Road Board in all respects with the
exception of Mr.. Wynn, whose dam
ages was increased from forty-five
dollars to ninety-fve dollars.
Steve Poppove, of Pocnhontas and
James II. johnson, of the Paint Lick
section were acquitted of charges of
violating the prohibition law. The
decision of the jury in, the case of
johnson for being Interested in the
operation of moonshine still on the
Paint Lick mountain has been very
unsatisfactory to the prohibition pco-
pie, and some of them have blood in
their eye OH account of the decision.
1t appeared from the evidence of
the three officers, Chap Osborne, p.
r. Tyrce and r. j. Blankenship, that
they received information that Jim
Johnson was operating moonshine
still at certain point on Paint Lick
Mountain, and these Offices went to
to this point in the night time to
watch. An hour or two before day
light they saw man coming TO the
place with lantern, and this man
went into the enclosure and stayed
sometime, and the three officers tes-
tilted that they heard sounds in there
as though the man was stirring III
barrels with stick or paddle; that
the man left and went back carrying
his lantern; that one of tn officers
followed him in the darkness to his
house and recognized him to be jim
Johnson; that after the return OF this
officer they all went in the still house
and found n copper still with y ca
pacity of seventy-five gallons in full
operation; that there were twelve bar
rels of beer and mash, each holding
from 80 to so gallons, and there were
two kegs of singlings or low grade
liquor. The officers also found that
tn mash had been stirred in the bar
rels, and the paddle was tEen drip
ping wet. The officers separated and
concealed themselves around the STILL
Shortly after daylight they saw Jim
Johnson and his little boy coming to
the still, and when he got right close
to the place he discovered orc OF
tn officers and started to run, but
the officer stopped Kim with his Win
chester. When asked where he was
going Johnson stated he was looking
for his cattle, and denied knowing
ANYTHING about the still, but later
admitted to the officers that he was
implicated in it and indicated his IN
tention of pleading guilty and get
ting off as light as possible, as one
Of tie officers told him il wno best
thing he could do, and Johnsoa also
stated that he had two partners III
the business. However, this confes-
sion was ruled out by the court on
the ground that the confession was
not voluntary inasmuch IS one OF
the officers in authority induced the
confession, or advised him to con
fcss, as it would be better for him,
The three officers stated that the stiii
place had every appearance OF having
been in operation for quite a whilei
that the rocks were slick and worn,
and there was at least one seasons
growth of vines around the still.
Johnson went on the stand and de-
MED having made ,any confession,
and denied that he was connected
with the still in the least He stated
that three days before his arrest no
discovered the still on his land, while
driving some sheep by the place; that
he went in and drank some of the
beer and some of the singlings; that
II