The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-27
III lUIIlILl M
Letter Explaining Why
Booze is Not Poured
Riddled.
law ADMITS NO DELAY
Some Pertinent Suggestion
for Court House Off
cials.

Evangelist H. B. Westcott was suf.
Iering from such severe cold last
night that he was unable to Fill his
appointment at the Dixie theatre. w.
Z. Adkins, travelling evangelist for the
4 Seventh Day Adventists church, was
present and preached a very stirring
sermon on "How May Know Am a
Christian?'
Mr.. Westcott, however. read his edi
torial on why is Booze Stored in the
Court House?" He made apologies for
his voice being so bad but said fee
like the old man who told his son HI
should put the "Axses on the pronoun.'
II want to put the emphasis on tbs
right place."
The editorial was as follows:
so much has been said on tn!
booze question 1t seems wise to sc
forth a few facts in answer to th;
uuery In what may be termed a Pu
pit Editorial.
I'm dealing with this matter sha!
andeavor to be fair and truthful. !
fail In my attempt please excuse
Is q matter Of ignorance or lack
Judgment on my part.
lin order that might be able t
yive you first.hand advice i wrote t
he sheriff OF this county asking VIII
Rhiskey is stored in the court house
n HIS absence the letter was kindl.
answered by tho Prosecuting Attorney
3 md Y take Spleasuef In reading his re
z ply. suppose 1t will not be news t.
fou that intoxicants taken from one
caught bootlegging, or supposedly TO-
hat purpose, must be held until ate.
he conviction Of the offender, as such
liquors may called for as evidence In
he trial. This will necessitate some
place for storage Of same, and ] agree
that the court house Is as proper O
llace as any.
.All that Mr.. Haggerty he said in
lis letter regarding the statute regu
iating the destruction Of liquors seized
Is true. There is, however, a part OF
This regulation that he seems to have
overlooked. That section I will quote
from the w. Va. Code Of 1918 under
the statute on prohibition, Chap. 32a
PIP. 40S and 400 in the section dealing
with the destruction OF confiscateo
! liquors.
ut requires that one arrested on the
charge Of having liquor in his poses.
sion Shall be subject to trial by due
: process OF law on the charge Of selling
or keeping or storing for sale. unlaw
fully such liquor, under Indictment
and form prescribed In Sec. OF this
act, and upon his conviction =
the liquor found upon said premises
shall at once be publicly destroyed by
some responsible person appointed by
the court
The part that seems to have been
overlooked by the officials OF Marion
county is that section which provides
3 that upon conviction Of the offender.
the liquors thus seized shall at once
be publicly destroyed Some differ
lence Of opinion may exist as to the
y length Of the expression at once 1t
seems, however, to this scribe that
the law has been stretched until It has
cracked, when in county where there
isEas much whiskey confiscated as In
! this one during the past year, that
there has been no public pouring since
February 5. 1918, when between 400
md 500 gallons were poured.
tIt may be very proper In the tao
tics OF war to camouflage in order to
S deceive the enemy, but II certainly is
mt Of place for any official to do so
n order to deceive those whom he has
5oIemn1y sworn to serve faithfully:
npd if ] am capable Of judging, then
the statements set forth in this letter
Continued on Page ~