Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-06-29
LOGAN COUNTY
WINS VICTORY
IN THE COURT
DECISIONS IN CHARLES TOWN
TRIALS pIsPRovE ADVERSE
PROPAGANDA.
OTHER CASES ARE TO FOLLOW
BATTLES IN COURT MAY AVERT
FURTHER ARMED CLASHES
IN REGION.


Charles Town w Va-"The rulings
or Judge j. NJ. Woods in the trial of
William Blizzard assure the people of
Logan county that they will never
again be menaced by such an armed
attack as was made upon them last
year"
Thus the result OF the first Of the
treason trials" in the Jefferson county
court Is summarized by John Chain,
prosecuting attorney OF Logan county
When Judge Woods made his fam
Gus decision, on the motion Of coun-
sel for the defense, to take the case
from the jury. stating in effect that
the assembling and marching OF such
body OF men constituted the crime
of treason. he set up q barrier to any
such attempts in the future which
only the most foolhardy would try to
oyerstep.
"A great principle has been firmly
established and hereafter II will be
too dangerous to take up arms against
the authorities of the state of West
Virginia-dangerous to the leaders as
well as to the deluded followers who
actually carry the rifies-for such q
thing to be tried"
logan's VlndIcatIon
That a victory for the citizens OF
Logan county has been won in the
Blizzard and Wilburn cases is the be-
lief OF the men who have been here
during the two cases. While the crime
OF treason was committed against the
state 1t became necessary, owing to
the depleted condition Of the state
treasury. for citizens OF Logan county
to advance the funds to bring the
cases to trial. In so doing they felt
that they were striving to end the
warlike condition which had prevailed
on the borders Of their county for
years.
The two notable points OF the trials
were: In the Blizzard case the de-
cision that the armed march Of Au-
gust, 1921, constituted treason and
that the men who instigated and took
part In 1t were liable to punishment,
and that In the Wilburn case that men
who take up arms against officers of
the law are not absolved from punish
ment because they may have been
misled by false propaganda.
William Blizzard was acquitted on
an alibi, the state not having shown
beyond a reasonable doubt the com
mission OF an overt act by him, but
this did not negative the proof that
treason had been committed
False Tales psproved.
THE trials at Charles Town have
given the first opportunity to demon
strate i'll open court. in a manner e.,
satisfy any fair-minded person the
falsity of the propaganda circulated
Tor years with regard to the govern
ment ana people OF Logan county,"
says Prosecuting Attorney Chain.
1T was the circulation of such false
stories, by men who had a selfish in.
terest III trying to force the unioniZa.
ton of the Logan mines. that stirred
up this armed march. They said that
Logan county was overrun with gun.
They charged that the common prpula
had no rights there In court their
claims fell fiat; every tale of the sort
when sifted down. proved to be
malicious invention.
ON the other side, the state showed
that there are no private guards or
gunner in Logan county: that there
are some 50 deputy sherlrTs regularly
appointed by the county court and
taxing orders from no one but the
sheriff These deputies guard tho iail.
serve in the sherjll's office. collect
taxes. guard pIyrolls and arrest
criminals. This small force had to do
police duty in a county of 400 square
miles area and having upwards Of
10000. How absurd il would be TO as
sert that, in their leisure hours. this
handful OF deputies was able to dom.
mate or terrOrize the people in Jap
mining communities is apparent.
The Logan Defenders.
Furthermore it was shown that
when the army of union miners. who
mad been assembled and marched IN
the borders of Logan county by the
orders Of their leaders, and who had
been excited by all manner of extray-
agant and absurd rumors and wicked
tales, came to the mountains north OF
the Guyan Valley. the citizens of L,o-
gan county arose en- masse TO defend
their homes and property. The testi.
mony has shown that farmers, bust
ness men and non-union miners alike
took up their rifles and guarded those
mountains bravely. Several giving
up their lives in the struggle.