The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-12
Jim LAURA CASE
is U.|P IN court. l H.
Rebecca and Will Cain Jailed
to Serve Sentence
Imposed Before.

James Laura of Water street is
being tried in Criminal Court this
afternoon on charge of operating
house of ill fame. Laura was
tried on the charge in police court
several months ago but was not
satisfied with the verdict handed
down by Mayor w. w. Conaway
and appealed the case to the Grim
inal Court.
When the case was called this
morning, La1ra asked for con
tinuance on the grounds thatU- a.
Knapp, his attorney, was i'll and
not able to come into court to
defend him Judge Showalter
overruled his motion for continu-
ance and ordered the case called
and a jury impaneled. Laura then
asked for time to get an attorney,
and this was allowed.
The case was resumed again
after the noon recess and the fol-
lowing jury was selected to hear
the testimony in the case: G. E.
B.7-F II ellsworth, Char
les Hartley, a. ]. Bice a..
Brumage, G. A. Sper11ng, R..
Watkins, John Williams. J.. "a.
Neely,W. c. Smith, J. NJ Closson,
and J. &. Carpenter =
Attorney French McCray ap-
peared for Laura at the afternoon
session. and City Attorney Albert
Kern, assisted by Walter r. Hag-
gerty, former prosecuting attor-
ney, represented the city in the
action. Attorney McCray, on be-
half of his Client, asked that the
court reporter be called to take
down the testimony offered at the
trial.
In presenting the city's case,
City Attorney Kern told the jury
that he would attempt to prove
that the defendant was operating
house of i'll fame in Water street
at the time the place was ra1ded
by city police and would offer the
testimony of Chief T.. D. Snlder
and a number of policemen to
substantiate his charge.
Attorney McCray announced that
he would try to prove that his
client while owner of the building
in which the house of i'll fame had
been raided, did not operate same
or was not in any way connected
with it, that at the time of the raid
his client was out of the city and
that he was not arrested until sew
eral days later when he returned
home and then while he was eating
: meal with two of his employees.
The trial will occupy the court
most Of the time this afternoon and
a verdict is not expected before
late this evening or tomorrow.
a capias issued yesterday against
Will Cain. local negro, convict
ed at the last term of court on
charge of operating house OF III
fame and also for violation or the
State Prohibition Law, was served
upon him this morning, and ne IS
now a prisoner in the county jail
and will have to serve eieVen
months and pay fines aggregatlns
$3.50 and costs.
Cain was sentenced to serve nine
months and pay fine of $3.50 on
the charge Of conducting ashouse
OF ill-fame and given sixty days
and 5000 fine for violating tne
prohibition law. He entered mo
ton to appeal the cast at the time
and was released on bail with u
E. Smith as surety. The bona eA.
pired yesterday, and Judge snow.
alter issued the capias and he was
apprehended today.
Rebecca Cain, who was also CON :
victed on a charge of operating a
house OF il1-fame and who drew q
Jail sentence OF nine months anc
fine Of $3.50 at. the same term OF
court, was arrested last night on
a capais and today. started to serve
her time. Mrs. Cain and her son
were charged with operating
house of ill-fame in Pennsylvania
avenue.
The appeal case of the city oi
Fairmont VS.. Nell Bell, charged W1Ln u,
operating a house of ill-lame, VII VII
morrow morning.
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