Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-05-02
Miners Trials Under
Way In Historic
Charles Town
Court House.

The Trial Of william Blizzard.
with twenty-three others CHARGED
with treason in connection with the
attempted March Of West Virginia
Miners and others into Logan County
last August was commenced in the
Jefferson Circuit Court before Judge
Woods last Thursday, when a Jury
was chosen consisting of the follow
ing Jefferson County citizens: C. F.
Daniels, Shepherdstown, farmer; ].
w. Wysong, Charles Town, farmer:
George W. McAtee, Charles Town.
Mill Worker; s. H. Lands, Charles
Town, garage proprietor; w. NJ.
Demory, Shepherdstown, farmer; H.
Hendricks, Shepherdstown, farmer;
R. C. Porter, Rippon, farmer; F. E.
Swimley, Charles Town, farmer: D.
b. Shoemaker, Nippon, saw mill
operator; c. M. B. Brown, Charles
Town, farmer; j. M. Garrett, Duff
fields, farmer; T. S. Heskett, Myers
town, farmer.
The first three days of the week
were taken up with preliminary
arguments by counsel.
Eight were stricken from the
original panel Of twenty, as follows:
By the State-C- T. Engle, Char
les Town, former sheriff and farm
err; W. T. Dinkle, Bolivar, jitney
driver.
By the defense-Charles ]. Derr,
Molers, farmer; F. L. Weltzheimer.
Shepherdstown, accountant; C. N.
Whiting, Shepherdstown, retired mil
Ter; F. B. Robinson, Ransom, cold
storage prop; Marshal Burns, Char
les Town, farmer; David H. Myers,
Shepherdstown, farmer.
Both sides gave the panel thor
ough, although quick, examination.
Judge Woods asked the entire 20
veniremen the usual questions on
their voir dire. Counsel for Meth
er side had any supplementary ques-
tions to ask The examination by
the court was made up as follows:
Gentlemen of the jury. the case
that is before the court now, and in
which the jury is to be empanneled,
is the case of West Virginia VS.. VIM.
Blizzard, indicted by the grand Jury
in the Circuit Court of Logan county
for treason against the State of West
Virginia.
"Are the opinions of any of you
gentlemen such that they would pre-
vent you from finding a man guilty
Of an offense punishable with death?
Are any of you related to VIM.
Blizzard, the defendant?
Are any of you sensible of any
feeling of bias that would prevent
you from rendering a fair and i'm
partial verdict in this case according
to the evidence, if seiected on the
jury?
"Have any of you gentlemen form
ed or expressed an opinion in regard
to the guilt or innocence of this de-
fendant?"
None of the jurors answered in
the affirmative and not one was
therefore disqualified.
Jurors not drawn on the Blizzard
case were excused Thursday morning
blythe court until further notice.
Forty four mine local unions, with
officers who where known, were list
ed in the state amended bill of par
tlculars, as having been Influenced by
William Blizzard, first treason de-
PENDANT to go to trial, to give funds
Tor the purpose of levying war on
the State. The defense with
Frank Snyder as president, Fred
Mooney, as secretary-treasurer, and
Harold w. Houston, as attorney, was
also listed.
The locals listed are as follows:
Ward Local Union No. 1851, Ward.
w. Va, W. w. Stevens, president,
Randall Skies, financial secretary,
Charles Tucker,.. Harris.
Marting local, Marting, w. Va,
George Sadler, president; George
Reed, financial secretary.
Local Union No. 4488, Kingston,
w. Va, G. A. Painter, president;
Irving Tate, recording secretary; C.
F. Flippen, financial secretary.
Local Union 1868, Westerly, w.
Va, 2. A. Butcher, president; j. H.
Williams, recording secretary; L. H.
Jones, ellis Jones), financial secre-
tary.
Putney Local Union, Putney, w.
-.------------------------- president;
financial sec
rotary.