New-York tribune., 1922-06-14
Attempts
TOShOwPar
RobbedCorpse
West Virginia Mine Trial
Prosecution Alleges Min
isier Took Purse, Arms
or Body of Slain Deputy
Court Drives Out Cunmen
Carriers of Weapons Told
Not TO Return Until They
Have Discarded Them
r,.,lnl nl.rnlch % rA. rrtbnr.

CHARLEsTOWN, W. Va. June IA
The defcnso in the CASE OF tho Rev
James f. Wilburn. on trial here for tho
murder Of John Gore. who mot his death
In company with John caifago and
George Munsoy Logan County deputy
sheriGs. in tho industrial warfare In
southern West Virginia late last
summer. scored a technical yietorT At
ne close Of to-day's session. Judge
Ioin Mitchell Woods ruled that any
evidence which might aid The defend
ant iu proving that the alleged murder
was not premcditatcd nor inspired by
personal malice would be admitted into
For nm honr before the juri't rem
dercd his decision the question was
argued. The prosecution fought the,
point. realizing that the admission or
any evidence showing that the mur-
dorg OF the three Logan County depu'
lies might have been due to the in
aamed state Of mind Of public opinion
in the industrial war zones OF west
Virrinia would prove valuable asset
FOR tho defendant. the Rev. Mr VIII
burn.
Prosecution Scores
The defense indicated to-day that tho
Wilburn case is closely allied To INC
evcn,ful Blizzard treason affair, which
resulted In the acquittal OF that youth
ful labor official recently. According
Ia T. E. Townsend. Of the defense
staf. this case will be fought along
the lines of the other.
The morning session opened WIN
Claude Gore. son Of tho murdered man
and n state witness, on the stand. Ills
Testimony established an inventory OF
yaluables. arms and effects which were
on his fathers person or IN his posses
sion few hours before Gore was shot.
The prosecution alleged that the muir
derci mans rifle. revolver and purse
were conhscatcd hy the Rev Mr. VIII
burn after the tragedy OF Blair Noun
tain.
The state scored when John Brink
man. carnival Snowman, took the stand
and swore he was member Of the
marty and that the Rev. Mr.. Wilburn
was the actual leader. lie asserted
that before his party left Blair on the
expedition that resulted In tho death OF
tho three Logan ANAWAF NfpNNA'H wv
Rev. Mr. Wilburn had addressed them,
using "a fiery vocabulary and con
cluding with the dramatic assertion
that che had been minister OF the
Gospel for many years and now the
time was AZ hand when he was COM
PEELED 10 lay IL 90 one side and take up
his rife 10 fight for his rights
Brnkman said that he was an eye
witness % the three murders. lie told
the story in detail. Ills story and re-
sponscs while In the witness chair we're
checked carefully b. the defense at
torncys. Comparisons were made fre-
quently with his testimony given at the
trial. The defcnse-at the con
elusion Of Brinkman's testimony as
serted that il probably would recall the
witness later IN the trial.
james VI. Mason ir., resident counsel
for the defense, sponsored dramatic
incident this morning when he inter.
rupted the formal proceedings and
protested against the presence Of
armed state witnesses in court.
Mason's fiery denuneiation stirred
Judge Woods 10 instant action. Call
ing the court to order the bench re-
bukcd and then warned the gun car.
ricrs 10 leave the room and not return
unless unarmcd.