Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-05-22
CIRCUIT COURT
COMPLETES TERM
Sessions Devoted to Liquor Law Vio-
iations-Important Cases Are
Continued to September


Inc m0notony of the moonshife
1 term of Circuit Court of Shenandoah
/ County, designated as such not be.
cause of nocturnal sessions but
rather on account of the character
OF cases on trial. was relieved to some
extent on Friday when the appeal
case OF Thomas E. Bly, came up for
/ hearing, Bly, was charged with a
Violation Of the school laws in allow
| ing a child to be absent ron schooT
The defendant. welI-known liti-
CANT in the courts of the county, act
ed as his own attorney and rested his
defense upon the allegation that the
poultry on the premises was infect
ed with chicken pox and that there
was lack of amity existing between
himself and the teacher. In truth.
1t was alleged, that the teacher
lacked that Chesterfieldian courtesy
70 the patron which would tend to
make good feeling.
1t took half a day for Jury to
follow the unique case through all
OF its qualifications and there was
considerable eccentricity injected
into the proceedings.
The jury, however, saw no rea-
son why poultry epidemic or a
teachers alleged lack of friendliness
should interfere with child's edu-
cation, and the Davis district defend
ant and attorney combined was fined
one dollar and costs.
Begin Again Tuesday
Following the weekend adjourn
ment. Judge Whiting reached Wood
stock Tuesday morning and the legal
mill resumed its springtime grind.
The first arraignment was that of
II. w. Smith. of the Wheatfield sec
ton of Davis District, charged with
he ownership of certain still and
ntoxicants which Sheriff Borden
vi oHOtACi ldllQ.
1t was in evidence that, acting
upon information, the Sheriff located
the unlawful plant in the woods;
hat coineident with the discovery
of the still. and while the Sheriff
was at its seat. the defendant was
seen approaching the spot. but that
when he saw the Sheriff his route
was changed. At any rate a jury did
not consider the circumstances suffi-
cient for a conviction and Smith was
acquitted
Do not think, gentle reader, as
you follow the proceedings of the
Circuit Court of Shenandoah County
hat an appreciate proportion of the
county's $4,000 population are en-
gagged in moonshining. The court
chronicles are just as they occur on
the trial docket Whether many or
few are engaged in the Illicit liquor
traffic the fact remains many are
caught, and as the term goes on 9th
ers are added to the list of manufac-
turers of epiglottis varnish
Beginning Wednesday morning.
The roll call of rum rustlers brought
10 the bar of justiceArthur Himel-
right, who lives in the Wheatfield
section. Near the Himelright house,
Sheriff Borden found fully equip
+ ped 40-gallon still. four 4S-gallon
barrels Of mash. 23 gallons of liqui-
/ fed T. N. T. and in the house was
found one quart of liquor To own
ership of all of this Himelright plead
guilty, and Judge Whiting gave him
a four months Jail sentence plus a
! fine of 500.
Following Himelright, Gussie
Fadeley. Columbia Furnace young
man of diIlinutive stature, answered
Here"
Gussio was arrested by Sheriff
Borden short time ago for creating
a disturbance in Woodstock res
Itaurant. @fncident to the arrest /
flask of lrewater was discovered
resting in his raiment, which wa.
the basis of charge of transporting
ardent spirits. A plea of guilty wal
rewarded with a 500 fine and 80
day Jail sentence, to become effec
tive September /. 1t was shown tn,
Lee
; physically strong; not near as stronl
as an analysis disclosed the bever
age he was toting to be, and tn
court mixed compassion with tn
penalty The innocent dandelion wa
the proximate cause of Gussie'
downfall, for 1t was the fiowere
l wine which operated on his allege
+, obstreperousness.
Spence Verdict Sustained
The motion to set aside the vel
!. dict in the case of the Commonwealt
! VS. Walter Spence. charged wit
SCATTERING the prohibition laws, wa
heard by the court Thursday morr
! ing. Spence received "a months {
l. sentence on various counts in an il
g dictment. The basis of the motto
was that the court erred in instruc
L ing the jury, after it had retired fl
I the purpose of finding verdict, thu
e punishment, il found guilty, meal
IS serving on the state roads. The cou
refused to set aside the verdict
The case against NJ. F. Frye W;
nclled.
]. d. Racey. on appeal. was fins