Thursday, October 12, 1899
One of the most extraordinary scenes ever witnessed in a courtroom took place at this court. Last spring, Enos R. Sharp testified that Scott Kelley or Scott Bowers had admitted that he had killed Dick Knapp, whose fate has been a mystery for the last 10 years. A justice of the peace committed him to jail, and he was released at the June court, the evidence being considered insufficient to hold him. Sharp attended this court as a witness before the grand jury and was standing in the hall outside the courtroom. Kelley came up the stairs with a horse whip in his hand and, seeing Sharp, attacked him with the whip. Sharp sought sanctuary in the presence of the Judge who was presiding in the court and came running through the door into the bar, Kelley striking him terrible blows with the whip every step of the way. Kelley was leaping at every blow and the whip fairly whistled.
Forest Hill, Deputy Sheriff, jumped at Kelley and with the aid of several lawyers and bystanders got Kelley down and overpowered him. Kelley had every appearance of a lunatic. He was shouting and cursing that Sharp had sworn a lie against him. They hustled him off to jail. Sharp’s face was literally cut to pieces.
When brought before the Judge to be sentenced, Kelley said he did not remember the occurrence of the day. He is not very bright at best. He said he had taken a drink or so.
He was given 30 days in jail for contempt of court…
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Marlinton courts seem to be the happy hollering ground for a lot of men who when they get drunk want all the world to know it. They have acquired jags at great expense and trouble, and they take care that everybody sees it. One old gentleman and his son got so hilarious that they were put in jail to sober up. The son announced his intention of tearing the jail down and was only restrained by the earnest entreaties of the old man. The young man kept swearing he would do it, and the old man kept begging him not to. The old man’s entreaties prevailed evidently, for the jail still stands.
The lick at this particular court seemed to be located somewhere on the Huntersville Road. It was reported that someone had a supply of whiskey in the brush which he was selling to all comers. Wednesday, there were a lot of drunk people in town. With this exception, Marlinton is as quiet and orderly a town as is to be found in the State. But the spirit of toleration for a drunken man’s antics is fast wearing out, and someday we will rise in our might and illustrate to the man who wishes to indulge in alcoholic jags that this is no place to come to get drunk. To be drunk on the roadside or noisy and drunk, or racing horses on the road, intimidating wo-men and children, are all distinct offenses in themselves, and the sooner the citizens of the town make it so recognized the better. The man who lets people know he is drunk should be quietly removed from sight either by his friends or the law, and not be allowed to go at large until he is again clothed in his right mind.
EDRAY
H. J. Shelton and family on Elk killed over a hundred rats in their grainery last week.
Dame rumor has it that a panther has been prowling about from time to time in the vicinity of H. Shearer’s on Elk Mountain.
Mrs. Hannah Moore is very ill at her home. Her friends expect to move her to John Gibson’s on Elk this week.
Rev. R. R. Little came through here last week. He lectured at Mary Gibson’s Chapel Saturday evening and at Edray Sunday morning. Those who heard him, so far as we know, expressed themselves as well pleased with his talk. He will lecture at Edray again on his return from a trip up north. His talk this time was on Methodism; next time the theme will be Alexander the Great.
WADE AND CURRY NUPTIALS
One of the notable society events of the season came off at Huntersville Wednesday, October 4th, at 7 p.m. when Miss Lillie J. Curry and Mr. Harry A. Wade were united in holy matrimony by Rev. Wm. T. Price. The bride is the youngest daughter of Mr. William Curry, of Hunt-ersville. The groom is the youngest son of the late Colonel Anson Wade, of Valley Centre, Va. …
A sumptuous supper elegantly spread on ample tables was enjoyed by more than 100 guests, comprising all the near neighbors and many friends from a distance. Thursday morning, they set out for Virginia, where a reception awaited them at the groom’s home.
The Poet of the Seasons must have had like event in mind when he wrote:
But happy they, the happiest of their kind,
Whom gentle stars unite and in one fate
Their hearts, their fortunes and their beings blend.