Thursday, June 24, 1920
A gigantic sang root was found on Thorny Creek Mountain. It was 16 inches long and weighed, dry, exactly one quarter of a pound. The rings on top indicated that the plant was 33 years old. It was worth about $2.25.
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The Sunday mail service is cut out at this place and any relief must come through an act of congress to all that want the Sunday mail. The post office force was willing enough, but the Sunday law is against the delivery of mail and, as usual with the law, it is on the right side. A gentleman in the upper end of the county offered up a prayer to Heaven to cut out the Sunday mail in this county, and it seems that he got an immediate answer.
DISEASE NOT A CRIME
Disease is the antithesis of health; it may be briefly and simply defined as a morbid condition resulting from a disturbance or failure of natural physiological functions. Diseases which are so communicable as to be a menace to public health are usually controlled by quarantine of the persons so diseased. The public health authorities only are vested with the power of quarantine. The fact that many persons contract diseases because of abuses, intemperance, excesses, indulgences or other acts which may be classed as crimes, does not make it a crime to have the disease.
No person falls into the criminal category because he has become a victim of a disease, however, loathsome. A person may commit a crime and through the commission of that crime also contract a loathsome communicable disease; but the remedy for the crime is one to be applied by a court of justice, while the community looks to public health officials for its protection against the disease.
Venereal disease is a typical example. Much venereal disease is spread through prostitution; prostitution is a crime in every state in the United States, excepting two; hence many venereal carriers will also be criminals. However, venereal disease may be and frequently is contracted innocently; hence not all venereally diseased persons are or have been criminals. U. S. Health Service.
FIRST DEGREE
George Maltich is Given Life Sentence
Prosecuted vigorously by the State and by the Cherry River Boom & Lumber Company, George Maltich was convicted of the murder of John Moslo in September 1919. The interest that the big company took in the matter was the fact that during the year, 1919, there were many murdered bodies of woodsmen found in the woods, and because the dead man, John Moslo, was an old and trusted employee of the company, having been with it for sixteen years…
The trial took three days.
Moslo went for a walk through the woods September 7, on Sunday, with the prisoner. He was last seen within 1,500 feet of where the body was found drunk in company with the prisoner. The prisoner came back to the camp before night, showing signs of agitation, and left next day without drawing his pay and was captured some six months after that in Ohio.
Moslo’s body was found September 16. A check known to be on Moslo’s person was cashed in Richwood July 8th by a merchant, who could not identify the man who cashed it.
DIED
Virginia, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allan P. Edgar, died at the home of her grandfather, Eli Crouch, of Elkwater, Randolph County, Monday, June 21, 1920. For a day, she had been sick with peritonitis.
On Tuesday, the little body was brought to Marlinton to be laid in Mt. View Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, the service being conducted by Rev. J. M. Walker, of the Presbyterian Church.
Little Virginia was fourteen months old and was the brightest and sweetest of children.
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PRESTON S. CLARK
Preston S. Clark was the youngest of six sons born to Sheldon and Mary Lightner Clark. His father was a native of Connecticut who came to Pocahontas county many years ago and engaged in merchandising and stock raising. All the brothers preceded him to the grave. He was born August 30, 1844, and like all of his father’s family, devoted the seventy-six years of his life to the energetic pursuit of his calling, that of stockman and farmer, literally dying in the harness.
He had not been in robust health for several years, and on Tuesday before his death, had a very severe attack of suffering. He rallied from this attack and was beginning to walk about the farm. On Saturday morning, he seemed to feel better than usual and after breakfast walked out to look after a faulty fence but on the advice of his son, started to return to the house. His son went on to the field to work, thinking the father was resting at home. But he never reached the house. He fell just in front of the yard gate where he was found a few minutes later with life extinct.
In December 1869, Mr. Clark married Miss Josephine Livesay, of Frankford, West Virginia. To this union eight children were born, six girls and two boys. Of the eight, the two sons and five daughters survive: Messrs. Norval and Lee Clark, late of Florida; Mesdames Rachel Beard, of Marlinton; Lola McNulty, of Lobelia; Clarence Kelly, of Richmond, Va; Guy Bell, of Richlands, and Miss Myrtle, at home…
On June 16, 1875, Mr. Clark and his wife united with Oak Grove Presbyterian church, and for forty-five years marched in the great army of Christ, a faithful soldier of the Lord.
He was a devoted husband and father and was always ready to sacrifice to the extent of his ability for his loved ones. He was a man of the kindliest and most generous impulses and all his acquaintances accorded him sincere homage for his uprightness of life and probity of character.
WESLEY BARLOW
Wesley Barlow dropped dead Saturday morning, June 19, 1920, while attending the sale of the effects of his brother, the late J. D. Barlow.
He had been in his usual health, and was speaking to a friend when he fell off his feet. It is presumed that his death was due to heart failure. His body was buried at the Cochran graveyard on Stony Creek…
Wesley Barlow was a son of the late Alex and Polly Dilley Barlow. Of his father’s family, three brothers and two sisters remain, Andrew, Mitchell, Henry, Mrs. W. W. Sharp and Mrs. Susan Bender.
On May 9, 1878, he married Margaret Moore, daughter of the late Samuel Moore, of Marlins Mountain, who with their daughter, Mrs. J. A. Burgess, survives him.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Barlow was a Union sympathizer and volunteered in the Federal army. He served throughout the war and made a fine record as a soldier.
Mr. Barlow was a quiet, peaceful citizen, respected by all for his honesty and industry.