The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-08
THE CHARGES
AGAINST JUDGE MEREDITH.
FURTHER TESTIMONY.

AGAINST JUDGE MEREDITH.
FURTHER TESTIMONY.
| Letter from General Granger.
The court was adjourned to meet at IL 16
o'clock, but owing to the tardiness Of the
officers nothing was done until IL. There
was large crowd in attendance, including
q number Of lawyers and many recently
naturalized citizens. -5..s-...,---r4ss1o
@ Testimony Of F.J. Arnoa. y
. FsJ. Arnold was the first witness sworn.
He hss been residing in this city since 1865.
In March last he was the registering officer
for Jefferson Ward. Persons frequently
applied to be registered on naturalization
papers. When certificates Of intention only
were presented the application was rejected.
Sometimes they would go away and return
on the same day, or 9 day, or two after,
with full papers, and by order Of Colonel
Higbee, the superintendent, they: were then
allowed to register, who said we could not go
beyond them. Witness instanced the cases
of Maurice and Baptiste Dennis. They we're
not registered. Their statements were
there witness referred to notesl that they
were natives of France, and produced pa
pers from the Circuit Court Of Richmond,
signed by Mr.. Christian. There was also
the case of Cornelius Hennes, o SWede,
who said he had been in this country. nine
teen months, and came direct to Richmond
after stopping few days in New York.
He presented final papers, but WAS entered
upon the rejected list. I did not see his.
declaration papers. Said Hennes worked
at Morris's sugar refinery. There were
two or three hundred persons who present
ed similar papers, and in the opinion Of
witness had no right to register, but were
registered on the order Of Colonel Higbee.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Steger The me-
moranda quoted were made at the time. To
the,best of my recollection the declaration
and final papers in the cases mentioned
were dated near together-not more than
month between: Hennes presented hisfull
papers only. Baptiste Dennis said he came
to this country when he was twenty-five
years Of age. His papers were in the pos
session Of the Board for several days, and
may not have been returned. Cannot tell
positively what the nature Of these papers
were. 1t was my opinion that two or three
hundred registered on papers which did
not entitle them to do SO. Don't know, how
they got their final papers, but presume
they got them on their certificates Of decla-
ration. T.. ..,.x e..ss... "
Question by Mr.. steger: Did not the
Board note any other cases than those OF
the Dennises and Hennesses,?
Witness Yes but don't remember any
others. L copied the notes of these from
the books this morning. s$ESTs ]
]. 70 Testimony of Baptiste Dennis.R
The next witness called was Baptiste
Dennis, whose testimony owing to his i'm
perfect knowledge of the English language,
was very obscure. He testified substantially
as follows: I was born in France on the
llth of February, 1888. Came to America
in 1852, when / was nineteen. years old;
got out. my first naturalization papers one
or two years before the war, in the Circuit
Court of this city. did not know any
others were required until I went to vote,
when / was refused. Somebody said l
would, be obliged to get others |; that those
/ had were worthless. lost the first ones,
and when applied again, the clerk would
not let me have them until ], was able to pay
him for them. lost them during the war.
When went in March last to register, they
told me l must have my papers. l gotta blank
paper like the others had witness had sim
ply blank form) and when I showed it to
the man who was here just now (Arnold)
he said it would not 60. told him how
long had been here, but he said that would
not DO, I went to the Circuit Court, and
Colonel August, whom had known for
about two years while he was boarding at
the Ballard House, told the Judge he, knew
me.gzI do not know that he was sworn and
the Judge asked me some questions; told
me I must kiss the book, and renounce my
allegiance to Louis Napoleon and France. i
went back in three days and got my papers.
When. T took, them to Arnold he said it
would not do, that the court had no bust
n ness eet giving the papers. This is the paper
II got from the Judge. Witness here exhi-
bited certificate Of naturalization OF a
foreigner who had come to the United
States under the age of eighteen years,
issued by the Circuit Court Of Richmond,
bearing date March 8, 1861 When lgot
that paper had no other to present to the
court. took no part in the war. Was
employed as cook at the Ballard House for
the last eight years, with the exception OF
the time I was in the North during the
war, and in Europe. L went away, from
Richmond in 1868, and was gone about
three years and four months. Was never
in the service of the Confederate States In
any form. The court asked me whenl ap-
piled for papers, about my age, and length
of residence 3. tiyA :5EIi3S
= ,Cross-examined: I made application two
years before the war for the naturalization
papers. I lost those had. Colonel An-
gust was In the Circuit Court when ap-
piled for naturalization. 1saw him talking
to the Judge; did notssee him talk to any
body else. Don't know what he said to the
Judge :, don't understand English well.
The Judge asked me if 7, would renounce
my allegiance to France. Maurice Dennis
is my brother; don't know thatsh is natu-
raliged.s He is older than I am. / had nc
papers but the blank paper when went te
register and was refused. I was known tc
Colonel August for several years. He etalked
to the Judge for me-. Don't know. that he
y was sworn! e a Mr.; Tracy, believe, was
| also in the courthouse. The Judge asked
me If I had my first papers. I said yes
|tand that Was how Igot them. When LWenn, ny
back to the, registrar he told me the cour'
had no businesssto give me such papers.
The court then adjourned to@l2-M. to
dayss faIgsgEAE ssT g. .s:FS3Sg In
Letter from General Granger. Z
Jndoe Msred;t, has = received ee the follow