The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-13
|" HEADQ,gs FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT,
estate OF VIRGINIA, ~
INVESTIGATION OF THE CHARGES
AGAINST JUDGE MEREDITH.


= AGAINST JUDGE MEREDITH.
The military commission met at the usual
hour, and heard the following evidence
TESTIMONY. or, CHARLES E. ALLEN. m
I was employed last spring as register.
ing officer for Monroe Ward. Had charge
of the registration of white voters. Re-
member no special cases of parties apply.
ing for registration with naturalization pa
pers. Examined parties applying to the
extent of ascertaining whether or not they
had been registered at the previous session
of the Board. Know nothing specially OIL
any parties applying for registration.
-z= TESTIMONY OF CHARLES T. GANTER.
2 Was instrumental in March last in con-
Quoting parties to the Circuit Court to be
naturalized.@ Was there nearly every day
Don't remember Of having seen Danne1
there. Don't know James II. Dooley Of
all.
Cross-examined Saw great many per.
sons natitralized while was In court. Two
witnesses were always required to testify
to the party's residence. Know of many
instances where parties were rejected be.
cause they could not prove this and other
things necessary. -.-:
TESTIMONY OF PATRICK o'CoNNELLY.
Reside in this city. Know one John
Smith, who told me he had been natural.
lied. I knew him q long time before
Know he received final papers from Judge
Meredith's court: Don't know what time
Was in the court with him. Told the Judge
he had been here such time. Swore tc
the facts I knew about him before the
Judge. Another person was there, too, who
told him about him. don't know his name
Have known John Smith for nine or ten
years. 71aa; a1sac = rt~- ~
TESTIMONY OF BERNARD TtlCf.
Have resided here since 1850. Went tc
court with Maurice and Baptist Dennis and
introduced them to Mr.. Dooley. One Of
them said he knew Colonel August, and
went to talk to him. stayed but short
time in court and left. Never saw anybody
naturalized but myself, and that has been
80 long ago that don't know much about
that.
Cross-examined Understood Maurice
Dennis to say he had been naturallzed pre-
viously. Don't know that either of them
we're. One of them, think, told me that
he was in 1861, when he was in partner
ship with Mr.. Mcpherson, who lived on
Seventeenth street. Asked them no ques-
tons at all. ~ -s 20,
TESTIMONY OF STEPHEN MASON. .s
Have not been to Judge Meredith's court
when parties were there applying for natu-
radiation papers. Do not know of my.o
knowledge of parties getting naturalization
papers in that court. Have written notes
of introduction for some of these foreigners
who came to me for advice. Told them to
20 to Judge Meredith's court, and if they
could prove that they were entitled to pa
pers they would get them. 1 myself was
not in the court this year. Cannot say
whether any of these parties got papers or
not. Examined them only so for as asking
them if they had ever declared their inten-
ton of becoming citizens. If l thought
they could get papers I told them where to
20. Some persons introduced to MIR. Doc
lev, some to Colonel August, and some to
the clerk of the court, Mr.. Christian.
No other witnesses for the prosecution
being present, the following evidence for
The uelSuCe WAS luhel .
TESTIMONY OF A. B. GttGON.
Have been regular practicing attorney
in the Circuit Court of this city for the last
fifteen years, and attend the court regularly
when the docket is called. Have seen par
ties naturalized there recently and ever
since have been practicing in the court.
Before the war nearly all the young lawyers
were something Of politicians, and the
cases of parties coming up to be natural
lied were assigned to us as part of our
duty. Judge Meredith uniformly required
the strictest requirements of the law to be
complied with. Never knew him to fail in
that. He is exceedingly particular. So
cautious is he as to be at times little an
noying to the bar in requiring every statu-
tory provision to be complied with.
That is his character as judge.
Never knew any deviation from his usual
course in regard to foreigners. Was in
court on one occasion when large number
of foreigners were presented to become citi-
zens, and the docket was being called the
same day, but he was still very cautious,
and gave particular attention to their cases.
Was requested on several occasions by
Judge Meredith to 60 into the library and
examine the acts of Congress and the laws
upon the subject of naturalization in re-
ference to uncertain points when question
would come up which was in any respect
unusual. Brought the law into court and
referred him to it. Recollect having seen
Mr.. Banner there when there were many
of these cases. Saw other strange faces,
in the habit of being about the courthouse.
Remarked to Judge Meredith that,he ought
to be very particular about that thing
while there was such. q large number of
foreigners being naturalized, as there
might be some fuss about it. Think
the Judge was extremely cautious.
Saw one Of the parties giving testimony
here who had applied for papers while |
was present in the courtroom. Recognized
him because he was the only Frenchman
who had applied on o particular occasion.
Remember his calling on Colonel August to
certify to his statement. Thinkshe was re-
jected at first, but am not positive. Know
there was something which attracted my
attention to his case. Colonel August came
in front of the bar and made a statement to
the Judge; don't know what it Was be-
liege twas satisfactory. Parties on seve7
raj occasions were refused by not coming
up to the requirements Of the law, or
because of some failure in the tes-.
timony. Parties came there also who
had gotten first papers about that time, and
claimed their final papers on the ground
that they had como to this country under
os,o.s pJhiIn mt anfra0ed in the trial of any