The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-09
Attempt to Intimidate Judges OF
EieestOn-TwO State Officers Indict.
ed by the United states Grand Jury-

The grand jury of the United States
Court has been tor some weeks past en-
gagged In investigating the violations of the
enforcement Act said to have taken place
IN Jefferson Ward at the last election.
They have at length scraped up testimony
upon which an indictment has been framed,
with frivolous specifications, but calculated
TO intlmidate our judges of election from
performing their sworn duties under the law
OF the State, and to encourage the attempts
OF the negroes to vote fraudulently. That
Lhese OBJECTS were in view may be inferred
from the TACT that the indictments were
mace public and the arrests effected Just
on the eve Of the election of member Of
the Legislature.
The gentlemen indicted are Winston F.
Rogers and Major John Hagan, Jr.,-the
former judge of election at the second pre-
clnct OF Jefferson Ward, and the latter Of
the third precinct Of the same ward. Two
more faithful and conscientious officers
could hardly be found among the sixteen in
our city. Assigned to precincts where dis
orders are most feared, and which have be-
fore been the scene of riotous demonstra-
tlons on the part Of the negroes, they man
aged so we'll that full vote was polled, and
no complaint Of their action was made un-
til the Radicals found that the election had
resulted In Cner defeat.
1t Is charged In the Indictment that Mr..
Rogers, "by unlawful means, hindered,
prevented, delayed, and obstructed Henry
Quarles, John Fl. Dixon, Geo. w. Smith,
James Price, Geo: Owens, George Spriggs,
Edmund Jones, VIM. ID. Quarles, Lewis
Turpin, Frank Cooper, John Smith, JAS.
Cousins, and VIM. n. Lewis from voting
at an election held on the 9Th day of Noyem.
Der, 1870, in the city Of Richmond, on nc.
count Of their race, color, and previous
condition of servitude, the said persons
then being citizens Of the United States,
and qualified by law to vote in the said city
Of Richmond, at the said election on the
said day, and in the I'd precinct of Jefferson
Ward" The second count Of the Indictment
specifies that Mr.. Rogers, being judge OF
election for the precinct and ward above
named, obstructed the votes of the said
Smith, Smith, and others, citizens of the
United States, by refusing to receive the
said votes unless the said Smith, Smith, and
others, unless they presented themselves In
a certain line of voters, the same being
composed exclusively of colored voters,
"and until their votes could be taken in
the manner and form as follows-to wit,
one white and one colored voter, alternating,
without regard to the precedence of time in
WulCu saIu NoteIS pfescHteu themselves,
thereby, debarring the said citizens from
voting"
The third count alleges that Mr.. Rogers
did, as judge of election, make a dis
tinction between voters on account of their
race and color, thereby preventing and
hindering the said citizens of African
descent Smith, Smith, and others,) from.
voting"
The indictment Is found on the testi-
mony of DR.. Chas. S. Mills, Fl. L. Pelouze,
Judge Alfred Morton, and Benz. Bragg. 1t
was drawn up by q: II: Wells, Jr., Assist
ant United States District Attorney.
Both the parties indicted were pliced
under arrest. Mr.. Rogers was bailed in the
sum of IS, 900 to answer the Indictment.
Major Hagan is so sick that he is unable to
leave his room at present. He is already
on bail for his appearance before the court,
on the same or a similar charge.