The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-13
Arrest Of. Registrar for Violation Of
tho Enforcement Act
INvEsTIGATIoN BEFORE A Q. s. CoMMIs.
sIONER.

@ S1OHEk.
Early in registration week a very blael
negro, named George Frayser, applied a
/ the first precinct in Jefferson Ward ant
asked to have his name registered as voter
The usual questions being propounded, !
was ascertained that his name was alread.
upon the registration list OF the city OF Pc
tersburg, he having registered there las
Nav and voted there since. He was Q
course told Of the law in such case mad
and provided, and advised to write at onc'
to Petersburg for transfer If he now con
sidered this his place OF residence. ~
went away apparently perfectly satisfied
and was not heard of again until YESTERDAY
morning at about half-past O'Clock, wheI
be again presented himself before Registrar
| ". W. w ood, of the 1st precinct In Jetter
SON Ward, and triumphantly exhibited hi!
transfer.
The paper was examined and found cor
rect. It remained to be seen whether ht
resided in the precinct and had lived II
Richmond long enough to entitle him te
register. He was asked where he lived, ane
he replied, III Market alley. a bystandel
suggested that he must be mistaken, a.
| Market alley only runs the length OF one
block, and there are not twenty, much les:
hundred and seventeen houses ON 1t. Bu
the negro stuck to it that the number OF hi:
house was one hundred and seventeen, anC
! the fndulgent registrar, willing to attribute
the inconsistency of the statement to his ig
norance, overlooked it, and asked the
| next question in order: How Ions
have YOU lived here p' The negro
seemed to be somewhat in doubt as tc
| the length of time, and this, considered in
connection with his reply to the first ques
ton, suggested the propriety of On inquiry
as to the truth of his statements. Accord
ingly-to be far-J. G. Allen, Conserva
| tive challenger, and Republican chal
Ienger named UBrien, were sent to Came.
ron's tobacco factory. where Frayser SAID
he had worked ever since he came to Rich
mond, to inquire how long he had been
employed there. The result was perfectly
satisfactory, and the Conservative chal.
lenger went back and reported "aIl
right; but Frayser and his Radical
friend were not forthcoming.
AS the day wore on the registrar, fearing
that the fellow had been frightened of, sent
colored callenger, an aged man named
Henry Quarles, to tell him to come
in and register, as was his right.
Ouarles saw Frayser and urged him
to do so, but the latter declined, stating
that he had other orders from " Headquar-
ters.' The next the registrar heard from
him was by visit from Deputy U. S: Mar
shall Fitch, bearing a warrant for the ar
rest of Mr. Wood on the charge of violating
"the enforcement act" by refusing "to
allow the said Frayser to register as q
voter" Mr.. Wood was therefore arrested,
and the clerks and challengers being sum-
moned as witnesses in the case, the whole
party had TO go before the United States
Commissioner at the Custom-house. In the
meantime for over three hours-the place
of registration at the third precinct OF JEFF
ferson " ard had to be closed, and the per-
sons who came to register were turned
away.
The case was investigated by Commits
sioner Pleasants. The Government was
represented by Mr.. Shields, in the absence
of the District Attorney, and Maj. John
Johns, Jr., appeared for the defence.
The testimony Of all the witnesses was con-
elusive upon the point that, so far from
refusing to register the negro. Alr. Wood
had been unusually lenient with him, and,
4. stated above. had even sent for him after
finding out that he was entitled to register,
and urged him to come forward. Frayser
himself acknowledged that he had made
contradictory statements, and said the two
gentlemen had been sent with him to
Establish whether his improvements was
the true thing.n He said he didn't go back
to register because he was told that he
ought not to go back until he had seen the
Commissioner.
O'Brien, who was evidently the moving
spirit in the prosecution, said he didn't
take Frayser back because he didn't think
it prudent. BE told him not to return to
60 along to his breakfast.
Henry Qudrles, the colored challenger,
corrohorated the statements made by blr.
Wood in regard to his sending for Frayser
to come back and register, and said the
latter had refused to return. :,
MIR. j. G.. Allen. white challenger, told
the same story. He said Mr.. Wood had
made no distinction on account of color.
If there was doubt about the statements OF
any applicant for registration, inquiry was
made as to their truth.
Messrs. T. J. Robertson and +. NJ. Wal
drop, registration clerks, agreed with
OuIrlcs and Allen in their accounts of what
transp:red between Mr.. Wood and Fray
ser. Mr.. Robertson said every effort mad
been made to facilitate Frayser's reglstra-
ton, in order that he might not be kept
unnecessarily from his work. His de-
scriptive list had been made ovt, and 1t ne
had come buck, it would have taken but Q
moment to registeE him. But he could not
be induced to return.
The evidence being concluded, Major
Johns, who represented Mr.. Wood, avoWed
his willingness to submit the case to the
court without argument. But Mr.. Shields
objected, and an hour or more was spent in
speeches; after which the Commissioner
announced that he would take the case un'
der consideration and announce his deci..
sion at 10 O'Clock this morning. Mr.. Wood
was then admitted to bail in the sum ol
81, 900, with his father (Wm. Sears Wood.
as his bondsman, for his appearance this
morning to await the further order OF the
court. .-.....-..