Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-31
FOUR MORE CASES DECIDED.
Messrs. GuigOn, Hunter. stephens,
nnd f.Iazehrook All Dfscharaed

hfNNFN- 0utkobs hhuttFs FteDutHss
Dnd GIszebrook All Discharged.
United state, Commissioner NJ. +.
Plesssnts was engaged yesterday from 10 A.
VI. to 7:l5 y. NJ. with short intermission
for lunch, I'm the examination Of the cases OF
Messr.. A. y. GugOn. John Hunter, W. !.
stephens, and a. Glazebrook, charged with
hindering and obstrucfing voting in the
Third precinct, Jackson Ward, ST the last
election.
Before proceeding to take testimony Mr..
Plesssnts stated thS there had been mis-
take made in arrcsting Mr.. W. &. Preston,
and be- would therefore dismiss the case.
Mr. Preston insisted upon an examination,
whcrtupon A. L. Quarles (colorod). who
sworc oUi the warrant, took The stand and
said that be had taken Mr.. Preston for some
one else and he was satisfied that another
gentleman. then in the room, was the person
whom he took 10 be Mr. Preston. This gen
tcman, however, like Mr Preston wss not
at th's precinct on electlOn-day.
Ths case was at once dismissed, and the
inyosti,aitOu oi the chargcs against the other
gentlemen was proceeded with.
As in the former cases the testimony was
exceedingly dull and mOuoionous. There
were some eight or ten witnesses for the
prosecution, among them James &. smith
and A. n. Kaufman. Most oi the others
were colored persons. The Democrats only
bad two or three witnesses other than the
accused, All oi whom testified.
When Mr.. stephens. the lat witness. had
about completed his testimony Mr. Pielsants
suspended the pr0cccdinQsfor = few minutes
and retired for q private conference with
Mr.. Hughes who was present 81 the repre-
sentative Of the Government or The pr0>ecu-
ton. and a. be lelt the room he ssid this
might shorten the matter.
Nj pleasants soon returned and elid 10
Mr. Meredith that his (Plcasants's position IN
this inve.iIgati0n was an exceedingly pain
ful ono; that he was sitting simply rs an eX-
amiuuy magistrate 10 inquire II tuere bad
probably hccn "A violation oi The law which
the grand Jury should inquire into. lie then
proceeded al some length 10 express, in
general terms. bis ideas about the manner Of
cOnduCtuc c,cuouS in Jackson Ward.
Mr. Meredith presented brief informal
argi ment without rising from his chair ond
Appealed to Mr. Hughes to know II Mr.
Hughes would ask that the accused be sent
on.
Mr. Hughes replied that his position in
these cases had been entirely misunderstood; !
that he was not present as counsel for the !
c0mplalnant-. but, in compliance with re- |
quest made Of him. be was present as the !
representative Of the Government 10 repre- |
sent her interests aud TO sdyise the Commis- |
si0ner. rIe had, therefore, Tefrained from |
any argument; had not rigidly cross /
examined the witnesses for the defence, and I
he declined 10 express an opinion as to what |
the Commissioner should do IN the pending /
ease.
Mr.. Plcasanis dismissed the charges |
against Mesrs. Glszebrook and Hunter, but /
said hc thought 1t was perhaps his duty 10 .
send The others on, aS he was fully convinced /
that there was a precenccrted arrangement /
among the Democratic managers TO suppress ,
the colOrcd vote, and that for this purpose /
several shrcwd lawyers and sharp business
men had been sent to each Of the precincts /
in this ward. ne thought the transportation |
81 these persons 10 section OF the city !
where they neither resided nor were well /
acquainted was the best evidence OF the |
cOncOcicd plans.
Mr. Meredith again argued, and with /
much force, too. that there was no evidence .
10 sustain the charges as to this precinct, and .
the Commissioner should not allow his mnd /
10 lead him oil and group this and other
eases together; nor should he look alone TO
the result in Jackson Ward as proof that |
these gentlemen pTacticed unlawful methods. !
The Comm ssioner should also remember /
that this WAS a criminal charge, and that the
parties accused should not he sent on unless
there was in m' judgment sufficient evidence
10 make conviction IN the upper court pro-
bablt.
Mr. Pleasants said his duty was simply to
INQUIRE whether there wss probable cause,
aud II so. 10 let the grand Jury inquire INTO
the matter. He had no hesitation In saying
that If he was on the iu'y irving the case
and there was no stronger evidence than had
been adduced be- would not vote for cOnyic-
ton.
After an informal discussion between the
Commissioner and Mr.. Meredith. the former
said that while he felt strongly convinced
that be should send The accused on TO the
grand jurv, he would perhaps do no harm to
act 70 the contrary, and he accordingly dis
missed all Of these cases.
The charges against those gentlemen who
served al the Fourth precinct will be heard
today. commencing at 10 \. NJ.
How MI Hughes, who IS son OF Judge
Hughes, came 10 DE appointed to represent
the Government In these cases, Mr.. Lyons
said last ui.ht, IN answer 10 reporIoriaI
question, that he dit not know. The first
Nr. LYONS beard OF 1t was seeing letter at
Norioik containing the information that
Whiteburst d Hughes, OF that city, were ap-
no,nted 10 represent the Government in
cases of alleged election frauds IN Virginia.
lyr. LYONS added that District-AltOrney
Gibson. whose sssistEnt Mr.. Lyons i, WI
he here this morning. and it might be that
ne could give some other information on The
subject.
Of the authority OF the Attorney
or solicitor Of the Treasury to appoint
special counsel to appear for the Govern
,nent there can be no question; but whyt
shonld have been done in this particular
instance doih not vet clearly appear.