The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-01-10

by their convictions in times of disaster
as well as triumph that We have deemed
it oppOrtune to refer to the subject here
discussed.
The Third District.
The notice or contest furnished by } Hdge
Edmund addll to Hon. &. ID. wise, Tor
the seat in Congress from the Third. or
Richmond District, is a damaging docn-
ment. 1t claims and says it will be es'
tablshed that 545 Republican voters were
deprived of the privilege of deposlting
their ballots in Jackson Ward, by the OBJ
structive methods predetermined upon by
the friends and partizans OF Mr.. Wise.
which bali OF .after The polls were closed,
were received and deposited in box by
the United States Commissioner and kept
sealed up to this time. 1t further AYERS
that III Republican voters in the same
ward left the polls before The close, De-
cause of unlawful interference with them;
aud that JOG illegal votes were cast Tor
Wise and 50 legal Republicans were re-
Misunderstanding SS7. Wise S alleged
majority in this district is 26l. Taking
this number from the SS7 would leave a
majority for Waddill of 6a6 votes.
Judge Waddill states that lie can estab-
lish the allt cations of his notice. and
that challengers were imported from 9th
er wards. to embarrass and prevent Re-
publican votes from being cast for him.and
that some of the police used their offices
to the same end.
When the substance of this notice was
given in the Richmond papers. it brought
out. in interview. Capt. Eppes, of the
police force. who pronounced Judge Wad'
dlll's charges lie Capt. Poe also said
that they were untrue. to which Judge
Waddill replied in the following card
RICHMOND, VA Bec q. 1883.
| Editor Daily Times:
Dear Slr,@Keferring to the local in your is.
| sue Of Friday the ID, instant, wherein Messrs.
criticise NV notice of contest for seat in the
| dfty-frst Congress, beg to hand YOU herewith
| letter received py me from Major Poe IL
| reference to said article. The letter speaks
| for itself
Now as to Mr.. Epps. shall not undertake to
handy epithets witt him. II the good people
| of -KichIn ond approve of his course he q peace
| officer, in high authority. can stand It, Con-
sideiing his feeling and behavior on this occa-
| sion The public can readily appreciate how he
| demeaned and behaved himself on the day OF
| election. when everything was at fever heat.
Since Mr. Epps, however. has undertaken 10
| crfticise my notice of contest, which notice
venture to say he has never read or seen. and
TO call in question certain statements therein n
| be known with what recklessness he makes
| statements to the end of determining the i'm
| DO, lance that should be given to what he says
| mo hereafter. In answer 10 n question
| from your eporter IA to whether any arrests
were made for illegal voting. Epps replied,
! None except On warrants sworn out by the
| cballengers The truth Is. as SHOWN Dy tne
records of the Police Court criminal docket,
cages 35I 352 353, 35f. 357, $685. and $50. there
| were. on election day, twenty-slx persons ar.
| rested for violation of election laws. VI the
! entire number warrants were sworn ouI
| against only seven persons. and of the number
| fifteen, arrested from Jackson ward NOT one
| had rant served out against him. put
| were ar. ested by our "non-partisan police
| men" in that ward upon the mere say so OF
| Democratic challengeTs and partisans. OF the
| entire Dum Der OF persons mus picKeo up anu
| IMPRISONED by the police, without warrant OF
| aui hority only two were found to have even a
| slight suspicion of guilt against them and sent
| on to thu grand jury and this, too before a
| court presided over by an honorable judge OF
| d, fferent political views to those arrested.
Captain Epps further says "For several hours
! In the afternoon voting was very slack at the
| Fist Precinct especially - This language was
| manifestly intended to convey the I'm preston
| that all persons at this pl ecinct voted whereas
| there were oil registered voters, ana only 43l
/ were allowed 10 vote.
| The truth is, this precinct. hours De1ore Gay
the morning of the election, was crowded
to overflow with voters, and at sunset 23l were
standing In line. ballots in hand; in addition,
a large number of voters have already re-
ported to me as having left the polls. seeing IT
| was i'm possible to vote Now as 10 the street
barrlcade talked about by Epos. me iacis are e
so great was the crowd at this precnc ct that me
sidewalk for square or more was packed WIN
| men in line to vote, and III "a moment saw
something was necessary to hold the crowd
back from pressing at tho polls, and ! dld Al
tempt to put up scantling 10 restrain thein
and prevent the crushing OF nose ~ me "in
dows at the same tire expedite The voting and
possibly prevent a row. This feaso naoie pre-
caution, however, did not meet VITA Inc ap-
prevail OF our no n partisan Police Captain VINO
imme dately caused the same TO De taken
down, and the natural and no doubt antlci-
effort to en- list the feeling and sympathy of the
police force of the city OF Richmond IN this
| case is apparent as Is the attempt by TINS Az
tack to draw the attention OF the pubic rom
the real merits OF my contest Both, however,
| Will fail. The reference to the policemen OF
Richmond in my notice of contest In no man.
ner reflects upon any member of the force not
! a participant In the violation OF the electIon
| law. and naught but guilty conscience ca,'
distul b single policeman. The other eHect
| will likewise fail. The intelligent pubic know
The outrage of this case. and cannot be mood
| coed and i shall prove every allegation in my
notice of contest. Policeman Epps to the con,
trary, Notwithstanding. and secuie my seat ano
the law be vindicated.
Respectfully.
| EDMUND WADDILL JR
The following is the letter from Major
Poe, above referred to:
RICHMOND. VA, DEC. q. 1883.
Judge UaddiU:
mancing about the action of the police In the
| last election, did not tell my young friend
the reporter-that you lied. me Language Ii
| JOHN Poe, JR.
Whatever may be the merits of the case
there is no question that Judge Waddll
has the advantage of Capt. Eppes in the
temper displayed and the method he has
adopted to maintain his case. The time
has long since passed when an allegation
can be met by the bully's logic Its lie. >
The yeriest culprit can use that defense
Public sentiment and public justice require
something more substantial and conyin-
cling. 1t demands facts. and if Judge Wad
dill can prove that which he charges is true.
it is entirely unnecessary for him to retort
you're anoh her." If the facts of the case
sustain Judge Waddll, then he ought to
be and will be seated. and Mr.. Wise
unseated, no more to be presented
to the people as an available candl-
date for any position in their gift
His fate will be that of John Goode, who
held seat for four years in Congress to
which he was rot fairly entitled. Since
then his party has never taken upon it.
self the responsibility for his sins, or en-
dorsed his record bya nomination.
Judge Waddill's contest, under the cir
cumstances, is public necessity. LII the
frauds and outrages he charges are sus-
tained it sill go far to awaken he public
conscience to the wrong that has been
attempted upon the State. and will mold
a public sentiment that will not he slow
in manifesting itself in a severe, re-
| Duke to the party that expected to profit
by methods that 10 honest man can en-
dorse. The people want 10 do right as a
general rule. They are not always ready
to condemn party. or the representative
of party, because the simple charge of
fraud is made against it or him. That is