Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-09
MAKING AN INQUIRY.
The GRAND JURY INVESTIGATING
THE ,JACKSON-WAHD CASES.
A Number of Witnesses Heard Yesterday,
and the Examination to BE Con-
cIuded To-Day.

the Jackson-Ward election cases will ever
come to trial or not will be known very
soon.
Their investigation was begun yesterday
by the United States grahd jury and will
be concluded in day or two, perhaps early
this afternoon.
As soon rs Judge Hughes ascended the
bench in the courtroom on the Bank-street
front of the custom-house yesterday MORN
ing the list of grand jurors summoned for
the spring term OF the Circuit Court was
called.
GRAND JURY EsrPANELLED.
The following fourteen answered TO their
names: w. j.. Smith. J. b. Matthew, j. Is.
Klepstein, Samuel Bendit, Thomas Rid
dell, Charles Johnson, Jr., z. knightly,
w. II. Jones, George W. Eubank, William
II. Taylor. all Of Richmond; Charles W:
BlnGley, OF HenricO; }. \. Spencer, OF
Farmville; .Richeleu Coleman. Of Mann.
boro, Amelia county; W. l.. Scott. OF
Morren, Amelia county.
There being no matters TO engage the at
tention of the district grand jury that
body was dispensed with and the follow
ing nine of its members were summoned at
once from "the body of the district and
placed on The Circuit Court jury, conn.,
HA'NiAtR AAAN l'hufi- IL - ~ -NNiAAf Va i ~.
burg; J. W. Fowlkes, Of Amelia: Theodore
l.. Masters. of New Kent; W. II. Davis, ).
McG. Fisher, Henry Austin, Luther Bethel,
l.. Powers, and Thomas ". Porter, OF Rich
mond.
THE ELECTION CAsEs.
The only matter brought to the attention
of the grand jury was these election cases,
and number OF witnesses, mostly colored
residents Of Jackson Ward. were examined.
About three hours was thus consumed, and
ut 2:30 o'clock, when most of the witnesses
in attendance had been heard. Judge
Hughes adjourned the grand jury until IL
o'clock this morning.
At the time of adjournment no cOnclu-
SION had been reached, but 1t IL thought
the investigation will be gotten through
with TODAY.
Among the defendants in these cases,
with winch the readers of the Dispatch are
entirely familiar, are Messrss; Belvin,
Smith Guigon. Cottrcll, Tate. Blackburn,
and Kalbe. The charge against them is
that OF obstructing the voting at the First,
Second. and Fourth precincts, Jackson
F Ward, IN the congressional election of 1858.
4 When the preliminary examination was
held the Dispatch Published a cOmpre-
helsiye digest Of the evidence, which was
the same that is now being taken before
the grand jury.
D. IpA NofsAs
District-Attorney Borland and Assistant
Bristow were present yesterday for the
Government, but neither had much TO say.
Mr.. c. V. Meredith and ex-Assistant Dis
trIct-AttOrnoy James Lyons, of counsel Tor
the defence. were also IN attendance.
Of course no counsel IS allowed in the
jurv-room, and there was nothing TO do IN
court other than 10 keep on the alert and
see what was going on.
The District Attorney, in conversation
with a DiSOdich reporter, said these eases
were Of 4 character chat he preferred say
ing very little about them 10 the grand
Jury. lie had therefore had as little as
possible TO do with the examination, and
had LETT the grand jury. of which Or. Will
liam N. Taylor (dentisD. of this city. ~
foreman. TO proceed according to what that
body believed to be the proper method.
The examination, Mr. Borland said WIS
general in its character and all Of the cases
were being heard together. In other words,
when q witness was called in he was allow
ed tD tell what he know about any OF the
charges under consideration.
NO INDICTMENTS PREPARED.
The grand jury has no prepared indict-
ments before 1t.
An indictment and presentment are in
+ effect the same thing, but the fact that the
District Attorney has not thought proper
TO prepare indictments 10 60 before tue
grand Jury, though the cases have been
pending a long while. Is regarded by many
as significant.
When Judge Hughes some time ago de-
cded that these cases could not be tried
upon information, but that there must OF
necessity be regular indictment before
thore can be- any trial il was believed that
thev would then be allowed 10 60 by de-
fault land never be called again. Since then.
however. as reported in thus paper, the
District Attorney has been instructed by
the Acknowledgement Of the United states
TO bring them to the attention OF this
grand jury.
TIE PETIT JURY.
The following is a correct list Of the
petit Jurors who have been summoned for
naxt tuesday. the 18th instant: T.. B. Ad-
olson, Augustus Arsell, Jr, Joseph W.
Hall, p. Sullivan. John f. Allen, John +.
Parrish, M. y. Walsh ". w. Palmer, c. II.
Canfelt. John G.. SPOTS, William Ellis
Jones. all Of Richmond: b. L. Pilson and
William T. Martin. Of Manchester; Robert
4. Couch, of Heurico; G.. ID. Jefferson. Jr.,
aud W. c. Eorneet. of Amelia Courthouse
f. +. Adams. OF Beaver Pond. Amelia coun-
tv; John Daniel, OF Clarksvlle; q. Bruce
Of Prince Edward }. Nj. Walton and John
Stokes, Of Farmyille; ; and T.. i. jenkins,
of Richmond.