The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-06-07
THE U. s. CIRCUIT COURT.

Investigating Election Frauds..True
Bills not Found in Some Cases..A
True Bill In Others-.SOme Very In
teresting Notes.
The United States Circuit Court has
been in session here some days, Judge
A. S. Seymour presiding.
Most of the time so far has been con-
sumed in dealing with various petty il
licit distilling cases, and there has been
nothing of special interest till the last
day or two, when some Investigations
were begun into certain charges of elec-
tion frauds These are beginning to cre-
ate something of stir.
The charges so far have been present.
ed by District Attorney G. A. Cook, and
are against election officers in the coun-
ties of Warren and Northampton.
Ii the Warren cases Mr.. Cook was
summoned before the grand jury as
witness, and this circumstance disQuali-
fed him for prosecuting the cases. The
government then began to cast about for
another prosecuting officer.
It is authoritatively said that good
fees were offered Col. Thos. G. Fuller
to prosecute the charges, but he
promptly declined the offer. Then an
effort was made to get Mr.. F. 81. Bus
bee to do the prosecuting work, and he
declined also.
The government then arranged with
Judge D. L. Russell, of Wilmington, to
come up here to do this business, and
he arrived here soon after the court
opened He was sworn in as assistant
to the district attorney for the prose-
cution of charges of fraud in election
cases.
The work began.
One of the charges brought by Dis
trict Attorney Cook before the grand
jury was against the following citizens
of Warren: J. T. Northcutt, J. H. Bull
lock, W. P. Massenburg, NJ. T. Duke,
P. G. Aston and J. P. Leach. They
were charged with failing to perform
duty and making false election returns.
The grand jury, after investigating the
matter, failed to find true bill, and this
charge was dropped. There was another
charge against thirteen poll holders of
Northampton county, and the grand
; jury failed to find true bill in this
case also.
But there was another charge pre-.
sented. This was against the following
citizens of Northampton: R. S. Bar.
ham, J. Fl. Wood, J. Grant. Alex.
7 Boone and Henry Jackson.
They were also charged with making
false election returns, and in this cast
the grand jury found true bill.
The investigation of these charges
> has created considerable talk and com
, ment. 1t has been alleged that it is
scheme Of the republican party to catcl
up number of leading citizens ant
make an effort to prevent their working
( in the coming election. But this kint
of talk found check in the fact tha
both the above counties elected repub
licans last year, and it was a little diff
! cult to see why the republicans shoult
: prosecute the poll holders of coun
, ties in which they were successful. Thel
it was alleged that it was only Demo
cratic poll holders who were beinl
3 charged with fraud; but this charge
= rather too weak to stand. 1t is said tina
o the district attorney assumes that tn
parties against whom the charges ar
brought are of both parties, and that b
, is prosecuting regardless of party afilis
d tion. He is reported to have said tha
= he does not know the politics of the pal
:. ties charged with fraud.
There may or may not be ''schem
. in these proceedings; but there is, it hs
1t not shown up very plainly yet.