Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-20
BRvNswlcK's ELECTION JUDGES.
Judge y. Il. Buford Replies TO Judge
Hicks and Makes n Denial


To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In your issue of the 9th there appeared
an ili-natured communication, signed ID.
S. Hicks, referring to the remarks maze
before the House Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections in support OF certain
amendments I offered 10 the Anderson
Mccormick law. AS the records and
other evidence on which ] relied to SUD-
stantiate my remarks were in the county
of Brunswick. and / have been over
wheimed with pressing business. my re-
ply TO this communication has necessarily
been delayed. Judge Hicks says
at the risk OF another spell or SICK
ness I make this 1T tement TO the Times:
The officers OF the Election at the election
last fall (all OF them, negroes ana all
were nut I'm Office during the term OF
Judge Buford as county chairman OF the
Democratic party-the list supervised by
him and approved by him. The sole
change made was inkt the county chair-
man. a successor to Buford as chairman
having been elected the latter part OF
August. In the light OF this disclosure
whose dirty linen has he been wash
ing In public? Is 1t any other than his
ownY'
This statement is neither frank nor In
genuous, and Is made with the evident
purpose Iand intention OF creating the
| false impression that !. as chairman Oh
| the Democratic party OF my county, In
augurated and am responsible lot 'he
practice of appointing negro judges OF
| election, and that those who acted las'
| fall were appointed at my suggestioi
and solicitation. The records OF the elec-
toral boards will prove the falsity OF
| this charge. on the I'D of February, 1872
Wesley Daniel, Henry Lambert, ana Al,
fred Jackson, all negroes, were appoin'eu
| Judges OF election at Edmundss store and
sunny Side precincts On August ~,
1885. Wright Simmons was appointed
| Judge al Porch and Ross precinct. on
| the sd OF February. 1891, Andrew Easter
and Cain Sturdlvant were appointed
| Judges at Smoky Ordinary. and about the
same time another negro was appointed
Judge at Phippss precinct. l was electeu
| chairman in June, 1892. and held the posi-
| ton till August, 1893. The law section ii.
| OF the Code directs that the electora
| boards shall prior to the LIST OF March
appolnt the Judges Of election for one
| wear. dating from their appointment
| The board met on the 2Sd Of February
~.
nj each successive meeting for years
| before. reappointed the negro judges y
few changes were made In the white
Judges. Only one negro, Peter Fletcher
was appointed during my term as chair.
| man. DIR. William T.. Price, chairman o.
| the Electoral Board, Informed me there
was great difficulty in finding suitable
| men TO act as judges at Tillmasis pre-
cinct. / suggested Mr.. James i. Drum
mond. who was appointed, but couid thihf
Of no one else. Dr. Price told me AFTER
| wards Fletcher was appointed on the re
commentator of an influential Democra
| at that precinct. The only thing this re-
| cord discloses IS that I did not break vi
| the long-establshed custom OF appointiht
negro Judges. Whether / should have
| succeeded had / made the attempt u
| snl,v answered by the refusal OF th'
board to accept the resignation or negro
who rendered IL because he was uhaoi'
to read or write.
BEFORE THE COMMITTEES.
| In my remarks before the committe'
| used the following language: Ihat
| some of the voting places In my count.
| and others adjoining it, the ballot-poNes
| while the votes were being polled' wer
| nlaced at a remote part OF the room GU
| OF view of the electors. who were re
| ouired to hand their ballots In through
/ window. and that some or the Judges d
| these voting places. after receiving III
ballots and before depositing them u
| the ballot-box. performed some httie ieat
of legerdemain that would cause ever
| Miss Fay TO hide her diminished mead
Judpe Hicks saws, II meet this statemen
| with a fiat denial This statement wa
| made upon the authority of men emf
nently worthy and reliable, the peers
even. of Judge Hicks's conception OF nm
| self. Since this fiat denial l have mao
| renewed inquiries, and find that at SOM
| Of the precincts the ballots had to b
| handed through windows so high from IN
| ground that II was necessary Tor IN
| voter to mount box or climb "a plah'
| to enable him to get his head above Tn
| window-sill to see the ballot-box. and ever
| then his view was INSTRUCTED by IN
| body OF the judge, who In turning
| around to get TO the ballot-box had am
/ pie opportunity for those little feats
| legerdemaine to which l referred. Al on
| precinct, in particular. where ines
sleight-of- hand performances are facetious
| Iy styled mixing the chemicals"
| plank had to be put up to the WINDOW
| and the voters had to climb on II to ge
a very indistnct view Of the ballot-box
also state that the ballot-boxes wer
| placed Inside the room, not at the door
| or windows, and at such distances there
from as to render II necessary for the judg'
| 10 turn around to deposit the ballots. IL
| support of these statements / refer t.
the dispositions taken in the contested
| election case OF Rawlings VS.. MALLORY
now pending in the Circuit Court OF Bruins
wick. and TO gentlemen OF unimpeach
| able integrity. who have given me thi
| information, and whose names I will fur
| nish whenever desired. meet Judg
| Hickss statement with most emphati
| and positive denial. Why he should hav
entered the lists and rushed to the de
| fence of the ballot-box maDipulators o
| Brunswick county is species OF knigh
errantry for which We were not pre-
pared and which ''passeth my understand
| ing" / have certainly not implicated hin
| by word or insnuation.
| Gratitude for the yeomanlike servict
| they rendered him In the campaign las
| fall may have reused the dormant chiv
| airy of his nature, but even IL he should
succeed In convincing the public that ir
| Brunswick county there are none skilled
| in the noble art OF manipulating ballots
he will have deprived many OF ms sup
porters of their chief glory and only &C
complishment. This he should not do
| There are men In the county OF Bruins
wick who claim for themselves the higl
distinction Of being the peers OF an,
In the State In this peculiar line of bust
ness. That this claim Is well founded
have no reason to doubt. and until new
have never heard 1t controverted. II
however. they have become ashamed, ant
now through their champion. Judgs
Hicks, disavow conduct of which the,
| formerly boosted. It Is a hopeful sign. Il
gives assurance they have not only heard
but heed the voice OF popular indignation
which spoke In trumpet tones at our las
election. 1t shows that the fight In favor
OF fairness and honesty in elections ha.
| not been In vain. and gives promise Of Q
brighter future for the Democratic party
as well as for the grand old Common
! wealth. r. K. BUFORD.'
4