The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-22

The opening guns in the contested
election case were fired yesterday after
noon. but the smoke Of tho contest has
not yet cleared away, and the result of
the skirmish will not be known until
this morning. Yesterdays proceedings
showed that the fight will be hard
one, and that every point will be stub
bornly contested.
Judge Jno. D. Horsley, who had con-
sented to sit in the matter, did nos
arrive in the city until 4:20 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. At that hour the
circuit courtroom, whore the case was
to be heard. was we'll filled with inter
ested spectators. including the candi-
dates OF both parties. who are principals
in the affair.
notable array Of counsel WAS present
for both sides. Judge William Gordon
Robertson and Messrs. Scott & Staples
looked after the interests Of Messrs
Jones, Gooch and Payne, while Col. Jno.
e Penn, Col. j. Hampton Hoge and
Colonel Hansborough, OF Salem, per-
formed like Office for Messrs. Engleby,
Hartwell and Pattie.
1t was after o'clock when Judge
Horsley appeared in the courtroom.
After few moments spent in CONVEX
sation with the different attorneys,
he assembled the bench and asked II
counsel was ready to tako up the con-
tested election case.
Then the first skirmish began.
Colonel Penn announced that his side
was ready to proceed. The opposing
counsel then took the ground that the
case was not properly docketed and
could not como up at this term and
even IL it was properly docketed they
stated that they would ask for con-
tinuance. In support Of their first
claim Judge Robertson commended that
the case was not docketed at the com
mencement of this term and therefore
cannot be heard until next month. The
republicans filed their petition on the
first day OF June and the present term
OF the court began on June 4. The
Democrats filed their answer on June 0.
The statutes provided that the case shall
be heard at the next term OF the court
after it ia filed If no good reason is
given for q continuance.
The counsel for the Republicans
claimed that the case was entered be-
fore the June term. That the com
plainants had filed their petition before
the term OF the court began, and that
was all that the statute required. After
lengthy argument, in which the at
torneys on both sides joined, Judge
Hershey stated that he would take the
matter under advisement and render his
decision this morning. He then sug-
gested that the counsel for the Demo
cratic candidates state their reasons for
continuance
Judge Robertson said that he repre-
scented W. 3. Gooch, and that both him
self and his client had been i'll, and be-
sides he had been so busy he could not
give the proper time to the matter
Messrs. Scott and Staples said that they
rad not had time to get necessary tes-
timony to try the case now
Messrs. Gooch and Payne wore then
put on the stand and questioned as to
what efforts they had made to get evil
dence. They both admitted that no
witnesses had been summoned. Mr..
Gooch said he had gone to
Louisa on pleasure trip and had
to Roanoke on the day he expected to.
In answer to a question from Colonel
Hoge he said that ne had not made any
special effort to get ready since his re-
turn from Louisa, but that some Of his
friends were working for him.
Mr.. Payne stated that he had written
to the courts in several counties for GER
titled copies of the records in order to
prove that men voted here who have
been convicted of felony. but that he
had not sent the money for them. He
had heard nothing yet from Henry
county or Lynchburg. He said that he
had been working hard on tho case, and
also had his brother and brother-in-law'
to help him.
Neither Mr.. Gooch nor Mr.. Payne
seemed to know the names Of many
witnesses who could identity the men
convicted in the different counties as
the same who voted here, but they had
friends who could furnish this proof,
they said. Their friends were not put
upon the stand. Mr. S. E. Jones was in
the courtroom, but for some reason did
not make statement as to what he had
done to get ready for trial.
At this point the cours adjourned
until this morning 81 10 o'clock.
Crushed in Their Skulls with an Axe.
JACKSONVILLE, June 21.-A special to
the Times. Union from Lawtey, Fla,
says: Some time last night DR.. Gustavus
Drohshagen and wife, who live about
mile east Of this place, were murdered,
The assassin entered their room while
they were asleep and crushed their
skulls with an axe. Robbery Is sup.
posed to have been the motive. There
Is no clue to the murderers.
Want "a Colored Man az commissioners.
WASHINGTON, June Elm the Senate
to-day Mr. Gordon, Of Georgia. offered
an amendment to the bill in relation to
the Atlanta exposition, which is now
before the committee on appropriations.