Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-08

No Evidence That He Tried to induce an
Elector tO Leave tho Stats-- MIR. Elliott
AbantionS the bribery Charge.

No Evidence That He Tried to induce an
Elector To Leave tho State-- MIR. Elliott
Abandons the bribery Charge.
The case Of William II. Lee, charged
with bribery in buying tax receipts from
Samuel j. Stanley, colored, was called up
in municipal court on Thursday. Edwin
h. Cochran, Jr., appeared as counsel for
Lee while City Solicitor Elliott appeared
for the prosecution. The negro lives at No
GOA East Fifth street.
Stanley was called to the stand and testi-
fed that he had known Lee for about Is
years, He said on October 18th, he was
coming down Eighth street near Lees
house when the latter called to him. The
! negro and Lee sat down in the park, and
Lee asked him to get him 50 tax receipts.
The negro testified that Lee offered him s.
for every receipt, but he wouldn't take it,
Then Lee offered him from So to S. for
each and every receipt. The negro prom
ised to get all the receipts he could.
Stanley then testified that Lee came to
his house on the following Friday.
Stanley and Lee went upstairs. The
former showed the defendant few tax
receipts that were not registered. Lee de.
clined to take them. Lee then left and
made arrangements TO meet Stanley Satur-
| day night, but came on Sunday evening
shortly after 8 O'Clock at the request of
Stanley. Lee and the latter went upstairs.
The negro had Is tax receipts he said in
| Guiding his own. which was among those
he offered to SELL He said Lee gave him
S75 and took the tax receipts. Stanley
testified that Lee asked him to go out of
! town.
"Did you recover your tax receipt p"
asked Mr.. Elliott
Stanley-"Yes."
Elliott-"Where is it ?"
Stanley-"Well-er- is at Republican
| headquarters"
James Kitchens volunteered to go to
Republican headquarters to get the tax re-
ceipt.
FLOW did you come to have those tax
receipts" asked Mr.. Elliott.
Stanley Well, I was helping Mr..
Kitchens get some colored men registered
the day before.h
Mr., Cochran did not cross-examine the
negro.
Ex- Police Sergeant Fucker testified that
he was at SANKEY'S house on the night of
| October 2lst, and heard the conversation
between two men upstairs. He thought
he recognized Lees voice, but he did not
see him. Tucker was in the kitchen down.
stairs. He saw Lee when he came down.
| There were with the witness, James
! Kitchens. Amos Hahn and James Hur.
shock. In reply To Mr.. Cochran's qlles,
ton the witness said he was sent to Stan.
| ley's house by the secretary of the Repub
hcan County Executive Committee.
James Kitchens testified that Lee turned
the receipts over to Stanley and the latter
gave them to him.
On cross-examination Kitchens testified
that Stanley got his own receipt from hin
| on Saturday and also the other receipts
Kitchens evidently thought Stanley coulC
not be trusted with his own receipt, for Il
has been kept at Republican headauarter.
along with the receipts of hundreds oil
other negroes.
Amos Hahn and James f. Herschock
| two eX-police officers, testified that they
were at SANKEY'S house the night in qiies
ton and heard the conversation between
Lee and the negro.
William II. Lee, was rearragned il
municipal court on Monday charged
with bribery in buying tax receipt from
Samuel J. Stanley, colored. City Sollcito
Elliott was on hand TO represent the Stat
while Il. II. Cochran, Jr., counsel for tn
defendant was reinforced by Robert J
Hartman.
The first step taken by the city solicito
was TO call Samuel ]. Stanley to the s:ant
who was asked to produce his tax receipt
and which he failed to produce on tn
occasion of the first preliminary hearing
The negro stated at previous hearinj
that the receipt was at the Republican
headquarters. In theintrerim some one hat
gone to the Republican leaders who ar
the custodians of the negro tax receipts
and secured SANKEY'S receipt, and it wa
offered in evidence this morning.
Frank A. McCloskey was called to tn
stand and had with him the registration
book upon which the name of Stanley an
peared as having been registered. William
a, Jennings, Thomas +. Gormley an,
Edward Seidenberg, registration officers il
| AF Ian
testified that Stanley was registered b,
them as qualified voter. The State her
closed.
Mr.. Cochran arose and asked for til
dismissal OF the defendant on the rroun
that his name had not appeared on q
least two of the registration books as re
CURED by law. Mr.. Cochran held tina
the mere verbal statement that Stanle
was duly registered was not sufIicien
proof of registration and that the book
must be produced to establish this fact
Judge Ball thought it had been estat
lished that Stanley had been registered b
the testimony of the registration officer.
He differed with counsel's interpretatio
of the statute.
Mr.. Hartman conteaded that the regi,
tratlOn books were the best evidence tia
Stanley had been duly registered. On ID
, day of election no man can vote unless h
name appear on the registration book.
Judge Bail stated that no objection wa
offered OH the part of counsel Tor I'll
defence when the evidence OF the regi
, tration officers was being heard, and ii Ill
, contention had then been made that N
!, registration books themselves were Ill
, best evidence, the court would have give
!, ruling ON that point.
Counsel for the defence insisted tbs
: insufficient evidence had been adduced
show that Stanley was regular qualiiie
voter.
City Solicitor Elliott practically abal
doned the charge of bribery in that il ha
been shown that Stanley received his ID
receipt again, and tried to bring about
: conviction on the point that Lee hu
: ehdGayored to induce stanley to leave Ii
: state. Stanley admitted that Lee on
: advised him TO leave the State when Sta
ley asked him what would be best to do
! case lie got into any trouble. Judge Bu
I said he was compelled to dismiss the Ca
: from the evidence aiduced ON the stand.
Middlstown News Notes.
: Special CorrcsuoudGncs OiGRzette cd .Iourn
}. MIDDLErowN, Nov. G.--The cal
Z palgn closed last night.