Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-25
The cooDE-EPES CASE
r,,,,,ond Times Editorials Quote"
sroinst the Democratic '"n'es'ee'

,.,.,,a Time. Editorials Quoted
sr,,nst the Democratic Contestee'
v.su1NGTON. April i-CSpecial)-
Tho Virginia contested case OF rooue 'S'
t,,. was argued to-day before the house
c,rri,tea on Elections. The room was
we'll filled when the arguments COM
.,onc.d Representative Epes. the sittihg
,.,,,tor was on hand early with MS
,.,,,,s.i Judge W. IL. Mann, OF Notto-
-. ,,,,,,y The contestant. Colonel j.
.r,ornas Goodc. was also present, and his
attorneys were Mr.. B. 7. Thotpe' oi
I,urencc.ille Brunswick county: eN-Con-
,,,4.man John T. Harris OF kochinshaiH
county. and AR. :. q. Brent OF AieA"n-
iuI 49, ...,.,
.-...,t when called TO order, and there
t..r.. several Of the members of the House
from Virginia in attendance, including
u -rrs Mise Edmunds. Tucker, SWAN
.n Meredith. and Tyler.
SIR Jones of Virginia. is member
the co.imittee, and was early IN MS
.iair ai the table
counsel under the rules. had an hour
ana "a half on a side. The opening argu-
mont ON behalf of contestant was made
iy Hon. John r. Harris
irlgo Harris commenced by telling VINO
T., i,nd Goode was. going into his record
h.,n in var and in peace. and seemed TO
desire 10 impress on the committee tlat
rr. contestant was a native-born Nir-
....u. and not "carpet-baEger. lie
..r .rtionel specially that Colonel Ioode
......l IN the Confederate army. lie bheh
explained the election-laws of the state,
.rf r..orrrd to the old and the present
r.rhol OF appointing election-bcards. me
..Ises. ue remarked, We're 50 appointed
t..t the Democrats had majority at
.. precinct. The duties of the can
Wasting boards. Judge Harris also eN-
planned and contended that. their power
81. pureiy ministerial. He went into de-
t.I t1 uuQuaint the committee with al
t.. methods attending AN election, ana
t..r lunily said the Fourth District had
I..n fr years heavily Republican. col
...l Goode who had been formerly
Democrat. in the last election ran on lhe
I...f.t ticket, and received practically IL
... s1idly the entire Republican vote.
CHARGES OF FRAUD.
Assuring the committee that he himself
". Democrat, and dislikei very ihuch
. make such charges, yet he was conn
r...I t1 say that out OF the - OF ~ pre-
r.-. in the district p Of the precincts
,-. fr.udulcntlv thrown out by the can-
,..g b.ards His client. Colonel
o.. was be- insisted. elected 10y
...nc,d majority. Judge Harris SAID
..D.f him 10 bring such charges. but
... compelled to show up the record.
D.. ..rr.ns L. the testimony taken, Judge
-,- said tho whole object on the part
rl. e.ntcstee was TO defeat a fair
.t... tIeation OF the case. The precincts
....u Out were on the most frivolous
....tl-. and the laws had been set at
ace II fellow testified that some
-r..i 10 bulidoze another the boards
Throw out that precinct.
|.. Harris admitted that the election
..'.... nt the various precincts did their
.F. but The WRONG WAS done by the
..ty ,auNassiug- boards. The number
.. ..f.s frrown out was 6 ii3. and nearly
. OF these votes mad been cast Tor
D.... IL WAS done without any au-
f..r.fv ~ law. and Was worse than any
..... done iu Louisiana years ago, for IN
... ir,f States they had an old carpet
. Iaw framed TO suit the purposes OF
l.. msu composing the boards.
,..ui.r epc.ill attention 10 some OF the
,.l-Ia.I results al precincts, Judge Har-
r- charged that Judges OF election swOre
IIc returns. ana afterwards went 10
Gil. courthouse and agreed to the throw
t.- .ut o. Tie very votes they had sworn
N... correct
D. ..-.e instances Judge Harris con-
t.,fsJ that precincts were thrown out
t..lss.. the boards held that the ballots
lri the p3ll-books were not properly
taleI In one instance they threw out a
tr...r.t because they said II was sealed
'fY, much.
Dl.nnr N the question OF cheating.
Jat.. Harris said that Ia Virginia GER
IAN Democrats believed that "selt preser-
ytfl,n' demanded certain results. and
r..r held that IL was the first law Of
nature
LAW OF VIRGINIA.
The law Of virginia on the subject OF
sealing the ballots Was the text for con-
s.d rabie discussion by Judge Harris. his
object being TO Impress on the committee
that precincts had been Illegally thrown
ogt One precnct was rejected in the face
~ the fact that all the judges at that
precinct were Democrats
Judge Harris Informed the committee
that this was one OF the hardest cases
Imaginable 20 argue. because the precincts
were thrown out without any excuse
whatever The returns were complete.
and In 40 district In the United States
were they ever In better shape. but the
contestee would not take any testimony.
and tried 70 defeat the contestant at
every step. There was no Justification in
throwing out the precincts. and he hoped
the committee would give the seat 10 his
client. for he maintained that Colonel
GOOde Was elected. Corrupt an New YORK
was they were conyicting IN that state
men who were found guilty OF fraud.
There should be honest elections" tS-
claimed Judge Harris with emphasis. and
then he made the statement that Virginia