Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-25
whether or not the law had been v'o.
IRREGULARITIES

At Butler's-Store Precinct, In Brunswick
county the returns were not even signed
and from another precinct. In Prince Ed
ward county. carnc returns which stated
that Epes had received 20 many votes
and Goode 30 many. They did not state
the Office voted for. as the law requires
Contestant could have gotten a man.
damus compelling the judges TO sign the
returns But he did not do II.
In Mecklenburg the poll-books were al
lowed to be handled by almost anybody
This was Goodies own county. and II was
shown by the testimony that the lists
had not been properly sealed. They had
been handled, and the Republican clerk
in Meckienburg county had violated the
statute OF Virginia.
Judge Mann said he did not mean TO
charge the clerk or Colonel GoQde with
having opened these lists for the purpose
Of cheating. but by being unsealed the
lists were open to suspicion.
Judge Mann having been interrupted du-
ring his argument so often by Judge Har-
ris. the committee gave the former nfteen
minutes additional time, and In that time
he powerfully advocated the case or his
client, quoting authorities. precedents. and
the like in most impressive manner
and told q very clever anccdote to head
off the Rockingham county lawyer.
In closing his remarks, Judge Mann
appealed in stentorian tones TO the COM
mittee to decide the case in accordance
with the law and the facts, and he be-
leved and hoped that when they con-
sldered carefully the record. they would
decide the matter in favor of Congress-
man Epes. a high minded. honorable gen.
tleman. who did not want the seat II he
had not been honestly elected
THORP FOR CONTESTANT
Mr. Thorp closed the argument In be-
half of the contestant. When he rose he
had long string OF newspaper clippings
in his hand. from which he commenced
to read. He said they were editorials,
and went on TO explain that this paper
editorially declared that Epes had not
been elected, but that a partisan com
mittee of Democratic House would
never unseat him. That was the intent
OF Mr.. Thorp's opening. and when the
members Of the committee looked sur
prised. and Mr.. Paynter Of Kentucky,
asked from what paper he read. the an
swer was. "The Richmond Times"
Another member wanted to know what
was the politics of the paper, and then
Mr. Thorp said. Democratic" and un-
dertook to prove by some further glances
at the clippings he had pasted together,
and his subsequent remarks that Senator
Daniel had I'm some way said the Times
was Democratic. 1t was all Greek TO
the committee, except Mr.. Jones, VINO.
when Mr.. Thorp tried TO make II appear
that Senator Daniel had given the Times
an endorsement as to It's Democracy,
quietly asked him il the Times was a
free-silver paper, but Mr.. Thorp did not
answer.
Further on In his argument Mr.. Thorp
claimed that there were other papers In
Virginia that denounced the fraudulent
election In the district, but he did not
name them. He c0ntended that Mr. Epes
was not elected. and could not be elected
If he were to run again. Goode was elect
ed, and his name was on both the Populist
and the Republican tickets.
Mr. Thorp charged that there were
Democratic heelers in the district who had
done cheating. and denied that contestee
had proved that Republicans In any
great number had voted for him. AS an
instance of the absurdity of such a thing
he said they claimed a "cock-eyed negro
bully was a Republican. and had voted
for him. This fellow was Democrat.
Mr.. Thorp said they had sought TO prove
by the friends of Epes that Goode had
been counted out. 1t would have done no
good to have examined partisans on the
other side. These men had voted for
Epes. but they would never do so again
If they had the chance, Mr.. Thorp said.
The balance of Mr.. Thorp's argument
was devoted to explaining in detail the
alleged rejection of precincts. and how
they had attempted TO prove by the re-
cord that the precincts were thrown out
on shallow techncalities. He went from
county to county. and also denied there
was any authority of law in Virginia for
a recount of ballots.
Among other listeners to the argu-
ments before the committee, in addition
TO those mentioned above. were Congress
man Pence. the Populist member from
Colorado. who made number of speeches
in Virginia last year, and ex-Congress-
man John NJ. Langston.