The Washington times., 1895-04-22
Citizens of the County Aroused
In Regard To Politics.
CHARGES AGAINST OFFICIALS
Serious Accusations of Commonwealth At
orney and Sheriff Veitch-Magistrate
Said To Be Guilty of hisappro opria.ing
Fines-contrasted Views OF An Honest
Old Farmer and Jackson City Bummer
"Is chaos to be or not to be-"

is eDaoS TO be or not to be?''
This is the aii-consumiug theme through
out Alexandria county The citizens
sizzle with political heat. They cry
''woah" to their horses, and leaning on the
handles Of the plow or hoe, discuss the
situation. They tarry at the corner stores
to talk it over, and as they meet under their
own vine and fig tree at eventide this ques
ton is the exclusive topic.
Political meetings are being held nightly.
III the school houses, churches aud stores
OF the three districts. The county election
VIII take place on May %, and when the
| polls close at sunset OF that day the moral
! fate OF Alexandria county Will have been
determined for another year.
! Victory Of the reform ticket, pledged
as it is to enforce the law against vice,
! means the reclamation of the county, and
i the closing of the Sunday and al-the-time
! dens of Jackson City and Rosslyn.
DEFEAT MEANS DISGRACE.
The defeat of this ticket by the sum-
mites of the county, by the druuks of Ross
! lyn, the thugs of Jackson City, and the rene
gadcs OF Alexander Island, means that the
fair name of Old Virginia, historic in
chiyalry and kuighthood, shall be mired
deeper i'll the slough of despoud.
One clement is animated with laGdable
zeal to redeem the name OF the county.
The other element is inspired TO retain the
most iaT-forsakeI, crime-iufested villain
gangs aud cliques that curse the ring
peopied section on the American continent.
4 reporter for The Times Travelled through
the County yesterday and the two sides or
the case were told him. One side was
I presented by a suu-brouZed farmer with
/ matted gray hair tumbling in uDkeInpt
masses through holes in an old straw hat;
with a4eoliafless tick shirt caught at the
throat with a white China button; with jean
pants aud pitched bottom, aud with blue
yarn sock peering at the reporter through
rundown, woru-out cowhide boots In
substance. this is what he said:
These fellers have got to mind the laws
of Virginia, or they've got to get out or
Virginia. They can't Foost here. The
coanty officers tuat side III with them have
got to go too"
OLD VIRGINIA NEVER TIRES
There's enough OF the old stock of vir-
ginia people left in this county still to make
them do it. Our ancestors were not afraid
to fight for what they Thought 10 be rignt,
and we amt either There was a
candid manly ring in his voice, and cool,
steady light in his determined gray eyes
as he said this.
The other side OF the controversy was
presented by what was once man, as be
sat7on an empty beer keg, on the porch OF a
Sunday saloon, beneath liquor sign. He
simmer red in the sparkling sun, that in all its
wanderings looked down on such unholy
Sabbath scenes like those in Alexandria
county, Virginia. He was soggy, lazy
bloated ana blood-shot from distemperinS
| drink yet he had that furitive, suspicious
hau p1a n class
There was vain effort at sportiness III
his togs. Crossing his legs and blowing a
blast Of smoke from his Savannah reflector
he said:
when 1 want drink, when want to
| shoot crap, put my money on the red or the
| black, shout keno when get my buttons in
r ! row, call the turn on odd or even, under
or above a seven, am going to do it-Sun
day or no Sunday, police or no police, Law
or no law. It's my business aud nobody 1
else We are going to have our rights if we
have to fight for them,' and there wastht
stealthy gleam of a mu rderous knife
in his blood-shot glance.
CHARGES AGAINST OFFICIALS.
+ Damaging charges have been made a
the county against Commonwealth Attorney
) Richard w johnson, Sheriff Veitch, anC
: the various coustables.
4 The COOStableS are charged WIN plnCulHE
: ordinary wayfaTeFS on minor charges, sucf
: as profanity fast driving, diSorderly, eX
posure etc, and standing in" with the
' magistrates on the ''diyvy'' of the fines.
q Notwithstanding the number of arrests
i. OF petty and comparatively innocent trans
g grteSSOrS, the totti ainoGnt OF the lines 10
l. Alexandria county for the past wear, al
+, shown by the report of the clerk of the
court of the board of supervisors, was S23
t In single case, that of the Walker
n Chapel matter. the fines summed up $50
It leaving but SS for fines for the remainder oi
t thecounty for one year.
, ~ tt.F is ar-ed With helng con
n eerned in this conspiracy between the
l. magistrates aud the constabies, and Com
( monwealth Attorney Johnson is accused
e OF being "on to" the combine.
p He is charged with violating the laws h'
7" has sworn to uphold by patIonizing The
: foreign books.
He is charged with acting improperly IL
running his horses, betting and attending
a race track which it is claimed is eelnt
operated without the saHction of the law
It is alleged by the other side that onl,
the money which is being spent creokedil
= III his behalf by the outlaws and thugs ca
save hiHn from a damniIg defeat at tn
hands of the very people with whom n
has been reared and whose interests, the
!. claim, lre has betrayed.
- The refernseTS will hold a public meetu
, at CaraeS school in Washington distriC
;, tonight.