The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-13
THE sMIrHERs. PRE-, INCr CASE.

year ago The Times announced that
a system of frauds in elections had grown
I'D IN this state, and that it had reached
proportions of which the public had no
idea. Our announcemnt was received
with storri of denial and denunciation
by those yoiticias and newspapers who
understand party fealty to require blind
~Subinission to whatever party authori-
ties do, and with incredulity and doubt
by a very large body of the people. Chal-
Ienged to the proof, The Times, unaided,
with no compulsory assistance from the
law, undertook an investigation of the
matter and right here, almost under the
shadow of the Capitol. it found that one
single ballot-box had been stuffed with
three hundred fraudulent ballots in the
gubernatorial election of November. 1899.
The Times exposed the fraud i'm all its de-
tails and accompanied tne exposure with
such a superabundance of indubitable
proof of every statement made that any
possibility of doubt was put out of the
question. and all men knew that the bal
lot-box at Smither's precinct had been
lots.
The officers who held the election at
that precinct were indicted and after in
terposing every possible technical de-
fence. they were at last forced TO face
jury OF their countrymen who were to
hear the witnesses testify under oath to
their fraudulent acts. Then they came
would consent to a conviction, II the Com.
forward with the proposition that they
mohwealth would be satisfied with "a fine
Of so and day In jail. The Common
wealth. with the approval of the court,
accepted the proposition, and a verdict
OF guilty was found accordingly. and they
were adjudged to undergo the punish
ment. The accused officers undertook to
appeal from the decision of the court, up
on the technical defences that they had
made. but the Circuit Court refused to al
low the writ of error. They then applied
TO the Supreme Court of Appeals for
writ OF error. but that court on Friday
also refused IT. so that all their technical
defences are now swept aside. and
they stand convicted before the
community Of having stuffed the
ballot-box at Smither's precinct in
the November election. 1893. with
three hundred false and fraudulent
ballots. There Ia the naked case, and
nothing remains 10 be done but TO exc
cute the sentence of the law and to take
them 10 the county Jail and lock them up
there for twenty-four hours. that their
fellow citizens may look upon them as
men who we're willing to falsify their
osths and degrade the Suffrage.
II was a great day for Virginia when
her Supreme Court of Appeals announced
that those who attempt to interfere with
no countenance whatever from her high
est judicial tribunal. Our life as State
and everything that we value In our pri-
vate lives depend upon the sacredness OF
the ballot and the purity of our cleo
lions. II we tolerate cheating negroes
wc will undoubtedly soon follow with
cheating ourselves, and when we begin
with that then We have undermined
our reverence for honesty and truth, and
every manly element In our character
viii soon disappear.
The Times wishes TO extend the thanks
OF this community. and OF all the honest
men IN the State, to Mr. A. u. Guigon. for
the fearless. Independent. able and sue
cessfm way In which he conducted this
prosecution. sinsie-handed. from its CON-
msncement TO IT. end. The county was
fortunate TO secure him ~ It's counsel.
and b has no6ly justified the confidence
thai vas rspossd In him.
oo0D goG rnE GOVERNOR.
~ mov>0ent AGAINST the Alexander