The morning times., 1895-07-23
Judge Chichester Hears the Con-
tested Election Gases.
J0HNS0N'S LAST CHANCE
Little Dickie" and His Friend Dun
can Are Making Desperate Resis-
thnce-The Impression Prevails
That Douglass and Hume VIII be
warded Alexandria County Offices.

Douglass against Richard Johnson better
known as Little Dickie,' for the Common
wealth attorneyship, and Frank Hume
against William Duncan, for the supervisor
ship, involving the legality of the vote cast
at the Four Mile Run precinct in Alexan-
dTia county, began in the Alexandria county
court before Judge Chichester Yesterday
shortly before IL O'Clock
The defendants, Merssrs johnson and
Duncan, with their attorneys, Col. + l.
Smith and John NJ. Johnson, of Alexandria,
and Edmund BHrke, of Washington, were
present, as also Messrs Douglass md Hume
the contestants. Mr.. A. A Lipscomb or
Washington, one OF the attorneys for the
contestants, failed TO appear, though he
was teiephoned for several times. and
MeSsrs. A. w. Armtrong, or Alexandria,
aud K. Walton Moore, of Fairfax, were
present and looked after the interests of
Douglass and Hume
As the features OF the two cases are ex-
actly Identical, it was agreed among counsel
10 hear them both together in order to save
time.
The proceedings opened by the reading
OF certificate from Or. II. p. Howard,
stating that Miss Lula House, who had
printed the official ballots, was sick and
would not b. able 10 appear in court.
and at the suggestion of Col F l.. Smith it
was agreed at some convenient time to take
the deposition of tire young lady.
BALLOTS IN COURT.
Almost the entire day was taken up
in hearing the preliminary arguments in
the case
hr. Armstrong for the conteS, ants, asked
that the ballots be brought into codTt and
opened, in order to ascertain whether
they had been properly stamped, ana also
To determine how many improperly marked
ballots were thrown out, which had they
been properly marked, would have bcen
cast for Mr duncan.
Col Smith wished to know II sir. Arm
strong wanted the ballots introduced as
evidence for the contestants. and Mr Arm
strong replied that he did
CLERK Young produced them and handed
the INTO the judge, vino opened the package
aud found that each ticket had the seal
or the election board upon it, as required by
law
Mr. Moore. for the contestants, acknowl-
eyed that the ballots were properly stamped.
but claimed that the perfect and imper-
feet We're so mixed together that it would
be impossible to tell the number of ballots
for Mr Duncan which were thrown out
Col Smith replied that at the proper
time he would produce the poll books
and from the difference between the
vote cast for Ar. Duncan and the number
OF Duncan ballots returned it would be
easy to get at the number thrown out
The witnesses for the contestants We're
examined TownIey SisSon, the special
constable at the -Four Mile Run precinct,
upon direct examination said he had during
the course of the day marked the ballots
of about one hundred negroes and only one
white man: that during the day there was
much disorder and drinking about the polls;
and that the crowd often came within a
few feet of the voting booths and he had
to drive them back.
SET UPON BY A MOB
He stated that a negro named Butler had
come 10 him and asked him to mark his
ballot He had done as the engro requested,
ana said that Butler had grabbed the
ballot. rushed out OF the polls, ard claimed
that he was being cheated. He was then
set upon by a mob, and John PeveTell
struck him. He ordered the officers to
arrest Pevereu, and they took him off.
He had seen both johnson and Duncan
about the polls, and Johnson was pre-
pairing memoranda for the negroes to take
into the booths to prepare their ballots,
ard that Johnson came up to the judges
window once or twice III violation OF the
election law.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Burke wit
ness stated that he had not been sworn in
on the day of election, having taken the
oath of office some months before in the
county clerks office.
The cross-examingtiOn failed to shake
Mr. Sisson's testimony and brought out
nothing OF importance. The court then
| adjourned for the day.
The hearing OF the case Will consume
/ several days, and by agreement among
the lawyers and the judge the court will
convene each morning at and continue
| in session until 1:3o. meet again at 2:3O
| and continue until 4. Much interest is
! being taken in the case by the people OF
| the county, and at yesterdays session
| of the court the room was well filled.
! While there is but little ground on which
| to base an opinion just now. the general
| impression seems to be that MesSrs. Doug
! las and Hume will win. In that event
! the case will be carried to the circuit court
Judge Nicol, on an appeal from Judge
| Chichester.