The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-17
The MAYORALTY MIDDLE.
The Ballot Boxes and Ballots Produced
In Court.
POST ENTITLED TO FOUR MORE VOTES
A Deep and Abiding Belief That frauu
Has Been Perpcfrated I'm the May
Election, But the Guilty ones
VIII lie Hard TO Detect.
lstnn cnrresnondence)

VIII bc bafu to beN'''
(staff correspondence
NEWPORT NEWS. VA, July l6.-spe-
cial.-Not great deal of progress was
made to-day IN tic contcsted-oiection case
of Post W. Moss. a ereat deal OF time be-
ing taken up ia sparrins as TO the adinis-
sion of testimony. the only enlivcnins iea-
ture being the production of the ballot
box and ballots from the Second ""ru
I'm court. and the counting and eAamina-
ton OF tho latter.
MOTION ONEBRULED.
When court convened this morning
Judge Barham said that he had read the
law cited bv counsel as bearing on their
motion made yesterday 10 strike ont
certain allegations in the complaint ana
had consulted all authorities Which ne
could ind The law on the SUBJECT
however. he said. was very meagre' ne
had finally come 70 the conclusion that
"A motion to strike ont az this time was
not "A proper one, although Dee recognized
the fact that a motion OF mat character
might be intended 70 save the defence
the trouble and expense Of being COM
PEELED 60 rcbut trfing and irrelevant al
legations. This course, he said. might
be- proper at certain stage. but not at
this time. and he therefore. with the
light on the subject that he possessed
ruled that motion TO strike out could
not be admitted.
SKTRAlISHING TACTICS.
Tho overrulng Of this motion disposed
Of the skrmishing tactics adopted by
tho defence. who have made hot nsht
10 prevent the case from coming TO trial,
and Sheriff Milstcad at once called the wit
nesscs. number of whom were found
to be absent. and n delay cnsued, while
rules were issued against those who did
non answer TO their names. with the
exception Of one. who IS sick and Mr.
j. l. Marye, a member Of the Electoral
Board. who IS in Fredericksburg.
After some trouble the witnesses were
gotten together. and Wyatt Roane (col-
ored). who was one OF the judges OF cleo
tlon I'm the Second ward, was put on the
stand.
THE FIRST WITNESS.
lie testified that he had lived In New
| port News for eleven years. lie was one
OF the judges IN so. ? ward. and was
| there from 4.3o May 2Sth until about 4
o'clock the next morning. lie was there
when the package Of ballots was brought
| in.
did you see the ballots counted?" ask
cd MIR. Lett
Il did, answered the witness.
Judge BROOKE objected 10 this question
ana answer. as calculated 10 reflect on the
Electoral Board. when any error which
might nave occurred in the counting. was
a nero irrcguiaity and had not nccn
election. lie contendcd that no evidence
was admissible which tended 10 show that
the Electoral Hoard had delivered 10 the
judge OF election M that precinct more
tnan twice as many official ballots rs
there were registered voters I'm that ward.
Mr.. Lett stated In reply that they had
no intention or attempting 10 prove there
was any wisc0unt OF the ballot by tho
Electoral Board. They simply wished to
SHOW that there were In possession ~
the judges or election IN the Second
ward more than twice as many ballots
as there are registered voters IN that
ward.
TOO MANY BALLOTS.
lie further explained that this action
was taken since JUICE Barham himself
was cx-offcio. a member OF the Elec-
| toral Board. and they had no intention
or making an attack upon him through
| the board.
Judge Brooke said they were willing TO
take for what il was worth the statement
that the ballots were not properly counted
| by the board, but they were not willing 10
admit tnat the number OF ballots was cor
rect wnen the package left the Electoral
BOARD. but was wrong when II reached
! the Judges or election, as that committed
tnem 10 the presumption that the mas
sengcr nad tampercd with them.
rms again brought up the matter OF
MT CARROTS request that Judge BAR
nam should not SIT in the case Alr. Car
rett stated that he had never made any
agreement with counsel on tho other
side. tnat the correct count OF the bal
lots by tnc Electoral Board should be
| admitted. lie again gave his reasons for
having presented a petition asking Judge
! iiarnam not to sit IN the case. on ac-
| count or MS eN-otnclo connection with
the Electoral Board.
BUiu JUDGE AND JuKY.
Mr.. McKiord. I'm reply. held that the
question and answer was admissible:
! tnat the 1udge--wnc in this case was both
Judge ana lury-was entitled 10 hear
sycryinng which would shed any light
upon the darkness OF the ciecuOn-day OF
May zstn AIR. Blckford made a strong
speech I'm support OF ms position. lie de-
clared mat his opponents feared that IN
/ the investigation or what they called
mere irregularities" glaring frauds might
/ Dc exposed.
''rhev fear" he exclaimed. dramaticai-
/ iv. mat when we begin 10 take the
/ cover or or the rotten proceedings OF May
! gNtn a stencil will arise 10 heaven. They
fear that the bottom will drop out OF
| the nuckct ana the swill will be spilled
1 ask your Honor To remember that
fraud has been charged here-fraud that
before we get through. will bc burned
deeply into somebody's hide. The be-
ginning or the frauds was these l.00s
paliOts."
A CONUNDRUM.
! 1T is "A question. he continued. which
| is staring these election officials I'm the
race-wnere did those forty-fvc or six
additional ballots come frOm2 They didn't
INST grow as Topsy did. nor did they
| come fromY There is something rot
ten IN Denmark.
In conclusion. Mr.. Bickford said: 1--WE
ask tnar your Honor will not unduly
! manner us In this case. These swindling
rracftces cannot continue at the ballot
,ox ,vitnout danger TO our Institutions.
40 ,sk tnat YOU VIII ard m exposing this
MN which has been so seduously hid
! uen."
la the course OF his remarks. Mr..
| ~, ,o,1 Infatuated that the action and