Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-15
CyRCLE NOT GUILTY.
v,crsrRArE VINCENT DrsMussEs
rur WARRANT AGAINST HIM.
gss Exclusively ARGUED.
r,o Prosecution Failed TO Prove
,tc Charge Against the Registrar,
md the Justice Had TO Discharge
Vim.



r.. syrcic registrar at smithers
Precinct in Hnrlco. has again. and for
ts tfrI time. thwarted his prosecutors
.- fe lccal proceedings brought against
,.., tv the anu-Dcmocratic leaders.
,.r.strlte Vincent. who has been oc-
....I Tor nearly q week in hearing the
.... r.rs case. rendered his decision
r....r.v afternoon, discharging syrcle
on tna grounds that the prosecution had
..t introduced evidence 10 prove that
., Was registrar 40 smither's Precinct.
ALI OF yesterday was devoted TO argu-
,...t FOO which an five Of the lawyers
r tho case participated Alr. Barton
b. WISE opened the argument and spoke
,.r about fifteen minutes. making a
-.-.ral dissertation on the evils OF cleo
,.r frauds. and declared that nothing
,-.-.,sl 20 such AN extent to bring our
-....e into disrepute i'm the North as
GIL such cases as this.
ra JUsTlS MAKES CHARGES.
40. Jusds replied to Mr.. Wise. and
boz tte outset asserted that there were
frauds n the North as we'll as ia the
south. and that the court shouldn't be
I.. OF ly the idea that this was an at
Dammit ol the part OF certain people TO
I'D. virginia from the grasp OF those
,Hn DRAG its good name In the mud.
A. J.st7 asserted chat the whole case,
.e d. matter @. fact was am EFFORT TO
.rle the lght for the election OF
-.... Lewis over Captain Lamb. and
r.t ma prosecution OF Syrcle was sim
..r being carried on with a view TO
Securing evidence TO be used in a con-
t..t 90 Doe made by Judge Lewis for the
..t awarded 10y the people 10 Captain
l--l
Sin Jcsus oxhaustively discussed the
Oh. lance ZOO the case. and taking The
ground that air. syrcle was not qualified
-l ster voters when Moss Jennings
..-.l Tor registration. asserted that
-I. roseclton had not introduced any
evidence so show that he was
,r $50. H Beveridge followed Mr.. JUS
Oh. and after severely arraigning Mr..
r.....u Treat. who sWore out the warrant
DID,. r.lul SIR syrclo was arraigned, went
... . Hi-. Iss.ln OF the evidence in the
... s..ta- forth at some length that no
.el .ros had been introduced by the pros
...tu. tJ show that Syrcle was guilty
.. charged .u the wSrraut. He grew elo-
9..r- AS he proceeded and in grandiio-
....t r.ioIltion made an appeal for
o.. a.Iut.a of his client
--r Montague closed for the defence
r . lr.t argument and made a strong
.rrI u behalf of syrcle. who he con-
t-..I had not committed the crime
. barred against him.
TIC case was concluded by Mr.. Guigon,
AT In. ia.
II r.t been placed on the stand, was
o- 70 t0 order boy Mr. Justis. Considera-
Dr.. H.1tti argument then ensued, but was
Iy ogieted 10y Mr. Guigon's admis-
..l t-at he shouldn't have referred TO
fact and his withdrawal of his re-
ur.. l that capacity.
THE DECISION.
When 1Ir Guigon concluded. Mr.. Vim
c... announced his decision. as follows:
u have followed the testimony in this
..s a we'll as the argument with most
- attention. All the principal facts
ta case are distinct in my memory.
s has been the most disagreeable case
J. .Fs ever tried. though L have been
tying cases right along for seventeen
r..-. J believe the majority Of the Re
cans and sOuud-money people think
.I..a ought 20 be convicted because he
. 90 sympathy with the silver men, and
tr t-t reason the silver men think he
..-ll to be discharged. In these feel
nes ! have no share I have tried to
discs. my mind of all partisan feelings
... have succeeded. In my opinion, the
registrar can be guilty Of wilfully falling
. .-.ter The plaintiff without having
.e would not. i do not know what
r.g le done in this case IN the future,
a therefore. I shall make no COM
Ilts rr express any opinion. The i'm
fe- renee with the right Of registration
B.. a .r.ls act. and O. mans registration
preliminary TO his being enabled
On exercise The right Of suffrage. 1 shall
l-. this case just as though the de-
PENDANT was of the highest social charac-
t.- There has not been introduced
particle Oh evidence 90 show that Syrcle
Var tta registrar at Smither's Precinct,
a.L chat being the case, 1 dismiss the
r.uart.'
sr.a was heartily congratulated as
.. I..- Tie courtroom.