The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-15

H.
hal been bounded down and persecu'eu'
ana tnar out Tor squire NincentS 'uous"'-
fitness would have been arrested pur-
nosely late at night and incarcera'eu III
jail ,ro ,ha, tho
II IS proper to state just mere 'nat .n9
facts I'm the case arc just tne reverse
of the above, as every one KNOWS
MIR. MONTAGUE.
Mr. rm Montague concluded the argu-
ment for the defence. lie MADE most
aarnest anneal TO the Justice not TO brand
noor svr.ie with the Scarlet Letter
lie nle,ded for a liberal Interpretation
of rho statute. which declares 'hdt ics
,etr,rs shall register voters at ANY pme
nrevious TO the regular registration oay'
ana declared that he did not oehe'e
- LEGISLATURE intended> that registrar
sbould give up the entire twenty ious
So,,rs in each day TO the registration oi
voters. J.. 1T, subiect
Mr. Montague warmed up to DIS Suplec'
. 10 ,roceedcd. The genius OF ora.oiS
coke within him and animated ms VIZ
- In ringing tones he declared INA.
~ .,,s nroud TO defend the ptlsonoi a.
,be bar and esteemed the same an no'o'
- ~ r,o,r on in the course OF ms re-
lie in order. possibly, to snow ~"
s.,.uN orc endeavors 70 punish eieo'iv"
-, -, under the present law, to cite tne
..soI 30 REGISTRAR Pettis, OF snumaNe'
e,,rc, which occurred Just pIlo'
aloo,ion dav in the Henrico SH0u,' .sts
A. Montague graphically aesei ~ cosno
.r,ol which he said ended III d a,,.io,
,,.,th n verdict adverse 10 lhe p'01~ on.
fronn twelve men. good ana u " vircent
cluded with an appear 10 t.,.,s name
not to put a brand upon ~ law and
no ~ o.osrlIv considering the laW' ",.'
peiOiS A. 20 the case under consluoi"-
Apply ~ D',rirg his address MI Moh'"s"s
uoil' ,,r,es mentioned the iacl t,'as
sevei"' ,,.ss M evidence against yo sytS
save and except tue
or & lour Wr Montague closed his arsu u,
nV" 1T was delivered WIN s''.'s
~ .ro ard energy. Captain "uis"n oa how
hIe anu n,- side lie was forceu' no"
clos7 ,roouently resume his sea' sna Smo
ever -, ,,hot patience he coulu W..
wait W. W. who frequently opJec.eu ~
Ni' a.,ooe delivered long auu'e'. ,.'II
MS u'',,o ronr, CAPTAIN Guigon was -,
To ti'c ..,errunted by the irequen' -
tuI o-ress Of spectators. ne ,J',. ~
gress am i,,o7ether we're very uniaNolts,"
u''lo"' snoakor. who however inn'ats all
10 's.,i,oi,ie command over "''''''
things considered. CIR
'''''7 STRANGE BOAST
-, heean by expressing ,hc
Cap'al" ao',orishnent that Mr' Nons,, ar
Hod alluded In a poas. poasl'.7.,tlo H7 for
que haH 20, mat those responslole "a
to tne - ~ shumaker's precinct '''''
~ w "nwhinned of justice, 49,, ,riena
gone .. he continued, my iiiV'
A''9 ,,nt he IS proud TO detenu '','o 40
s-yS Who Is on trial. II ne is ploS -
i'''s.' lS",S Mr. Svrcle. why dld ne ro' -
o',., tbat everything was proper o,,h
ried on at Smithers' preclnot on ,ndor
insto9d Of wrlthing and twis,ins ..,tnoss ~,
'.',r.,oee-examlnation while on inc
stand?" .a,, attention 10
the statement Of Mr.. hon,asuv ar,soner
the only testimony asains1 - ~ four
w, -, given in by three OF loui
'e9roos - I'm 30 doing. he stated US
.,,o.1,, that while he was as much oP-
,os.d n negro domination as any ohv
III De- Vet he recognized the equa'
.,,,f,s Of every citizen before the law
-. ho white or black. lie slorted III tne
90, .bat he was an Anglo-SaNon' ne
III ord because he was an Anglo-SaNoh
ho had no fear OF negro dominauon-a
bueboar. lOng since EXPLODED nc III
sisted that the veracity OF colored VII
ness. whose testimony was unlmpeach-
ed. was entitled TO as much cohslueIa-
ton as any white witress.
Continuing lie called attention to the
fact that four and possibly six witnesses
had testified against Syrcle. while only
one had given evidence In his favor.
There was only one witness In his
favor" said Captain Guigon, "and the
accused himself was as silent as the
grave. The defence ask. with one breath.
that an technicalities be dismissed and
the case he tried on its merits. and with
the next ask for the dismissal of the
case because the Commonwealth has
failed TO prove s~.ae technical point.
SAID liz WAS QUALIFIED.
ION the night OF the 9TH OF october "
continued Captain Guison, "Syscle tOid
Mos, jennings ana otness, VINO called at
Als house To be registered, tnat he was
not exactly qualified, Dut tney could come
back the following nlsnt. Iney went
back al the Time Indicated, ana ne tod
them that he was qualaed, but mad 10
blanks. Now. mat statement dispOses
OF tlc technical point; let the case be
decided on It's merits
Captain Gulgon tnen read the statute
register votes at ANY time priO. 10 cleo
tion-day. the law did not say. ne con-
tended that such registration sh )ull Oh y
taAe place between sunrise and suncet.
and il was fair TO presume that the
Legislature would have said that II they
lad meant IL. II was. therefore. the duty
OF the magistrate 10 put reasonable
construction upon the statute.
THE law does not say" ne continued
that blanks SHAfl. f. De used in taking
the registration oath. therefore, tAe
fact that Syrcle did not resiate. voters
because he had no blanks, tnl aosented
himself from home the following night
IS ouriuis tive testimony which mLst be
taken - showing evil inten..'
la cOrclvs.or. Captain GIis7n spoke Of
tn, opportunity which was now afforded
70 suIte a blow in favor % pur,y in
elections
Better for Il to so forth 10 the world" ."
ne said chat our elections arc fraudu-
lent. and that the people themselves have
risen and purided them. th tn tnt the
fieuds have been wlnked at ami Nlite
washed "
lie closed his argument. by urging n C
magistrate TO consider the case calmly
and 10 render a just verdict. Squire Ntn-
cent. after a moments consideration.
disnosed OF the case as above recorded.
and Syrcle was Immediately surrounded
is his friends and Congratulated heartily
upon his escape from punishment.
After courr adjourned II was stated that
th,te is great douat whether Syrcle has
ever legally Qualified TO act as registrar.
HIS qualification oath IS said 10 have been
taken In the city or Richmond before
Squire J. T. Lewis. who is justice C.,
the peace FOR the county. and may be
altogether invalid. In that case he Is