The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-23
The NEWPORT NEWS MAYORS
The Evidence In and the Case Nearly
Concluded.
A LAWYERS STARTLING TESTIMONY.
lie Claims That the Regular hePuD'''""
Vote Was Cast for Post, Which Nu"-
her. Twice as Many a. lie hecei'e"'
a, This Counsel Claim fraud
,stan corresDondence)

The contested citll4vN
80 Moss ls nearly concluded All the
....,i.,.... b.. been taken. and to-noIfo"
sr..nuient will begin. Inc
4,-.Itl,-- be submitted tO-hioi'""
This case has been hoH5 -
throughout. and attorneys Oh po1"
have earned thcIr Tees. .,,.,,.5
,rhs most important evidence
to-Jav was the statement OF ~. L. &c -
il ,olored lawyer. that the reg -ia' ~ a.,
80. rartv had cast It's vote LOT al
-" -" 49,. second ward. outside ln-
Inv develops tie fact that the strength
III ,ota WAS about one hundred ana
fortv-uearlv .caicc as many votes ass MI
posi- received there Ills counsei e'+4"
t,st 7his is conclusive evidence tha1
fraud was committed.
TESTIMONY REs UMED.
Mr. q. p.achy was recalled 80 the
stand when court opened this moID4"H'
f,., ,.s,i,oonv went 10 show that Mount
castle WAS perfectly soper on eie-Sl""-
la Mav zsth. aud that he did not,
-, lar - witness could see. tctco Hin-
-.it IN the voters. Mr. ftdcny sala
mat The Republican party in Newport
N-vs was divided into t~o factions TO
one of which he belonged. ana thdl l"eie
o.as no hapublicAn candidate up lor
Afsvor IL belns generally understood that
All Republicans would support NiI- NOSE.
Mr. Peachv went on TO say tha' IL
VA, determined 20 vote for Mr.. MOSS De-
cause il had been understood th~t al. .
Post was furnishing money 10 tO'Ohe a.
CLAY to influence Republican voters ana
that his party thought that money "oulu
be used TO his OPeachy - detrimeht, ne
bcine a candidate for Common"eaIlH >
Attorney.
After short cross-eNamlnauoh N''
Peachy admitted that he was not cIose
enough TO swear whether Mountcasue
forced himself on voters or not.
BEATING THE BUSH.
L. j. SAMSON was put on the STAND
and testified that Mr.. Moss receiver Il
great deal of support from the coloIeu
Repuhlicans lie said he based inns pe-
lief that such was the case from wnat
he had heard around the polls on the gay
Of election The witness in answer
10 further questions said that he was
soneN What given 10 joking, anu was hol
sure that some OF his statements on
ON the stand were not plcasantriei-
The witness. after much beating about
tLe buen. finally admitted that De had
told Mr. Lett that he believed that be
(Sausom) had been elected justice OF ihe
peace. but had been cheated ont or IL.
Mr.. J.. St George Wilcox was next
called. Tie testified that he did not see
Mountcastle force himself upon voters on
elsction-day.
Mr.. j. II. Evans, one OF the judges OF
election. was again put on the stand j..
The pon-books were again produced III
court. and the witness identiied ms
handwriting in a certificate I'D the nacN
of one of them. This. be SAID. was
made ont bv him on the night OF elcc-
to, THE certificate in the other book.
he stated. was made ont before the
commissioners OF Election. From the
testimony OF this witness. 10 appeared
that the time OF the signing OF names by
the Judges and clerks differed great
deal SONS subscribing the night or cleo
ton and others the day following.
CORRECTED THE POLL~BOOkS.
Mr.. NJ. II. King. one OF the Com
missioners OF Election, was next called.
lie testified that the Commissioners OF
Election met at the courthouse after
the election TO canvass the returns, that
they found some errors IN the pOl-DOOks
of the Second ward, aud corrections
were made. The witness Was unable
to say just what those corrections We're.
lie thought that there were some cOrrec-
| tious made in most OF the books.
a. H. Monring next took the stand. lie
was one Of the commissioners OF election,
but did not arrive IN time TO be present
! at fhe canvass OF the returns. lie was ua'
able therefore, 10 give any Information.
Mr. T. c. Powell came next lie testi-
fed that he was a defeated Republican
candidate for Commissioner or Revenue
I'm the Second Ward lie id not consider
Mountcastle to have been drunk and did
not zee him force himself Oh eny candi-
dates.
THE PAY or CLERKS.
Mr.. Blckford: Didn't you offer Gres-
ham s. TO serve as clerk OF elecuOn?"
If did not"
Upon Mr. Bickfcrds pressing the ques-
tion the witness explained that IL had
been Impossible 20 get clerks 10 act Tor
81 a day. that the law allowed. lie had
| eNerted himself 10 get clerks, and mad
been commissioned by Or. Crawford 10
oner Gresham 500
"What Was Or. Crawford doing here?''
asked Mr. Bickford.
81 don't know
Wasn't he working in the interest OF
| Mr.. smith,
The witness admitted that he thought
be was here for that purpose After STAT
News Democratic Club. the witness gave
place to Mr. :. L. Harwood, a brother OF
the chief Of police, and an ex-ofiicer On
! the police force herr. His testimony was
10 the effect that there was nothing wrong
about the election AZ tho Second Ward
! and that MOuntcastlc did not misbeh have
NO ROOM FOR WITNESSES.
Mr. II. Il. Monrlng. who served as judge
OF election I'm the Third Ward. was re-
called 10 the stand. He testified that no
representatives OF any party We're admit
ted TO watch the canvass Of the vote IN
| this ward. They were not admitted he
said on account Of lack OF room. not
because the judges wanted 20 DO anything
wrong The witness said that the judges
and clerks were in a little horse-car IN
| the back of a she'd and there was no room
| 10 spare
"Did you vote for Mr.. Moss" asked
Mr. Bickford.
II did" replied the witness.
After a few more questions Wyatt
Roane. who was one Of the judges IN the
Second ward was put on the stand FOR
The third time 10 testify IN regard "a
the time that the certificates OF election in
| the backs Of the poll-bo0ks were signed
lie stated that he had failed 10 sigr
one OF the books on the night OF cleo
| ton bv an oversight. and not because
he thought II incorrect. He testified that
/ the certificates had been filed in be-
fore he signed
AFTER a RECESS
recess was AIKEN at This point until
| O'Clock, while missing witness was
! hunted up When cou-T reconven,s
Peter Allen (cOored) was rut on tn
stand. He testified that he had acted a.
1