The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-22
A COUNTY JUDGE ON TRIAL.
Delegate Buford Gives in Detail His
CHARGES Against Judge TurnbuIl
BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
MIR. Buford Explains at Length His kea
sons for Chargingi the County Judge OF
brunswick with Betraying Finan-
cIal Trusts--To BE CToss-Examined.

| investigate lHe cHdfbtS pltAtlitu ~ 49,
f. T.. Bufcrd, Of brunswick, on the floor
OF the House against Judge y. 5. Turn
bull. OF that county, met last
night. The session was called for
| $50 O'Clock in the Senate cham
Der, but there was some delay. on ac-
| count OF the late arrival Of some OF the
witnesses from that county. -Four OF the
members Of the House committee W. e
absent. having returnd 20 their respective
homes for the holidays. They We're Juas
| watkins. of Prince Edward Berrey, OF
stafford; Settle, OF Rappahannock' anu
| Thomas. OF Clarke ard Warren.
The members present were Senators
Bovkin. of Islo OF Wight chairman;
Morris. OF Albemarle Letcher, OF ROCK
bridge; Maynard. OF Portsmouth; FAIRFAX,
Of Ioudoun and Jefries, OF Culpeper' anu
Delegate Reddy, OF this city, and Barley
OF Alexandria.
For fully three hours the committee
listened 10 Mr.. Buford's explanation CIV
ing the Details OF the charges against
Judge Turnbull. The committee hhaily
adjourned until this morning at loO
o'clock. when Mr. Buford will be cross
examined by Senator Flood. Of Appomat-
tox. who was present as friend OF Judge
Turrbull. -
INVESTIGATION BEGINS
II was 9 o'clock when Colonel Boykn
called the committee 10 order, and briefly
stated the objct OF the meeting He then
asked Mr. Il. T.. Buford, who was present
If be had prepared the charges and specl-
ncatOns.
Mr.. Buford replied in the affirmative. and
submitted a very yoluminous document.
4. II
stated that the resolution calling Tor tho
Investigation had been adopted on De-
cembcr 18th. but that for various reasons
the annOuncemeIt as to the session OF the
committee could not be made until Mon
day. lie hal then no time TO thoroughly
prepare himself. lie had made out list
OF witnesses. which he handed 10 MT.
Berrey. but that gentleman was absent.
He desired 10 have an opportunity 10 bring
witnesses here and 10 submit other pa
pers. which he had at his office az home.
lie. therefore. asked that the final report
Of the committee be postponed until after
Christmas.
Senator Flood stated that his friend.
Judge Turnbull. was ready 10 proceed, and
had brought number OF witnesses here.
AIr. Buford should have been fully pre-
pared to prove his charges. for after the
discussion in the caucus last week it was
perfectly clear to everybody that tho in
vestigation would take place He. there
fore. asked that the case be proceeded
with. and continued until it was con-
cluded
After some further discussion on tho
subject the investigation was taken up. ana
Mr.. Buford read his charges against Judge
Turnbull which were as follows;
THE CHARGES.
IL. EftrH fa fnrnrnnfpnf
as a lawyer 10 preside IN court OF
| justice.
"Second-After having been licensed for
more than fifteen years he has not one
client that I am aware or.
"Third-Hc has never argued a propo-
sltion OF law I'm any court that I ever
heard of and ! question whether he has
ever done So
"Fourth-After having executed two
deeds OF trust upon tract OF land.
thereby creating liens upon II I'm excess
Of its value he sold a part OF this land
To an illiterate man. with general war
ranty Of title. The deeds OF trust were
afterwards f0reclosed the purchaser lost
his land with the improvements, and this
Judge has not paid one cent OF the dam
ages awarded by the Circuit Court.
"Fifth-In tho hduciary character Of
commissioner Of the Circuit Court i'm GER
tain chancery suits which came 10 him
from his fathers practice he IS con-
fcssed dofaulter.
"Sixth-Tn tho case or Baskerville
against Clayton pending IN the said Cir
emit Court. he was appointed commits
siOner 10 sell real estate for tho payment
~ liens ilc sold tho land and failed 10
rcp0rt his sales although requested time
after time 10 10 so. and az length. under
c0mpuisicn of o decree Of the court re-
ferring 10 n commissioner 20 enquire how
much money he had received. no was
forced 10 admit n balance against him
self ~ about 500. all of which al that
time Ycar 1892 n my memory serves mel
he had appropriated. and tho greater part
of which has not been paid.
MADE 80 REPORT.
"Siyth-Tn the consolidated suits ~
Morgan e. McIlwaine Ys Blrraud and
Harrison va. COO~c he was appointed
commissioner 10 sell real estate for the
payment OF debts. The decree authorized
him 20 sell n Parcels. He sold several
parcels but failed 10 make any report.
although requested from time 70 time 20
do so.
At length. at the January term. 1897
"a decree was rendered requiring him 10
settle before n commissioner In chancery
an account Of his Transactions and on the
9th Of March he appeared before the
commissioner and reported that he had
collected only 1859. Al the April term
another decree was rendered, under which
the purchasers were summoned before the
commissioner and they showed BY his
receipts that they had paid him Ss59.47, in
stead OF the 1869 reported by him,
showing "A difference OF S362.0s he had ap-
propriated and failed 10 account for.
"Sixth-On the 10Th day Of June the
question OF letting 10 one c. s. Barrow
the building OF a bridge across Motto
way river was pending In the County
Court. Considerable opposition was be-
ing made by one OF the superyisors-elect
10 the building OF the bridge. This SUI
pervis0r through the Attorney for the
Commonwealth. moved Tor a continuance
OF the case 70 the July term. which
the judge agreed %.
ION the goth OF June (the 2sth. as ap-
pears from the date OF the order book
this c. 5. Barrow held some interview
with the Judge. An order was there
upon entered closing the contract with
Barrow. on July 3D., the Court was ad-
journed for the term, making the con-
tract with Barrow final And this I'M
pecuniOus Judge. who pretenis now and
here 20 be striving 20 pay his debts i'm
medately set out for Virginia Beach. or
some other resort. The fact afterwards
appeared that he had had a pecuniary
transaction with this c. $. Barrow on
that indentical Sd OF July and transfer
red 10 Barrow an unedrned fourth OF his
salary as Judge. These orders were en-
tered TO the prejudice OF the county. In
the absence of the Commonwealth Attor-
nay. who was attending meeing or the
state Board OF Public Works that week.
"Seyenth-His rulings are often vici-
ously martial. | am constrained fur
ther 10 say that the statements which
secured for him the caucus nomination
greatly misled the gentlemen OF the eau
MIR. MORRIS RETIRES.
Mr. Buford after reading the charges,
aoain Insisted that II was necessary for
bIr, 10 obtain some papers which he kept
at home so as TO refresh his memory and
make him accurate In the statement OF
dates and facts especially I'm regard to