Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-10
REV. c. G. COLLINS GUILTY
Convicted Of Giving Alfred Henry One
Dollar, with Which to Register.
COURTS CONCLU SION UNANIMOUS
Sentence: $1,000 Fine and Six
e Months In jail.
FIRST CASE UNDER NEW CONSTITUTION

Dover, Nov. 4.4Chief Justice Lore,
this morning, rendered the following
decision in tho case of the Rev.
Charles G. Collins colored, charged
with violating the registration laws,
Charles q. Collins, you are charged,
in tho information now before us, with
giving to one Alfred Henry, In South
Murderkill hundred, in this county,A
81, the amount Of his registration feel
thereby unlawfully using money to inl
hnence and induce him to be registered
as a qualified eector in the Eighth
election district of this county, on
September 18th last
"Your case has been heard by thd
court, sitting under the new Constitu,
ton as judges both OF the law and the
facts, without the intervention of al
Jury. The testimony in the case has
been heard by us not only in open
court, but the official stenographic res
port thereof has been carefully reviewed
and examined by each of us. After
the most thoughtful consideration, we
have been unable to arrive at any other
conclusion than that Of your guilt. Wei
therefore, have all adjudged you to be|
guilty Of the offence as charged against
you in the information. We have
reached this determination from thsv
testimony before US, which only wei
may consider in such cases. i
Section z of article 5 of the Con-
stitution, which went into effect on
June 10th, 1897, relating to election
bribery, under which this information
was framed, defines several of such
offences, among them the one with
which you are charged. In order to-
adapt the penalty to the offence in each
particular case, the Constitution gives
q liberal discretion to the court, rang
ing from fine of not less than 500
nor more than 5000, or Imprisonment
for term of not less than one MONTH
nor more than three years, or both fine
an imprisonment, at the discretion of
the court. In this instance, we will,
not impose the extreme penalty. You'll
may have had no corrupt motive inI
| giving Henry the money; you may havel
intended merely to furnish the mone,d
needed by him for his registration, blu
so jealousy has the Constitution
guarded the purity of elections tina
even such action is within its terms
and Just enforcement of its provisions
even to that extent is necessary to pre-
won't unlawful interference with thty
freedom and purity of elections inl
| biilS Dtdte. Inc court mas uelern1fneO'
your sentence after giving the most
charitable construction to your conduct.
4 "This is the first case under the new
Constitution, and. therefore, one. Of
great interest and Importance. We
take occasion now to emphasize this
point-that it is the intention Of the
court jealously to guard, and vigorously
to enforce, the constitutional provisions
respecting elections, to the end that
hereafter free and equal elections may
be had. Tho sentence of tho court is
that you forfeit and pay fine of 81, 600,
that you be imprisoned for the term oil
six months, commencing on this day
and ending on May Sd, 1869, and that
you pay the costs of the prosecution,
and you are now committed to the
custody of the sheriff until this sentence
is carried into execution. "a