Smyrna times., 1899-05-03
IMPORTANT POLITICAL TRIALS.
Indictments to be Settled by the Kent
County Court This Week.

Indictments to be Settled by the Kent
County Court This Week.
The daily papers were full of Incl
dents, suppOsitiOns, &c, last week, in
connection with the Kent County Court
and the important political trials that
were to come before it.
The indictment of Mr.. Hegeman in
connection with a forged entry on
bill Is referred to in another article.
These cases are to be tried this week
after the regular court work is passed
upon. 1t was last week an unusually
hustling season IN Dover, about 250
summoned witnesses in attendance,
mostly Ill connection with the bribery
or registration caseS-a sort of drag
net that pulled in men prOmiscuOusly.
The man against whom the main eff
fort was directed was DIR. T. c.. Moore
of this town, "Pete" w. Downs being
placed with him in the indictment. 1t
appears that Notwithstanding the num-
erOus witnesses summoned only two
or three men as per the papers have
testified that their registration fee was
paid by other than themselves, and
they are persons whose words have no
weight in the community.
! CASE AGAINST DAVIS.
The grand jury returned true bill
against Representative Mark L. Davis,
charging him with bribery. The
grand jury found the bill against Mr..
| Davis on Lattomus' testimony alone.
This narrowed the case down to ques-
tiOn of veracity between the two Rep
resentatives.
The first count in the indictment al
leges that ON February %, 1899. he Of
fere Representative Francis H. Latto-
mus $5, 600 to vote for j. Edward Ad-
dicks for United States Senator.
The second count alleges that Davis
offered to wipe out a So, 900 mortgage
| on LattOmus' farm if the latter would
vote for j. Edwards Addicks for
United States Senator.
The third count alleges that he of
fered to Mary A. Lattomus, wife of
Representative LattOmus, S5, 600, if her
husband would vote for j. Edward Ad-
dicks for United States Senator.
DAVIS ACQUITTED.
The trial of Mark L. Davis came to
an end yesterday with his acquittal.
The jury, which was composed of
nine Democrats and three Union Re
publicans, took one ballot. Immed-
Ao1OAy dAlCA ACtll lLS ~ L. IL . ClOCh III
the afternoon they reviewed the testi-
timony, after which the ballot was
taken, and every man voted for acquit-
tai. When the verdict was announced
Mr.. Davis friends hastened to where
he was sitting and congratulated
him.
Attorney General White and Deputy
AttOrneyGeneral Peter l.. Cooper, Jr.
conducted the prosecution, while Her
bert H. Ward was associated with Wal
ter II. Hayes as counsel for Mr.. Davis.
Attorney-General Whites closing ad-
dress to the jury was full of impas-
stoned invectiye, and an urgent appeal
to stop the flood tide of corruption IN
the State.
SHORT.
Representative VIM. 2. Short, OF
Dagsboro, was charged with an at
tempt to bride Representative John 7.
Wagamon. Owing to the weak testi.
mony of Representative Wagamon the
case was ignored.
HEGEMAN.
Hegeman is a newspaper man and
was formerly editor Of the DeIaWart
Record, at Harrington. During the
closing days of the late General Assem-
bly,, he was retained by Secretary Ken
ney in the absence of Reading Clerl
Baxter. 1t was then that he became
connected with the snake gambling
bill, which connection brought about
the result of finding trial bill by the
grand jury. He was arrested by Sher
iff Wharton at Laurel, on Wednesday
night, bail denied him, and remained
.. in the custody of the Sheriff until the
time set for his trial, yesterday.