Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-16
GEN. WALKERS CONTEST
His Counsel Now Taking Testimony in the
Case al Richmond.
Evidence That Both Sides Resorted
to Illegal Practices I'm the
Celebrated Fight.

Col. Abe Fulkerson, General James A.
Walkers counsel, is here taking dispositions
in the contest with Judge w. F. Rhea for
the seat IN Congress from the ninth dis
trict.
Col. Fulkerson took the deposition of
young medical student, who at the time of
the election was student in Bristol, Va,
and voted there, though under age. The
young man testified that he was pressed
to register and importuned to vote, being
told that it was customary for students to
register and vote in Bristol, and that he
did both without questions being asked by
the election officers. He stated, however,
that he voted for General Walker instead
of for Judge Rhea, as he said his tempters
expected he would do. Therefore, the depo-
sition lost a vote for General Walker.
Col. Fulkerson believes that Gen. Walker
lost hundreds of votes in Bristol alone by
irregularities in registration and voting,
and he hopes by a preponderance of evil
dence of the voters themselves to overcome
the almost impossible task of laying bare
the alleged crookedness of the election Off
GERS.
So far only the Walker witnesses have
been examined, and much time is being con-
sumed At Bristol Gen. Walkers counsel
have frequently protested against the
lengthy cross questioning of their wit
nesses by the opposing counsel, charging
forty days allowed for the examination be-
fore getting into the merits of the case.
IRREGULARITIES on Both Sides.
Irregularities have been shown on both
sides, and the democrats at Lebanon. Rus
sell county, got both comfort and amuse-
ment out of the testimony of the republi-
man manager Of that precinct, who testi-
fed that he was furnished the money to buv
votes, and that he did buy a number, and
would have bought more, but could not tell
after he paid the money whether he or the
democrats got the votes
Gen. Walkers friends give the democrats
credit for more shrewdness than this and
charge that the democrats had a regular
system Of buying votes and identifying
them, too, Notwithstanding the seeming
difficulties surrounding the Parker election
law.
The method charged is that there was
an understanding between the precinct
workers on the outside and the marker of
ballots at the booths. A voter would be
promised 81 for his vote, and furnished with
a short blue pencil with which to mark his
ballot, the understanding being that he
was to call on the marker to mark it for
him. This the marker would do, and then,
as if by accident. he would break the point
off the pencil. The voter would return to
the cashier and get the price of his vote
the broken point of the pencil in his hand
being evidence to the money holder that
the vote was cast right
Many other ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain are laid at the doors of the
democratic managers, but they return the
compliment and even charge that most of
the reprehensible acts were performed by
the other side. e a
The evidence so far rather goes to show
that the hOnorS easy; but then the
democrats had most of the election machin-
cry and had the greater Opportunity for
fraud and, as the alleged fraud was COM
mitted by democrats, Gen. Walker expects
o hAc pyriI GTf.a WIN lafr rt-it-
nesses are placed on thesstand.n So far only
republicans have testified.
Denied EIection Records.
Gen. Walker had great trouble in getting
evidence in Bristol, because both the regis
tration and poll books were denied him for
examination. The supreme court of Viz
ginia was appealed to and an order was is
sued giving him access to the registration
books.
At Gate City. in Giles county, very much
the same conditions existed as at Bristol
and Gen. Walker expects TO secure valuable
evidence there.
At Big Stone Gap it is charged that he
lost at least seventy-five votes by the He
gal method of a registrar, who registered
miners on loose slips of paper and then
failed to make any record on the registra-
ton books.
Gen. Walker is very determined in his
contest, and is going Oh with the investiga-
ton with tireless energy; but to the eye of
an impartial observer he seems to have
made little Roadway.
Judge Rhea's friends largely discount the
claims of fraud made by Gen. Walker and
seem little disturbed for fear that he will
lose his seat,
If half that is charged is true, a search
ing investigation is needed to clear the
political atmosphere in the ninth district,
and Gen. Walkers contest may strike
telling blow at an election law that is fruit
full of fraudulent practices, if it does not
a