The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-25
.cHEATHAM INDICATED.
Charges Against Chesterfield j.
tice Not Substantiated.
Isnecial tn I-he TInes-p lspatch.


CHESTERFIELD,s VA, November "a
The motion for the removal OF Mr.. l.. ".
Cheutllam from the office Of Justice OF inc
neace for Manchester nlagisterial district,
in Chesterfield county, was given THOR
ough hearing In the Circuit Court Mon.
day before Judge Watson one OF
the charges OF "misfeasunce, MAJ leasance,
incompetency and gross neglect, aiesea
In the petitioners bill Of complaints, were
substantiated. and the evidence, when
was fully gone into. was rather a vindi-
cation Of Mr.. Cheathan's character ana
value as an officer. The Instances clteq
rho complaint of improper conduct and
decisions on the part of the justice were
not numerous, considering the large y UNI
Der of criminal cases he has to Try
monthly, nor were they of O very serious
chara cter.
Orc complaint was for excessive costs
imposed In an instance where a fine was
made; another for Diminishing Il case al
the cost OF the defendants, where no fine
or other punishment was imposed; a
third was for imposing a fine for an Of
tense committed within tho corporate linz
Its OF Manchester, and SO on
None of the conlplalnants' own testi-
mony, taken apart entirely from chat
of the defense, reflected on the personal
character and integrity OF Squire Cheat
ham, and tho errors alleged were rather
In tho nature of mistakes than otherwise.
The testimony for the complalnants
was all introduced before the recess for
dinner Mr.. Frank I. Sutton. ~. their
attorney, putting some eight or ten wit
uesses on the stand. In the afternoon
squire Cheatham was put on the stand
i1rst by his attorneys, Messrs. Wells and
Moore, and in q quiet, impassloned wa3V
no explained away everything damaging
In the charges alleged against him, In
the case oe excessive costs he had prompt
" offered to refund the money when
shown that a mistake had been made.
In the case where costs were Imposed
when the parties arrested We're dismissed,
the men were really found guilty Of tres
pass on the lands Of a MI. Dayie, but at
| the request OF the prosecution they were
simply warned to keep Oef the premises
| In the future, and made to ray tho costs
OF the prosecution.
In tho case of filming NJ - Burton for
being abusive to Policemen Watts in the
city OF Manchester, 1t was found that the
warrant charged that tie Eoffense was
committed In the couriy OF Chesterfield,
and that tho defendant at the trial made
no protest against being tried In this
county, A dog IN the possession of Mr..
Burton had been annoying the people liY-
ing Just outside the corporation, and the
affair with Policeman Watts grew out
OF the oHcer tePstpseN tWI'Hl'ss w no
owner or keeper on account OF COM
plants made to him. Policemen Watts
and farrell and others testified in Squire
| Cheathamis favor, and the case was fin-
ished soon after 3 IN the afternoon.
The court. In summing up the evil
dence in the case and rendering u deci-
| sion admonished Mr., Cheatham IN some
particulars and as TO teclmicalities, but
| In 30 way censulsd him, and declined to
grant the motion for his. removal from
! office. s3 "