The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-30
THE NIGHT SESSION.
Mr.. sebrell and Colonel Cabell
Speak Ably for Dey Faction.

| 1t was $50 o'clock when the commit
tee was again called to order. Mr.. J, N
Sebrell, Jr, of counsel for the contestees,
! took the floor to open the argument on
behalf of the administration or Dcy fac
| ton.
After a very clear presentation OF what
| he would attempt to establish, Mr.. Sc
brell took up the record In the case and
| made a very effective dissection of the
| ties tiinony OF somc OF the witnesses In
| troduced by the contestants. He attacked
| the evidence of some of the witnesses,
establishing tho fact that they were close
friends and in some cases well known
| political adherents of leaders of the Dey
faction lie contcnded that various wit
nesses whom he specified had been
| prompted in their testimony, and We're
! so lazy in their recollection that they
| could not say for whom they voted with
absolute certainty.
MI Sebrcll contended that IN the eff
fort TO prove that bogus tally-shects.
had been produced, contestants had de-
pended OH the memory Of Witnesses
| months after the election. rather than
upon the records kept by sworn officers
OF election. The attorney with great
mnutencss pointed out inaccuracies in
Inconsistencies and defects in the testi-
mony Of we'll known witnesses for the
contestants. One Of these witnesses had
Testified that he voted, but later cor
rectcd himself and declared that he had
| not voted. He cited the case of one man
| who deposed for the contestant, and who.
he said. was now in jail in Norfolk for
theft. There were many others, said the
speaker the weight OF whose testimony
would be greatly deprecated if their
testimony were heard as uttered, or If
their records were ventilated. Mr.. Sebrell
| cited the cases Of some or tho most
reputable and reliable citizens who had
| given testimony and then admitted they
were mistaken, tending to show that
many of the best OF contestants wit
nesses were honestly mistaken.
The attorney attacked the evidence adj
duced by the contestants questioning the
| genuincness or the tally-shects produced
before the committee. lie contended that
the order in which names were recorded
on the taly-shcets was strong proof
| of the genlineness OF the taly-sheets
rather than OF their falsity. He argued
plnusiby that the deponcnts were mis-
taken as to the hour at which they
| voted.
Asked Some Questions.
Mi Echols asked Mr.. scbrcll as to the
confession of Witness Thomas referred
was custodian of tho tally-shcets.
Answering the first question the at
torncy charged that Thomas, a judge
OF election. had admitted he stole, and
that he further admitted perjury. The
speaker intimatcd that Thomas had prof
tied financially by his testimony In ho-
hall OF contestant and broadly insin-
uated that the man had been bribed. Re-
plying to the second question, tho at
tcrncy stated that Captain w. w. Dey
had been tie custodian of the tally sheets
after the election.
Mr. s'cbrcll charged that the contest
ant had failed to introduce his own tally
sheet. although he had attacked the gem
unei1tss of the official sheets. lie gave
contestants credit for flfty-siS votes i'm
properly recorded votes, instead Of fifty
ientlon TO the fact that all of these were
not improperly recorded Is to all candi-
dates, but only as to one or two. Mr..
Scnrell laid stress OH the fact that OF tho
fifty six who arc claimed to have been
improperly recorded, only four voted In
the regular election, and one who WAS
n candidate, Ind admitted he voted the
Republican ticket In the regular election
The attorney, taking up the figures
clnimcd by contestants in the First Ward
contended that If every word of contest
ants testimony we're admitted tho good
government candidates would still have
a majority, though somewhat reduced
Several of the Trehy candidates In other
wards would, he admitted, be elected, ac-
ccrling TO contestants Figures. In the
Sixth Ward, he declared, he result would
NOT be affected, II every word of con-
tcstani's testimony were accepted
You cant throw out but one ward,
and that's the Fourth, IL You accept all
contestants testimony IN the Sixth
and seventh Wards the result Will not
be affected In any way said Mr., Sc
brell,
rho speaker closed at 1913 o'clock, af-
ter speaking for one hour nnd thirty-siN
minutes net, This left his associate,
Colonel cabell one hour and twentyrfour
minutes.
Colonel Cabell Speaks.
Colonel Cabell opened with an express
sio,. o. regret that he must speak at
night wnen after the country members
had eaten a hearty meal they must be
sleopy, especially as they were used TO
retiring enrly. He deprecated The fact