The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-03
Judge Witt Suggests
They Come Without
Formal Request.
MR.. WIN. II. ROYALL
HAS TAKEN HOLD
introduced to Court Yesterday
and Cordially Welcomed-The
Grand Jury to Be in Session
Many Days Yet-Rumors
Of Sensation Are @
Laughed At.

The grand jury Of the Hastings Court
mas been engaged for three days in poll
Ing The voters Of the several precincts
thus far considered In the iny estlgation
OF the recent primary, and during that
time has hoard hardly more than l,4Oo
OF the $500 voters OF the city. This is an
average Of about 40 per day. At this rate
s Il viii require at least seven more days
TO make an even partial poll Of all the
precincts OF the city. Instead OF making
more rapid progress with double sittings
daily, as was anticipated. the grand jury
yesterday did not hear as many witnesses
as on Monday In one session. II Is getting
more and more difficult apparently, in
stead of easier to secure the prompt
attendance of voters. AS a consequence
little was done yesterday afternoon. fur.
ther than the examination OF Messrs.
Held. Welch and Craig, OF the city treas
urers Office their testimony relating to
prepayment Of poll taxes On adjourn
rnent yesterday Foreman Taylor stated
that one Of The Jurors desired TO know
II the attendance OF City Treasurer Phil
lips could not be required by the court.
1t was stated that Mr.. Philllps's health
was so poor and his physical condition
so feeble that It would be difficult for
him to appear.
Yesterdays Features.
The feature OF the inquisitIon yester-
day were the Introduction Of Mr.. VII.
liam l.. Royal as special assistant to
commemorative Attorney Richardson: the
demand from the grand Jury room that
the sealed trunk containing the ballots
be brought UP from the trcasurers Of
1cn AN tEa rel .rnft NJ ir,u,
some startling disclosures were expected
from Second Lee precinct. Mr.. Royal
was introduced TO the court by the Com
observation-disclosures was welcomed
as an assistant to the Common wealth
by the court. He will have access to the
jury room and will exercise all the powers
OF the Commemorative attorney himself
in connection with the inquiry, as we'll as
2 in the trial OF any persons who have been
or may he Indie ted. Mr. Royal was not
in the jury room yesterday nor was Mr..
Richardson. save for brief interval. If
their services are desired by ;hc jury
they will be called In. AT present, how
ever. the jury appears to be engaged
in the poll Of voters as Ions rs any
present themselves. and when the line
has been completed any spare time Is
devoted to examining employees OF the
commissioned Of tho revenue and the
treasurer. This last examination can
relate only to the matter Of probable
violations OF the law with reference to
prepayment of poll taxes for voters by
candidates or their friends What has
been developed along this line Is mat
ter OF conjecture purely, since both grand
Jurors and witnesses decline to talk about
the matter.
Judge witt yesterday requested the
press to announce to all the citizens who
voted In tho recent primary that II they
fHV
NAL summons they will be heard whether
their precinct be reached or not. Those
who contemplate taking trips or outings
may thus save themselves Inconvenience
by tcstfylng now whereas II they await
the summons they may be prevented from
making contemplated excursions or busi-
ness trips at the time fixed. Any voter
from any precinct who has not yet been
summoned may testify to-day IL he will
present himself, and thus be rid OF tho
constant expectation of being summoned
and required to attend any time during
the next week.
Voters Testifying.
The precincts whose voters had been
summoned and many OF whom testified
Yesterday, were the following: Fourth
Monroe, 81 testified Of the 60 summonod;y
third Jefferson, 1870 testified ne the 80.
,ummone; fourth Jefferson. los testified
of tho 1e6 summoned. When It Is stated
that they testified 1t is meant that they
vore ushered into the jury room ana
presumably told the jury for whom tllcy
had voted for sergeant and atlorneS.tlt
was rumored on the outside TINT Two or
three Jefferson Ward voters declined "
Say how they had voted. some a,''us.rs an
Instances being related OF alleged ~ ~
swers to the grand jury's questions. me
no,,ine of voters started promptly ~
IN "A and was continued until ahout l:ao,
the entire line OF waiting voters NJ ti.ns
hour having been exhausted, " w
average about two-thirds OF the voters "
~ snveral precincts completed nave hp'
.,ao aared md tcstined the proportion being
slightly larger in some preelncl ., ~
Those summoned Tor to-day Include the
,r',ars of Third Clay, remainder OF
I,ourth jefferson and First and secoha
Marshall precincts. In addllloh 10 thrse
NV citizen from any precinct VINO nus
moi vet testified is requested by Juase
witt to come up and be heard
One of the witnesses who deposeo yes,
terday was Joseph Edwards, resident
and voter of Marshall Ward, VINO was
hefore the Jury for somo time. It is
moi known to what phase of the inquiry
his testimony had reference. 1t may be
that he appeared in order that he might
not have to be summoned later, AS his
preclnct has not been reached In the poll,
ii is considered unlikely that his EVIL
6ence related to that precinct or ward.
Wants Mr.. Solomon,
The grand Jury yesterday made special
request for the attendance Of MIR. Henry
rolomon, of Third Monroe precinct The
deputies have not been able to summon
MI. Solomon, so one of them stated yes
zcrday Other persons stated that he
was in the City Hall during the day.
II is presumed that he is desired as5 a
witness In connection with the election
In that precinct formerly investigated by