The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-25
ALLEGED TO HAVE
VIOLATED THE LAW
Grand Jury Summons All Voters o'tt'e'rs
Of Third Monroe : Precinct--Af in 1:--,fA.
Violation Of Law There is
suspected-Thl,,e:' he Vote 5 3 of q.
First Jefferson 3
Precinct.

K Tho announcement II yesterday in 8
signed statement by Mr.. Alfred B. Will
llams, editor of the Richmond News
Leader. that he had paid twenty. five
dollars to a man who worked In behalf OF
Colonel George Wayne Anderson for Com
monwealth's attorney In the recent prl.
mary at the first precinct OF jefferson
ward, caused profound lntorest5in poll iucal
and official circles. Tho letter and the
frank, manly statement of Mr.. Williams
we're tho subject Of almost universal dis
cusslon and comment last night ana latfe
yesterday afternoon. a variety OF
opinions were expressed as to the probable
action Of the grand jury IN the matter,
but all these are the merest speculation.
There Is practically unanimous agree
ment that Mr.. Williams has made a
manly, brave and thoroughly frank and
unreserved sta tement of his action, which
4 he believed and still believes to tie en-
tirely legitimate. Even those who ex-
pressed the belief that his action In re-
munerating precinct worker was q yio-
Tlnton Of the law, added to 1t the adms-
sion that Mr.. Williams had been open,
In his action and had given every evil
dence that he did not intend any infrac-
5tion Of the statute. MI it #33 III
q The man to whom Mr. Williams paid
Samuel Godstein an enploye Of the city
Z ola nj nc II Ia rt nj 1E
service was rendered for the money is
Eattested by the fact admitted BY Mr.. WAL
liams, that precinct believed to be
{agalnst Colonel Anderson returned a plu-
8rnllty for him. Mr.. Williams emphasizes
Gthe fact that Colonel George Wayne An-
derson had no intimatlon Wha tower OF his
act, which was without the candidates
knowledge or even suspicion. The COM
Splete exoneratlon of Colonel Anderson
& from any suspicion Of the matter either
before the act or thereafter, Is very
gratifying to that gentleman friends.
Voters Before Grand Jury. 8
u & Tho other matter Of greatest interest
before the grand Jury yesterday was the
action taken with reference to the In
vestigatlon Of the vote in the third pre-
icinct OF Monroe Ward. 1t was officially
announced that all the voters of that
lpreclnct-2O1 In number--will be sum-
moned to appear before the grand jury
to-day. and possibly tomorrow t tho
entire list shall not havo bee nexan-5
incd by night. Tho object of summon
Ing the voters is understood to be to
ascertain whether all OF those voted
who arc returned as having cpst ballots,
and. II possible. for whom they voted
Every one OF them who Is in the city
will have to 20 before the jury and un-5
dergo exnmlna tion, but It is q question
whether or not thoy will tell for whom
they voted. Good lawyers express the
conviction that no man can be required
to state for whom ho voted unless he
be willing to do so An appeal will 4
doubtless be made to them to state how
they voted In order that the election In
the precinct may be purged Of the sus-
picion which doubtless attaches thereto,
and tho opinion is expressed that many
will frankly tell the grand jury In con-
fldence how they voted for all the vari-
ous candldntes II they can recall POSI-
lively. so long after tho election. Thore
seems to be no doubt, however, that 70
man can be required to divulge for whom
he voted unless he consent to do so.
The clause; of tho Constitution guarnn-
5teeing the secrecy OF the ballot applies
to legalized primaries rs well as to gon-
eral elections. M Si$ d X
J1n ra