Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-08-12
The Richmond Primary.

As stated in the Gazette of that day
the special grand jury in Richmond,
which has for days been investigating
allegations of fraud in the recent pri-
mary, completed its work yesterday by
handing in a short but comprehensive
report and seven indictments. Three
of these are against men already under
indictment for alleged irregularities in
this same election. They are Police
Commissioner Christopher Manning,
Jackson Wise, A. Jockey, and l.. X.
Culberson, tramp, who has disappear
ed. The new indictments are against
j. H. Beverage, Peter Krug and j. W.
Percival, who were judges in the Second
precinct, Lee Ward, where there were
marked irregularities, and Robert Lee
Syrcle. The only other precinct affected
was the Third, Monroe ward. In all others
the election was found to have been con-
Quoted honestly. All of the indictments
we're for misdemeanors.
The report of the grand jury says that,
il being believed that if there was fraud
it had been committed in connection
with the offices OF City Sergeant and
Commonwealth Attorney, the invesh-
CATION was along this line. There was
poll of practically the whole vote of
the city. OF the 1857 votes cast 3, 9Ol
were examined and only 80 voters de-
clined to tell how their ballots were cast.
The report continues thus:
ave were confronted with evidence of
Irregularities in the appointment OF cleo
ton officers. At the same time the law
governing elections is so lax in certain
particult rs that the prevention of fraud
is a matter of much difficulty. If the
officers who conduct the election are
dishonest men, the election will be frau
dulent."
Continuing the report says that the
secretary of the democratic committee,
who was also the printer of the ballots,
failed to take the oath prescribed in the
plan, also that sufficient care was not
exercised in choosing election officers.
The report, after recommending the inn
mediate removal of the indicted judges
of Second precinct, Leeward says:
eve desire to call the attention of the
court to the condition ofaffairs in Second
Lee and Third Monroe precincts. We
believe they were corrupted and that the
election in these two precincts was fraud
ulent. So far as we have been able to
| ascertain from the vote polled before the
grand jury we believe that the election
was honestly conducted in the other pre-
cincts."
Besides the six indictments enumerated
Alfred B. Williams, editor of the News
Leader, was indicted by the regular grand
jury recently on the charge of paying an
election worker$25. All ofthose indict-
ed are out on bail for trial later except
Culberson, who has no home, and will
probably never be seen there again.
The minority report which was pre-
pared by Messrs. T. A. Baughman,
Clarke and Lathrop, and refused by the
Judge, is said to contain some interesting
revelations regarding the methods en-
pIoyed in doing the alleged crooked
work for which indictments were return
ed, and it is said that it also desired to
indict City Sergeant James c. Smith
whose vote was increased by the irregu-
larities mentioned.
The city democratic committee, which
met last night, made no mention of a
new primary in place Of the one just in
vestigated. The result of that will there
fore stand.