The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-07
OFFICIAL RETURNS.

stream Of the political workers of Hen
rico county wended their way to the
courthouse. to figure out Just how the
election landslide happened. The COM
plete returns confirmed the first report.
and, indeed, from the time the returns
began coming in on Thursday night
there has been no doubt but that the
people of Henrico We're ready for a
change in it's ofiiceholders. In fact.
with the single exception of Mr.. c. w.
Saunders, supervisor from BrooklanG
District. every officeholder In the coun-f
ty elected by the people was swept
from his position. and complete set
of new men put into Office. The gem
eral opinion. not only among politi-
clans. but among many thinking peo-s
pie both in Richmond and Henrico, 10
that the election means the dawning OF
a new day for cleaner politics and
more businesslIke administy OF the
affairs of the county.
The surprise of the election TO aiI4
was the retirement of Sheriff Solomon,
whose friends we're confident OF the
result until the returns came in. The
opinion at the courthouse was that
complete new political alignment
would he necessary, the old organiza-
tion having gone down to hopeless
and irretrievable defeat at the hands
of the most intelligent ballot which
was ever cast In Henrco.
Hcchler's Victory.
The election Sof Mr.. Hechler, while
astonishing every one outside of politi-g
cal circles, was no surprise to the
officeholders and students of political
conditions In Henrco. The opposition
to. Mr.. Hechler was divided between
three candidates. and the vote was SO
split up that the election of Hechler
was no surprise. Mr.. Hechler led over
his next competitor Mr.. Frayser. by
Times-Dispatch. the combined votes OF
Watt and Broaddus would have won
the election had one of those two re-
tired in the others favor.
The "nigger in the woodpile" is un-
doubtedly the new county Jail, erected
at considerable cost on a bond issue,
against the wishes OF the people, and
With a suspicion OF unfair dealings in
the fittings supplied by various sub
contractors. Every single official con-
nacted In any way with the erection of
the Jail. or who favored It's erection.
was turned down hard by the people
of the county, and the reflex action
from the Jail muddle' undoubtedly
helped Mr.. Hechler's chances not a
little
: Not Up to Specifications.
The Jail was built last year at a
cost of over fifty thousand dollars
nearly three times the cost OF, the
courthouse building-and for the cost
bonds We're issued for thirty years, at
8 per cent. The cost of the jail In
interest alone will be $4,000 a year.
and in thirty years will come to $4,000
in interest, the bonds being non-re-
deemable. Adding In the original cost.
the structure will have cost the county
in thirty years s125000, less $4,000
paid by the city for the annexed ter
ritory.
And already there are suspicious
with regard to the fittings as not COM
ing up to specihcations' and rumorss#
that the expensive steel cells are not
really tool proof to an expert crimi-s
nal.
Judge r. Carter Scott. of the Circuit
Court was an active figure In the
erection of the new jail. members Of
the Board of Supervisors claiming that
he forced them to take action In; the
matter. The vote shows the building Of
the jail to be absolutely condemned by
the taXpayers of the county, and all 4
connected with the affair are retired
to private life.
Defeat OF Wcndenburg.
The Hechler case was also an in,-
portant factor in the election, many
people In their attitude of opposition
to Judge Scott taking the side OF SYM
pathizing with the deposed treasurer.
Almost every vote for Hechler meant
a ballot scratched against Mv. Wen 4
denburg, whose duty comptlled him to
he the prosecutor in the Hechler case.
The election of Hechlcr insured In 1T
self the defeat OF Wendenhnrs, with
allowance for the exsellent Vote polied
by his young opponent, AIR, Gum,
The vote for FraYser came out In
the three lower districts almost ex-
acty as it had been estimated. Brook
land. yarina and Fairfield giving tho
present treasurer within three votes
OF what he had claimed Mr.. Frayser
lost out. however In Tuckahoe. wherC
ne had taken part In the SUPERVISOR
fight betwean Fensom and Grant,
Letters Worked Harm.
Letters OF coQmendation OF both Mr.. 4
Wendenburg and Mr. solomon from
the Judge were pr!pted and widely
distributed throughout the county. In !
view OF the revelation OF the temper
OF the people In the iai! aad Hechler
matters, 1t would seem that these In
dorsements have doEe their aandi idatea N
more harm than good, B0s n nsei wtrs Il
|disastrously and over he lfsii v sss 4