Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-01-30
JUDGE A. A. PHlEGAR
RETIRES FROM CASE
Several of the Most Serious Charges
Which Were Brought Against the
EX-Judge Have Been Ruled Out
Attorneys WrangIe for and
Against Confirmation of Nominal
ton.


out all OF today and tonight the Joint
committee of the two houses OF the
legislature on combinations. listen
ed to the wranglings of lawyers for
and against the confirmation OF
Judge Rhea, OF Bristol, as a MEM
her of the state corporation com
mission
While nothing of a tangible or
definite nature took place during the
extended hearing. IL is said tonight
that Senator Noel's failure to fix
definite charges and his tendency TO
deal with generalities has greatly
strengthened Judge Rhea's case.
The open manner in which his at
torneys yielded to the full investiga-
tion OF charges, are decidedly in his
favor.
Attorney BulIitt. for the prosecu
ton, to the surprise of all who have
watched the case from it's beginning.
again asked for a continuance at
the conclusion Of today's hearing in
order that he might further consult
with his witnesses, and determine
the manner in which he Will con
duct the case.
Attorneys for the def/nse raised
no objection to the continuance. az
Bullitt promised to push the inves-
tigation as rapidly as possible, be-
ginning tomorrow afternoon at 3
o'clock.
Judge Phlegar. who until tonight
has been Judge Rhea's leading
counsel, retired, stating that he had
engagements to fulfill He will not
appear in the case again.
The committees ruling that the
prosecution must confined itself TO
specific charges has ruled out sever
al OF the most severe charges which
might otherwise have consumed n
great deal of time OF the investigat-
ing committee.
One Of the most impu tant of these
charges is that Judge Rhea is ac-
cused of having aided and abetted
certain election frauds in the Ninth
district The committee held that
these charges had been entirely
threshed out before committee,
mostly Republicans, in the United
States congress, and that they
thought the action Of the congress
sional committee sufficient ylndica-
tion.
The chief charges which Judge
Rhea's counsel will be called upon to
refute will be that I'm which he is
charged with conducting a fraudu-
lent census OF the city OF Bristol at
the time he became corporation
judge OF that city; his decision In
The Jordan case, I'm which he is ac-
cused Of having aDepted bribe:
that Of having changed the election
returns In the Slemp-Rhea congress
sional campaign OF 1902, and a
further charge that his general repu.
tation i'm Southwest Virginia is such
that he should not be allowed a seat
on the commission.
Frequently during the hearing to-
day the investigation was checked
while the committee retired to con
slider and settle some question which
had sprung up between the oppos-
ing attorneys, and once or twice the
lawyers themselves retired to con-
suit privately among themselves.
The decisions Of the committee
were each time in favor OF Judge
Rhea's attorneys, they always ar
guing that Bullltts charges did not
specify acts committed by Judge
Rhea
Six OF the witnesses summoned
from Southwest Virginia we're dis
charged tonight, and will leave at
once for home. never having spoken
a word in open investigation.
In recommending the discharge OF
the witnesses, all Of whom were
summoned for the prosecution. Sen
ator Noel explained that they were