Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-12


toxica,ed whilst on ;he bench of said
Circuit Court are the following:
tD During one OF the spring
terms OF the year 1907. a white man
named cl-onard Sheet was tried in
the Circuit Court OF the county oil
Elizabeth City before Judge j. w. G..
blackstone. During said trial tn,
Judge WIS SO drunk that he fell
asleep whilst on the bench. Repeat
Ell efforts We're made TO awaken him,
but he could only be aroused from his
drunken Stupor by the clerk Of the
court selling his shoulder and shak-
ing him vigorously.
tbJ In the September term of III,
year 1907, in the same court. whilst
presiding at the trial OF Julian Pew
lnic. Judge j. W. G.. Blackstone was
drunk and slept during the trial. and,
though repeated efforts were made
10 awaken him. he could only be
aroused for moment. and woula
then go eft into a drunken s,.upor
The jary and the witnesses in the
case had finally TO be adjourned over
10 the next day. because OF the con-
dition above described of Judge !
". G. blackstone.
The prisoner. pcvlinlc. when asked
II he had ANYTHING to say why s.n-
tence SHOULD not be passed upon him.
replied that he did not think he
should be sentenced as there was
no judge presiding at this trial.
3. That repeatedly Judge ! w. G.
! blackstone has been seen on the
Streets. and in the saloons of IIanp
ton and Phoebus IN q drunken con-
dition.
:. That during the year 1907.
Judge j, w. G.. Blackstone failed to
appear on first ana second day. being
Monday and Tuesday OF n term OF
| the Circuit Court Of the county Of
| hiizaDeth City; that on Tuesday. r..
H. curtis. the shcriff OF said court.
at the request of one or more mem
| hers of the bar. went In search of
the Judge. and found the said Judge
l. W. G. blackstone in n house Of
! 'ii-iame in the town of Phoebus in
said county. kept by negro woman
fhe said Judge j. w. G.. blackstone
did not leave said house of i'll fame
when found by the sheriff but re-
qucsted said sheriff to return to said
house at o'clock the next morning.
| Crhe next as words of the charges
are not 1T to print.)
.. The said Judge j. w G Black
! stone. on certainly one occasion. tel
| eproned to the sheriff Of the county
OF Elizabeth CITY from house OF
prostitution in the town OF Phoebus
IN said county. and requested him
the said sheriff, to bring the records
II the Corcuit Court of said county
10 the said house of nros.'ution. in
order tina, he, the said Judgc J. w.
J. blackstone, might examine the
'ame in his official capacity.
| &. That during the month of Jan
nary last past. the business of the
circuit Court of the county of EliZ-
'beta CITY was INSTRUCTED for the
greater part of a week on account OF
ne said Judge j. w. G.. blackstone
beng on drunken debauch: and.
! whilst i'll this condition. he attended
I dance given on Monday night by
he abandoned women occupying n
house of ill-fame In the town OF
Nhoehns. AS n result of said de-
auch his condition became such that
1e was unable 70 hold this term of
is court, and never presided in said
I court after said Tuesday. At the
'me OF this debauch jury suit
against the street railway company
N said county. and the evidence in
said case had been heard before the
aid Judge ]. w. G.. blackstone. BE.
ing unable. for the reasons above set
'orth. to continue to sit in said case.
IN attorney at law OF the Hampton
'ar was. by agreement of counsel.
INSTITUTED in Judge Dlackstone's
place. AMI presided and continued TO
reside at said trial until its conclu-
'ion.
Z. Judge ]. W. G. blackstone is n
freqnenter of houses OF ill-fame. and
'onsorts with negro prostitutes.
s. L. p. Fuiness. mayor OF the
own of Phoebus. was called up over
the telephone at n late hour of the
hight. and he was requested to al
ow the continuance Of musical per-
'ormance in house of ill-fame in
'aid town to later hour than the
equations OF the town prescribed
| Upon his refusal TO grant this re-
1uest. the party calling up Mayor
"urness stated that Judge ]. w. G..
Blackstone was there and that he
wished TO talk to the mayor. There
upon another party came to the tel
| rphone, whose voice Mayor Furness
recognized and knew it 10 be the
voice of Judge J. w. G. Blackstone,
made the same request. and thereupon
| 'he MAYOR allowed sail n,ueical nor