The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-04

Sitting until nearly midnig ight and
examining number OF witnesses, the
General Assembly's Joint Committee on
adjourned to resume the
Rliea Investigation al o'clock to-.
night. when Captain Bullitt, OF counssI
for the prosecution. will take Judge
Rhea on cross-examination. ssss
The session last night was one Of the
most spirited and fiery vet held. the
chief witnesses being Governor Swan
son. former Corporation Commissioner
Henry G. Stuart and Judge Rhea, the
latter completing his evidence-tn-chief.
Governor Swansoni@was called by the
prosecution and asked for all The let
aters, resolutions. etc. received by him
favoring and opposing the appoint
|ment OF Judge Rhea. He handed Cap-
tain Bullitt a large batch and declared
that his secretary had searched i,id
files. and that these were all thar
could be found.
About the Papers.
When asked II the papers could bA
read, the Governor said he had no OBJ
lection. except on the part OF the
writer's: The corresponde nee. he
thought, had been regarded by the
writers as private to the extent that
they did not expect the letter. to ahe
published. though thev are as the sdis.s
posal OF counsel for both sides. mem
bers OF the comnittae and members8o OF
the General ASS rmblv for Inspections.
Ho contended, however. tina. fcitizenas
wished to feelS free to c-mmunicats
with the Governor Of the State on all
subjects. and that II their 'etters are
to be published the wrr'd without
~ A,,1,5 a..
this freedom.
In answer t. a question hv Captain
Bullitt. the Governor stated that he y
had not received a great '.ary letters
PROTESTING against the appointment.
One had come from a yvvthevills4
Renublican. whom he did not know
and q petition from fourteen Bristol
Ineople had also been sent to him..
though he couldn't recall that he knew
o single person who signed It. He had
made un his mind early to appoint
Judge Rhea and so announced to the
public through the press, Therefore
cations either way regarding the mat
te:.
Tribute to Rhea.
tribute to Judge Rhea's character. and
declared that he was satisfied now. q
he had always been. that there was
nothing In hfs public or private record
to render him unfit for POSI- ton on
the Corporation Commission.
The Governor was asked parttcu-&
larly about Judge Rhea's political
record, and he created great applause
by declaring that Henry Clay and u
Andrew Jackson had been called rn.ts
fscrupulous politicians. He was OF the
opinion that party loyalty should ps
a badge OF honor. rather than one of &
dishonor. s & n s5l5 ,.ll
Furthermore. the Governor declared
tnat, knowing Judge Rhea as Wen an az
hc did he would look upon him as e
worthy for the place to which he had dsS
hin named until he had been proven
otherwise.
Mr.. Bullitt was asking him II, Z aoSosS 2, tS. Il
lutte proof would be REQUIRED. when III
I Governor replied with some warm.n8s ~
sha hs Yosla " hosad nos ssh 1hs = time line Would
never come when he could not do 1uS,fi
tice to a man for fear some on y, Wousas
bring loose charges against niiii. E'31Sl'
Mr.. stuart ON Stand.
perhaps the most interesting YET glysen.s lsss
and il vas only gotten IN aiter., oo!sei-s
tions and wransles on the part of COUP -ts I.
sci and brief sxeesutiYa slua g ssnsapatn3
the
did not care to be pn5 IN the s'.I att..ss y.
tude OF being hostile Witness To-
Judge Rhea, Indeed he made g o!IecEss,
sta tSment to this effect, afd " nsn
hCaptaln Bullitt wanted 70 ret,,r anai d
Etalk with hin privately aboN MS @tes- 4
timony he said he would prefer toe
nave no private conversation w lth i no 1
Ien,lnsel7 for the prosecution. The glstl
/ of3 Mr. Stuart's Testimony was that q. u
Telegram, or what spurported to bs$ one
had been 'phoned to his store at tallr 4
Garden en- route to Lebanon. the coun-
~ seat OF RUSSELL on sNoyenlbe s.. N l9Q2
Jhe telegram WIS allie ged ito have been
s ned by Judge Rhea and sent to Ms
6 Clark The contents. as " Ell, as he Z;
could recall them. we're tos eEaeet Z, par
at Lebanon tomorrow. who leaYesSs
.here to-,lay. Get hold oi Buchanan
returns and hold Cor Wit thh old 3 5Ass t1l.a
Important &tha t ] shall have cerri ficat
Here the witness read n etter5 " rlS-ssl
ten BY himself to b, T.. lson.ss De Vi
ocratic county chairman, or NJ, c. 3S,la
or or B. j. J.rWysor, and sent By h nessen.
rer to Lebanon, the county seat ~ fs
Russell, The hasIs. th!s letter va ],
the copy OF the telegram q hats hadys
been ,phoned to his store. and ne coun 10
seled these men, all OF whom We're shtv ssSs
friends, TO see that nothing was donai
which would In any way IN rertere Wit q
the vote OF the counly as ca st. t1a gs
snid Mr.sJYilson wrote Il a .raply whis ha;:
In substance was to tha effect THAT
was sorry his tAlrs stuayt's nots haA