Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-22
BLACKSTONE TRIES TO
SAVE HIS FRIENDS
Accused Judge Admits That He
Was In a DIsoFderIy House
10 Phusbus.
DOUGLAS SMITH CALLS LEWIS
Newport News City Clerk and the
Prosecuting Lawyer Came Ncar to
Exchanging Blows - TWO Strong
Witnesses for the Judge on the
Stand.

Especial TO Tic Daily Prese)
RICHMOND. VA. Feb. 2i--It would
no; be inaccurate to say that the
trend OF today's evidence in the in
PGiry touching the alleged INSIDE
mcanors OF Circuit Court Judge
Blackstone was pathctlcally one
sided and almost entirely in favor OF
the pros, cutIon.
II Indicated that the once brilliant
jnrist within the last four years. has
seemingly lost all sunsc OF shame in
nicer matters touching upon morality
and personal dignity.
Witness after witness was forced
10 tell of the questionable places the
judge visited. and of occasions when
they regarded him rs under the in
fiuence of liquor.
Before the mornings work was
done even the sensation hungry were
gluttcd and the audience wearied OF
testimony which necessarily was more
or less salacious The time came
when ii looked cruel TO add more.
and so Attorney Lewis brought things
10 a halt
AT this writing 1t would seem well
night impossible to conceive of any
future conditions which may arise
to justify the Legislature in sustain
ing the defense.
Blackstone Admits CHARGE.
Asking the Indulgence and permits
sion OF tho committee, Judge Black
stone stated in the opening of the af.
ternoon session OF the Investigation
that he admitted that he was present
In the house in Phoebus at the time
phone message was sent to Mayor
F'urness. and asked that the testimony
OF the morning session in which the
names of his friends Appeared be ex.
plunged from the records This state
ment had carcely been made when
Attorney Ashby called the attention
OF the committee to an article pub
lishedl in an afternoon paper IN THIS
city in which causes were assigned
for the dismissal of the HAMPTON
women. who were summoned pre
snmably to testify in the charge of
immortality.
The article as published gave as
cause for the dismissal, the fact that
the prosecution did not dEsire Ia i'm
piicate Judge Blackstone's friends.
Attorney Lewis stated that he was
not responsible for the publication
by the press, and Ashby said that they
did not think 1t right that such slae-
should he circulated.
Sergeant Ailstead was the fret VIII
ness called in the afternoon. He tes-
titled that the business in Judge
i'iackstone's court was dispatched
with remarkable precision. Thomas
). Christian, Jr.. j. Harry Rev of Ac
comac, and j. d. G. Brown of Newport
News. all testified as to the general
manner i'll which the accused expe-
dited the courts business. None of
the witnesses in answer to q question
from the prosecution would say that
Judge Blackstone bore bad tepu-
tation in the community.
smith and Lewis Have Stormy Time.
Douglas G.. Smith. clerk in Judge
B!ackstone's court and one of his
warmest friends. took The stand /,
seemed once that the witness and the
prosecuting attorney would conc TO
blows In response to question of
general reputation. Mr.. Smith did not
Immediately reply.
Remember you arc under oath. Mr..
smith. said Attorney Lewis. Smith
seemed visibly affected.
Don't put that under oath too
strong, young man he said
Iherc was a wrangle between conn
sci aud the committee decided that the
witness shculd be approached in a
more moderate manner.
The witness testified that he
did not consider Judge Black
stone an immoral man. and in refer
ence to his sobrlety said that he would
take a drink, as any other man would.
he continued in saying that drink
Or two would mako the judge drunk.
AS he left the stand the witness re-
marked:
Mr. Lewis has the capacity to
carry 1t; that's the difference"
Fay Collier a'ss,Ifies.
Fay S. Collier, counsel for the do