The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-08

on Bench IN Virgin
The committee was reconvened short
~ after 5 o'clock By senator Eciloissj
/ his argument for the defense. He re-
Viewed tile early life OF Judge Rhea
ana declared that lo had nothing in
his entire career to conceal. ~
| In that great and prosperous country
! he tried hundreds 81 cases. and there
was but one opinion he ever rendered
that was reversed by the Supreme
Court.
1--WE find that this young man-for
lie Is yet young man---stood this test
and that lie has stood the test OF this
searching examination that has been
committee. This boy, twenty-slx years
Of age, stepped into the arena of the
Senate Of Nirginiu. and / ask any man
who knew IL there was brighter stan
In this body than this young STRIPPING
OF this State.
Tribute to Rhcn.
In that arena he learned the public
men men OF this state. Flo then gained
and say that there is no man who
is more highly thought Of BY those
With whom he was associated than
VIM. r. Ithea. whose cause have tho
pleasure to represent here tonight"
Mr.. Irvine read Senator Noel's charge
concerning the taking OF the census In
Bristol, and declared that Judge Rhea
had welcomed the Introduction. OF cyl.
a aecs on hs p1n HE hsa ssen
been brought by Mr.. Noel for partisan
purposes, ind that 1t was possible that
Colonel Fulkerson had iinbibed tho
feeling OF his distinguished father that
Rome was not big enough for two
Caesars"
In discussing the testimony OF NJ. r.
Powers. who took tile Federal census
Judge Rhea had said to him to go to
the opera. house and count the people
as they came out. 1t was only joke,
and he further brought out tho point
ing to the political side. az things. and
that though lie voted for Rhea when
he was in power, lie was now voting
for Slemp, as he was holding a position
of yauger under l.. P. Summers, the APP
pointee Of the slemps MS internal rev.
enuc collector for the Western District
OF Virginia.
The Bribery Charge.
.rhc second charge" said Mr.. Ir-
vine. lis the most serious one here.
If this charge trelating to- bribery IN
the Jordan case) were true. my client
take the Office If offered to him with,
out contest II such charge should
be sustained 1t would be sufficient to
put man beyond the pale OF human
open the doors and asked them to
bring in the evidence, and they have
failed to do 1t, and Senator Noel has
said here that he did not. undertake
to make any sufh gre darec' ~ th,s silent
chamber and imagine what Went on
In that contest when this young glad
iator faced General Walker" said Mr..
Irvine, in. discussing the famous Pu-
THE supreme moment came when
this young man at Pulaski denounced
the shiny insinuation made by General
liar. and that was the last that vas
heard of 1t until 1t came up here.
Reatraincd Himsclf.
Judge Rhea has restrained himself
questions have been brought up from
the u.pths OF damnntion and degrade
ton he las said, 4 will deport myself
az ahould Virginia judge. and not
yield to my FEELINGS.
TO sustain Judge Rhca's opinion in the
Jordan case. and argued finally that
it was an entirely proper one:
Nov, Judge Rhca did the only logl-
done when he found that tho verdict
was to be murder in the first degree
ior nothing" he went on. The Com
lmonwealth's attorney said he could not
what farce 1t would have been to
nave had second or third trial.
Therefore, in view OF the law and
in obedience to his rectitude Of pur;,
Judge Rhea could have properly done
nothing else"
Concerning the charges about the
Walker Rhei contests. Mr.. Irvine dis
.1.I. 1,.S
action OF the elections committees and
CT Congress on the subject, except as
to the Scott county ballot, which was
afterwards let In, and to this particu-
lar point he addressed himself sharply.
He declared that Colonel Richmond
had on this point unloaded a gold
brick" on the prosecution. for ali he
had said about the Scott county. ballot
had been testified to in the Walker
which generally had been excluded by
the committee. Going into the matter.
however, he declared that he, did not
OF tho case it conformed with the
Denounced the Ballot.
Judge Rhea," he declared. de
inounced that ballot in the Walker
Rhea contest and he denounced,i It here.
and he said he lost more votes In Scott
county where It was used than he did
was u1ed."
"NoW, Nh. w, D. Smith is not on
trial here, and If he were. there is no
evidence to convict him. l don't care
whether you accept hearsay testimony
about the printing OF the ballot or not
but I tell YOU that Judge Rhea and
". .. Smith say they had nothing to
do with the use OF sucl a ballot In
Scott county or elsewhere. and you
can't connect Judge Rhea with it II you
are to regard the evidence before you
M this investigations"
Z Mr.. irvine made the. point here that