The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-26

gated and considered, and that Judge
Rhea was exonerated by the report
of the committee, which was confirm
ed, according to the testimony. by a
unanimous vote OF q Republican House
OF Representatives.
Tie Question OF Evidence.
Your committee were Of opinion,
when the charges were first made,
that those in reference to frauds
In the election OF 1000 should not be
considered. because they had been gone
over and settled In the contested cleo
ton case; and, therefore. 1t seems
proper that only SO much OF the testi-
mony introduced in reference to the
matter as was not introduced in the
contested election case should be con-
sldered by your committee. 1t Is truo
that there has been testimony In ref
eerence to this ballot by w. D. Smith,
but. II careful examination IL made.
rom the testimony which he gave IN
the contested election case to which
reference has been made. Indeed, In
his cross-examinotion by counsel for
answers given In his deposition, and,
therefore, his testimony need not be
FURTHER considered. colonel Richmond
also testified in reference to this ball
ing to contradict Mr.. w. d. Smith. and,
therefore, 1t cannot be considered as
original evidence in this investigation;
but. even Il It were to be. SO consid-
quent to 1900 he was opposing the
confirmation Of w. d. Smith as super
intendent of schools for Scott county
before the state School Board; that he
had copy OF the testimony taken in
the Walker-Rhea contest with him:
and. speaking about this contest and
especially about this Scott county ball
to Bristol and consult Judge Rhea
about a legal ballot?" why go to
Bristol and prepare ballot for the
people OF Scott county to vote?" And,
according to Col. Richmond. Mr.. Smith
replied: I'm order to get legal ballot"
Judge Rhen Not Consultee>
1t Is very plain that Mr.. Smith did
not intend to have put upon his answer
the construction which Colonel Rich
mond thought ought to be placed upon
It; that is. that he had consulted Judge
Rhea about the preparation Of a bal.
lot: Mr.. Smith. IN his evidence, stated
before tho investigating committee that
he was one of tho managers OF the
the district executive committed; but
that he was sick from October until
the election. and only went to Demo-
during that time; that some question
arose as to whether the electors at
large should be put upon the ballot
some contending that only the dis
trict electors should appear: that. at.
getting information as to the names
of the presidential candidates and
electors, paper was prepared for the
guidance of those who had to have the
ties; that this paper only contained
those names and that they were not in
the same arrangement. as far as he
could recollect, of the Scott county
the paper was not-~intended to be
ballot or to be the form of ballot,
but simply to give the information as
to the names of the candidates WHO
what doubtful as to whether he had
ey9r talked with Judge Rhea about
the matter. and, on his first eXamina-
ton, stated positively that he had not;
not think he had; and. finally, when
his deposition, given six years before.
was called to his attention, In whicn
he distinctly stated that Judge Rhea
had never been consulted about that
paper, he said that his answers given
Lost Fewer Vote. in Giles.
Judge Rhea absolutely denied that
he knew anything a noutb; me -, ,oeo DO
was going to be used, and stated that,
IL he had known It was going to be
used, ne would have protested against
that the Democrats of the Ninth Dis
trict had a good deal of pride in the
preparation Of their ballot and did
not like. to call the judges OF election
were very willing to dc. so; and that
he lost fewer votes in the county. of
Giles. where a perfectly plain ballot
was used, than he did In Scott coun-
ty. where the ballot under discussion .,c snI
lot itself is examined. it will be found
that Judge Rhea's name. as a, candl-
date for Congress, appears IN the sec
ond column under the ticket OF peDs
/. naturally should have appeared: that
is, just under tine ticket of William
Jennings Bryan and A. 70. Stevenson.
1t was. however. in position where
While the name Of General James A.
Walker is in the third and last coll
umn, a little below the middle Of It.
and in position which required al
read before it was reached. When
we remember that. If a ticket was to
be prepared. having for its object
benefit to Judge Rhea. the name Of
position where it could have been
scratched while Judge Rhea's
name should have been in a position
which would make 1t difficult to find.
It was. therefore. 1nanirestly against
Judge Rhea's interest to have prepared
such ticket as the Scott county ball
lot.
Mr. Cox testifies that some time af-
ter the election he was told by man
named Brown. who was printer at
Gate City, that he had been striker
for Senator Quay, of Pennsylvania, and
that he had copy of the ballot used
in some Of the elections in that State,
and that the Scott county ballot was
copied by him, so far as the arrange
ment of its names was concerned, from
the Pennsylvania ballot, and that he
did this because he had a spite against
General James A. Walker.
Weighing this evidence as impair
t!allv as we can. your committee has
reached the conclusion that Judge Will
liam F. Rhea, who. IL must be remem-
bered, was waging a vigorous battle
in the Ninth District. and. therefore,
at his Headquarters but very little dur
ing the canvass, had nothing to do with
the preparation OF the Scott county
ballot. and did not know of it's en-
tstencc until after the election. And
Your committee SO finds.
Frauds md Irregularities in Election
of 1902, between Slcmp and Rhea.
"a. I charge further. that In the
race for Congress between Judge
~ 10 go .