The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-01


Hon. Preston W, Campbell former g, ( Com.
tnonwenltll's attorney OF Washington
county, and n1cmber. OF the. Jonstitn I.
tionai Convention who testifledAto tue
high character and integrity OF Judge
Senator Noel admitted similar testi-
snony from the following. " Illnesses.
and they were not put on; Judge II NJ
Tagea Of Abingdon DR. Dr, George ,,i,s NJ, -.
Gil. of Pulaski: Hon. y. cIoyd 3Dyars;:
Of Bristol. ana Hon. u. s. Kendrick. OF
Washington county.
rll,rn Takes Stnnd.
Judge Rhea was next called and
sworn By Clerk Booker. he took ,he
centre aisle and clasping his hana s
In front OF him, told hissstory With
calmness and elaboration
have been praetiaing. law since 1879
he said, after giving his name and res ,..
1dence in answer to questions by MI.
irvine.
public life at the Instance of his co,ir-
lei. and then took UP the clurgcs maze
You are charged here i, said 4 cn Mr..
I1x1e WITH as sHss"ss In a9n
Corporation Court in Bristol. What
have YOU to say about that?"
"1n the years1Sss," replied TIE ne VII VI.
Incorporation Of q city IL what w ".
then the town OF Goodson, Va ! was
The city Attorney The Council unani-
nously passed resolutions. for the Ia X
q s1Tsns e - t
proposed CITY. w, A. RAIDER. the Mayor
and W. S. Hamilton an attorney. we're
designated to take the census. They
took II. and on January 4. 1880, re-
ported a porulation Of $3.50. Resolu-
lions were ti'en ndrrted asking thatthe
city be Incorporated under tFe name OF
1r.stnl. Va. ara that n Corporation
Court be established
Nothing to Do With Ii.
II had no further interest in thel
matter than any other citizen. AS City
Attorney. I came to the Legislature
With pill CARRYING out the purposes
or the resolutions Of the Council and
the city of Bristol was created.
Il had no idea o. being made Judge.
snd my gong on the bench was wholly Il
at the instance Of tie bar and the II
people. was elected judge by the /;
The Auditors reports will show that /.
more business was done in that COW,
State /,
term vas out aoi 10 f 4. F Fs,1,s n
fnow deud) who had been my enemy.
headed a petition OF the bar. asking
me to retatr the. position. and this pa
per was signed by all the mep,bors of
the bar save two, both Of whom were
cs ndldatcs to succeed me. had notli-
Ing whatever to do with the taking Of
thc census"
Decisions stood Test.
Asked by Mr.. irvine how his decis-
Ions had stood the test Of the Court
some delicacy in saying. The records
would show, he declared that he had V
been on the bench ten years, and had
tried hundreds OF cases. and that only Il
one had been reversed. though many +
applications had been made.
Judge Rhea absolutely denied the
statement OF NJ. e. Powers that lie had
Bristol and sad it could have had |,
no effect upon the establishment OF his
.ssourt. as the city had already been
d bribery in the 5oTdan N case sne e Judgs
Ehea said he had never heard of it
but once until 1t was made by the Sem
a,or from Lee This was. in a joint
General Walker. and he denounced
IT as a lie and the author as liar
Though he met General Wa ker later
ut Marion he did not mention It, nor
paign.
Judge Rhea gave an account OF the
case and the conditions under which
10; !, oraan was released all Of which has
Answering question by Mr.. Irvinel
as TO his alleged connection with the /
Scott county ballot. Judge Rhea said: \
Wish TO state that was at head
quarters but little in that campaign.
most OF my time having been taken
UP on the stump. Rave little recol-
lection about tho ballot used in the |
election.
7 knew nothing OF the Scott county
tallot, and If had would have
condemned It. as ii worked a hard- !
sfip on me. I lost fewer votes where
the ballots were plain than in Scott
county. I conferred with no one as
To the Scott county ballot, or as to that
used anywhere else
At this point, Judge Mann. OF the
contmitree. announced that he wished |
10 take :, night train for his home. and
tire committee rose until s o'clock
Monday night wien Judge Rhea will
conclude his statement.