Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-12
ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO
GRAFT BEING PROBEO
Grand Jury Investigating Report
That Councilman Cox Solicited
Bride From Paving Company.
MAY INVOLVE OTHER PEOPLE
z. 3. Damarest, Representative of
Cleveland Trinidad Paving Company,
Said to Have Testified That Council
man Approached Him With Propo-
sition Concerning Guarantee Fund.

A rumor that Councilmen, Err
nest C. Cox, of the Second ward,
had approached Z. b. Damarest,
an agent of the Cleveland Trini-
dad Paving Company, and soil
ted funds in return for which the
company would be relieved from
spending several thousand dollars
in putting the sheet asphalt laid
here in 1901 into first class condi-
ton at the expiration of the ten
years guarantee, is being investi-
gated by the grand jury now sit
ting in the Corporation Court.
The jury will continue its de-
liberatiOns in the matter today
and It was reported last night that
other persons connected with the
city government may be implicat-
ed before the investigation is
concluded.
Mr.. Damarest was summoned be-
fore the grand jury yesterday and ne
is said to have testified that Mr.. COX
did approach him and solicit funds
and that letters relatives to the mat
ter were written the paving company
by the councilman. 1t is said that Mr..
Demarest did not have the letters with
him and that the grand jury will
maze every effort possible to get pos
session of them from the paving COM
pany.
other Witnesses.
Superintendent of Streets Sneiton
]. Harwood and v. b. Barclay were
summoned before the grand jury al
ter Mr.. Damarest was excused just
what they testified to could not be
ascertained, but il was reported that
they had substantiateG the testimony
of the paving man.
II is reported that other witnesses
will be summoned today, but their
names could not be learned last night
and Commonwealth Attorney Berke-
lev. City Attorney ]. A. Massie and
Mayor Marquis Jones are maintaining
the utmost secrecy regarding the in
vestigation-
Law Doesn't Cover case.
Even though it were proven TO the
grand jury that bride was solicited,
ii is said that the jury could
return no indictment because this
is not covered by thecriminal
law of Virginia. Lawyers say
that there is absolutely no
provision made by the law in such
case and that an indictment can be
returned only where councilman
accept the promise of bride or an
agent of a company offer bride to
a city officer.
When the commonwealth attOr-
news of the state met last spring to
revise the code OF Virginia this par
tIculsr section of the code was
brought ND and il Is said that the
commemorative attorneys will ask
the legislature to revise the code 90
as TO include the punishment of any
city officer who solicits bride from
any person or company.
Statement from Mr.. Cox
When told BY Daily Press report
er last night that the grand jury was
investigating rumors that he had So
ficited money from the paving COM
psny and that 1t was reported thai
the jury was making efforts to get
certain letters which he was alleged
20 have written the paving company
regarding the matter. Councilman Cox
issued the following statement:
The only letter which President
Bramlcy. Of the Ccleviand Trinidad
Paving Company. has from me is In
reference 10 a. paving contract which
is 20 be Jet In Roanoke next month
President Brsmley asked me when he
was here last summer 60 20 20 koan-
ok and help land the contract for his
company and 70 wire him when he
should come 20 Roanoke IN the mat
ter 7 afterwards wrote him that n
fwas 10 20 20 Roanoke 10 help him he
would have 70 advance m Sieo ex-
rense money. This contract was 70
have been lcs sometime aEo. but y
was pcrtponcd until next month on
account Of the recent local option
election IN that city.
4 never approached Mr.. Damarest
or President Brsmley relative 70 the