The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-03

folk is the fact that A certain element
OF F'usionists in the county are allied
against him Heading this alliance Is
State Senator John A. Lesner, OF
Huntersvilie. reinforced. by Joe Joyce.
of Primers Point. Through the direct
influence Of these men, indications
are that both Huntersville and PIN
ner.s Point will shortly be permitted
To incorporate into townships, thus
cutting off additional territory from
the county proper, which yields Mar
tin thousands Of dollars each year
away means that much greater redac-
ton in income.
Old Vets Involved.
One significant feature of the part
Norfolk county PLAYED before the In
vestigating committee was the reia-
lively few persons whom the ring pro-
duced on the witness stand. For In
stance. in the case OF lions Church
precinct. one witness WAS relied upon
to explain how more than forty alleged
Illegal voters Mere allowed to partiei-
pate in the primary at this precinct.
1t was up To this witness to tell how
persons, unqualified to vote. accord
ing to the eapitattnn tax list. We're
allowed to vote. When no poll taxes
were shown To have been paid. he
would say that the voter was Con-
federate veteran, who is exempt. or
perhaps had recently moved into the
precinct from some other section or
the county. When taxes for ono year
were paid he would usually say that
the voter WAS a young man just past
his majority and thus exempt from
previous taxation. The witness was
r,ars. Than once in bfa sta a.
mants when cross exa mined by eiti-
gems counsel.
How Ring Worked.
In an effort to offset charges in Nor
ft-n, the ring laid bare itself and its
methods in the case OF l.. w. Davis.
recorded as having voted in the Third
ward ON last Wednesday, l.. w
Davis prominent tohacconist OF
Norfolk. and resident OF the Third
ward prior to moving into the county
some time ago. came forward and tes-
tilted that he WAS not the l.. W. Davis.
who voted The next day. the ring
produced a witness who said he lived
at High street. that ward. and that
he was the l.. w. Davis who voted
This appeared To clear up the
doubtful point until the following day,
when Mrs Tidy Davis. giving her resi-
dence as = High street. went on the
stand at the instance of citizens coun-
sci and testified that she had son,
l.. w. Davis by name. but that he had
been in Denver. Col. since the early
part Of July She was positive the
ring witness did not live at her home
Another striking instance OF rims
methods was shown when it developed
from examination of the poll books al
! the courthouse precinct, Norfolk. tina,
lis men were voted between $40 p
~ and sunset, at 6 ~. the day of the
primary, or one voter for about nine
seconds during that interval of seven.
| teen minutes. one of these voters
was F. r. Meeks. prominent merchant
| OF Norfolk. VINO happened TO be ir
! Boston on the day OF the election
] The calculation was based on thu
statement of 8. u. Rhodes that he cast
! his vote at $50 +. Nj.
/ Resembles Perpetual Motion.
In summing up the case Saturday
I night E. A. Bilisols, Of counsel fol
] the citizerw. declared this To be al
! excellent example of perpetual mo
! ton.
Although the names of many "olf
I vets" were drawn into the proceed
/ ings, only one put in his appearance
| in connection with the Norfolk coun'
! ~ fraud He was T. w. Griffin. claim
4
| home. lie voluntarily appeared be
! fore the committee Thursday night
| declaring that he positively did MOI
| vote at Halls Corner in the county
| despite; what anybody might say. HI
| said he fought with the Eighth NORTH
/ Carolina Cavalry during the war and
| was the oldest wet in his precinct
| En- route home after testifying M
+. was arrested in Portsmouth. but some
/ OF the boys rescued him before hi
| landed in the lookup
Those Who PrOt.d.
The personnel of the committed
which win submit the report Tuesda,
| night IL az follows: W. A. Mcintyre
! chairman; clyde w. Saunders A. II
Morris W.. e. Carson. Edward Echo1s
H. p. Adams and II. l.. Ailworth.
Mr.. Adams. who is city treasurer O
| Lynchburg. left Norfolk for hom'
| Sunday morning. but II Is though
likely that he will be on hand in Rich
nond when the report Is made. Mr.
{ Ailworth went over to his home OF