The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-29
new SENSATION
IN INVESTIGATION
Attorneys for the People Say That
Information in the Registration
Books Will Materially Aid
in the Detection of
Fraud.

NORFOLK, VA. Special-The
sensation Of the Second District pri-
mary investigation came Wednesday
ing a few minutes before IL O'Clock.
Mnen Dr; Schenck. chairman of the
Norfolk City Democratic COMMITTEES
entered the parlor OF hte Monticello
Hotel with an armful OF books. which
were copies OF the registration books
OF norfolk that were used In the re-
cent primary. Soon after DR.. Schenck
had dropped the pile OF fifteen books
on the table in front Of the Commit
tee the trouble began.
The lawyers on all three sides Of the
situation began comforting immedi-
ately and they were soon ready for
the fray that all OF them seemed to
be expecting. In the meantime IL had
been reported on the outside that an
explosion was about TO occur at the
gathered in the committee room and
stood on the tiptoe of expectancy.
The battle began when Braden Van
deventer. of counsel for the citizens
OF Norfolk, asked that the peoples at
torney be allowed to make copies of
the books produced by DR.. Schenck
This request was hotly opposed by
Attorney Randolph Hicks, OF counsel
for Mr.. Young, on the ground that
the registration books contained in
formation that should not go into
the hands Of the enemies OF the Demo-
cratic party; information other than
Is necessary for the conduct of a pri-
mary election.
length by both sides. The committee
decided that the books could only be
copied as to names, residences and
occupation of the voters. and whether
or not their taxes had been paid.
1.-THE registration books show also
the time Of registration OF each voter,
whether or not he transferred from
some other ward or precinct, and
when and from which, as well as the
color OF the voter. This information
the committee, apparently. from the
report, declined TO allow the peoples
attorney to copy.-News Editor of
The Journal.1
The decision of the committee was
entirely satisfactory TO the Maynard
people, but counsel for Mr.. Young in
sisted that the books should not be
copied. but only held open to public
inspection.
Mr.. Hicks. for Mr.. Young. took an
appeal from the decision OF the COM
mittee. and asked that the matter go
over till a quorum OF the investigat-
ing committee could be present, only
three of the committee being here
now, while il takes five TO make
quorum.
On this point the three committee
men present (who are a subcommit-
tee OF the investigating committee
left here to have charge of the poll
books and ballots while they are be-
ing examined) decided to allow the
attorneys for the citizens to make
copies OF the registration books as to
name, occupation, residence and poll
tax payments OF voters, but that said
attorneys are not TO keep any Of the
copies they make, but must return
them to the investigating committee
Counsel for the citizens argued
that the information which Mr.
Young's counsel didn't want copied
might furnish the very facts that are
being looked for to show that there
was fraud in the primary. 1t might
be the crux of the situation, they
said.
The crowd present laughed
heartily when Chairman McIn-
tyre suggested that Mr.. Young's
friends were willing that the
registration books be used until
they found things were not going
their way. The chair also said
that he thought IL very unfortu-
nate that the registration books
should contain information of a
private character.
Mr.. Young's counsel argued that III
the ruling OF the committee is to
hold, as to the extent to which the
Norfolk registration books might be
copied. then the whole Portsmouth
primary should be declared void. as
the so-called registration books used
in the Portsmouth end OF the con-
gressional primary was. they said.
list OF names simply and didn't con-
tain the places OF residence. occupa-
tOn. etc of the voters