The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-03
AdrnitsHe Received 81,
600 While Vice.Chair-
man City Committee.
NOLONGER BOSS"
DECLARES ROYALL,
Pollard and Mccarthy Swear
That Saunders Was Corrupt
Politician and Had evil
Influence on City Poll
tics"-says He Obey
ed Meredith.

Three witnesses called yesterday az
ternoon in the trial of the damage suit
brought by Clyde W. Saunders against
A. A. Yoder and the Williams Print
! ing Company for 100000 damages for
the publication of alleged libelous
| statements testified that 1t was COM
| mon knowledge and a matter of gen
| cral opinion that Mr.. Saunders had
1 been in the past a corrupt politician,
| and that lie had a mysterious and evil
! influence" In the control OF certain
elections. Mr.. Saunders on the wit
ness stand himself. admitted receiving
$1,000 from the Southern Bell Tele-
| phone Company to use his influence
with certain Councilmen to secure their
votes for franchise. at time wnen
/ nir. Saunders was member of the
| City Democratic Committee, and ac-
cording to the attorneys had certain
i Influence in the election or reelection
| Of Counciimcn.
| AT every point the case is being
warmly contested. The Jury was sent
| the attorneys argued points of law or
I the admisability of certain evidence
| Charles V. Meredith Is faking the lead
| ing part in the examination of wit
| nesses for Yoder and Williams, while
Robert e. Scott. of Scott Buchanan
and Cardwell, is directing the case for
| Saunders. A large number OF wit
/ nesses are yet TO be heard.
Street Cnr Franchises.
| One of the features to-day will be
| the Introduction of stenographic rec
ords of a Council Investigating com
mittee, and certain grand jury records
involving the methods employed TO OBJ
tain certain street car franchises. MIR.
Saunders admitted yesterday having
been retained by the Richmond Trac-
lion Company at one time. and en-
gagged In a sharp tilt with Mr. Mere
4 dith by asserting that he had himself
4 advised the employment OF Mr. Mere
4 ditii as counsel, and that they had
worked together before Council com
mittees in securing franchise extern
4 sions. Mr.. Meredith asserted that he
rad been employed merely as an at
torney to argue tho city ordinances
before the committees, and had no part
In any lobbying that may have been
| going on.
saunderss suit is based on certain
publications made In July. 1909. III
which ho is charged with being a
crooked politician In his deolara
tion he asserts that his character In
the community has been DETAINED; that
he has been humiliated. and has suffer-
| cd losses in his business.
Mr.. saunders VAS on the stand for
| the greater part of the day. both
! morning and afternoon. Mr.. Saunders
| testified thai the pamphlet containing
the alleged libel appeared on the day
/ of the Democratic primary. in which
ne was defeated for reelection to the
i City Democratic Committee. After pro-
4 t,at ia at
| neys, evidence was admitted to show
/ that Mr.. Saunders had not done the
general printing business this year
that he had two years ago. the wit
ness placing his loss at $4,000 gross.
Did Candidates Printing.
The attorneys sought to show that
in the past, because of Mr.. Saunders >
reputed position as Democratic boss.
i candidates for office had always had
their printing done at his place OF
business. Mr.. Saunders said that was
i not always tho case. On cross exam
ination the witness said that the par
i ticular expression which had injured
him was the use of the term boss;
that he had been called so In sarcasm
ever since William l. Royall started
It in 1905. but that no one took Mr..
4 Royal seriously"
Mr.. Meredith then sent for the files
i
| 1905, and taking the newspaper arr
tlcles as a basis. proceeded to cross
4 question the witness as to the conduct
4 of the senatorial campaign OF that
! year.
/ The particular articles were tho call
!! of Mr.. Royal and 200 other citizens
i for, nlass-mccting in The Capitoi
Square. and the reports of the speeches
I made at that and subsequent meet
\ ~ ;.I..
j Mr.. Royal took a lantern into tho
Square, saying that, like Diogonos. he
J was "hunting for an honest man in
{ city politics.
i Mr.. Meredith read from the Royall
4 charges, that Saunders had been. re.
i sponsible for the appointment of cleo
4 ton officers a. Second Monroe and
Second Lee Precincts, and that "the
ballot boxes had been stuffed In both.'
Recommended Nine Judges.
Mr.. Saunders admitted having recon-
, lnended the appointment of a mar
!, named Wise, thinking It was another
4 iman, and said that Wise and the other
! Judges at the precinct had named {
!, man named Culberson to fill a vacancy
I WiseNand Culbarson We're later indicted
for stuffing the ballot boxes, Mr.. Saun.
!; ders admitted having recommended Il
: the electoral board nine of the election
"a officers In that election, AT the tim,
OF the Royal call for a mass-meetine
.Ilwhen the charge was made that 9Th,
Z boss of Richmond had named the elec
Istion officers at two precincts and th
y boxes had been stuffed In each,n Mr
= Saunders said he was not directly In
= formed that Mr.. Royal was referring
Itoghimself, as boss" Later he foun,
: out, but after the senatorial primar,
! things had nueteds down and he la'
a not taken the trouble to call MI
Royall into the courts to prove his as
9 sertions. He. said his friends had no
\. taken MIR, Royall's charge seriously,
|. The tilt with Mr.. Meredith over tn
c Traction Company franchise was heat
y ed. and will he renewed to-day Whel
q grand Jury evidence will ke introduce
t Ito show what amounts Mr. saunder
] received forRshis Influence tle wa
I CContinued on Second Page