The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-23
JUDGE. LOOKS FOR
1000 CONFESSIONS
Deals Gently With Vote Sell
ers In Lee County to
Get Results
FOURTH OF VOTERT
SOLD THEIR VOTES
Dickinson County Is Next
On Program of Judge
Skeen In Probing
Election Scandal
tspeo,a, to The Richmond virsinian.)

Especial to The Richmond virginian.)
BRISTOL. TENN, Dec. 22.-Com-
monwsaith's Attorney Ely. Of Lee
county, stated tonight that he had
been instructed by Judge II, A. w.
Ekeen not to cause the arrest OF any
Of the men indicted In connection
with the wholesale debauchery OF the
electorate OF Lee county. Judge
Skeen will deal gently with the large
number Of vote sellers already In
dictsd in the hope OF getting prob
ably q thousand confessions with
out the expense and delay Of a long
drawn out grahd jury investigation
In order to give the vote sellers
an opportunity TO confess he stopped
the grand Jury proceedings after the
Indictment Of between two and three
hundred. upon receiving unmistakable
evidence that about twelve hundred,
or one-fourth Of the voters OF the
county. had sold their votes. The
number has been testified by vote
buyers under promise OF immunity
and unless the vote sellers confess they
will Gil be indicted In February.
Ely Contributed $500.
Commonwealth Attorney Ely, who
was elected In November. was the
Republican nominee on the ticket
that swept the county and on ac-
count Of the peculiar circumstances
Judge Skeen retained other counsel
to prosecute. However. Common
wealth's Attorney Ely. who will not
lose his ONCE. states that he gave only
$500 Of the $4,000 which the Re-
publican candidates put up. In addi-
ton to what was spent for them. He
Is actively engaged in the prosecution
YA.A 49,
In the investigation.
A canvass OF the indicted men
shows that they are almost equally
divided between the two parties. with
the Democrats slightiy IN the lead.
although Lee II a decisively Repub-
lican county. From the figures given
the grand jury the twelve hundred
fioaters Of the county, constituting Is
per cent. Of its voting strength, re-
cetye in each election approximately
$4,000, small per cent OF which
the politicians apply to the payment
OF the poll taxes of the hoaters,
which must. under the law. be ad-
vanced six months before the cleo
ton.
Really 70 Hear Pleas.
The Commonwealth attorney stat
ed tonight that he knows almost
everyone Of the twelve hundred float
ers by name He says that he Is
doubtful az to whether a largo per
cent Will confess, as many declare
they will stand trial. He said that
he 10 now ready to handle pleas Of
guilty. and will have them certified to
the clerk Of the court through a
Justice, whereupon the confessors ac-
cept the minimum fine Of 800. but
are given one year in which to pay
It. However. they thereby forever
disfranchiss themselves. He further
said that some Of the indicted mon
had talked to him about contrasting.
but that they had not finally decided
a. to what they will do.
Conditions are declared to be even
worse in Dickinson county than in
Leo. Judge 6keen will convene court
In Wise county January !. and will
be the scene Of the next grand jury
ed tonight that Dickinson county will
b the scene OF teh nsxt grand jury
Investigation, ana that It 10 believed
that $500 to 1.0oo heaters In that
county have bssa selling their votes