Smyrna times., 1911-05-17
KENT COURT CONSIDERS
ELECTION BRIBERY CASES
SHERIFF HARTNETT AND D. W.
DODD ADJUDGED NOT GUILTY

Much interest Attached to the Alleged
Gases and a Large Number of
Prominent Witnesses Summoned
The Delaware courts last week
took up the eight cases against
prominent Republican workers at
Dover for alleged bribery at the
recent general election. John w.
Husbands, a qualified voter of the
Fifth district, Dover, swore that
Daniel w. Dodd, arranged with him
en- election morning to vote the Re-
publican ticket and at o'clock that
evening at a side room in The Re-
publican Club, Dover, Former Sher-
iff Hartnett and Dodd took him into
a side room stood with their faces
to the wall and their backs to the
witness and dropped four five dollar
bills which the witness picked up
and then left. Counsel for Hart
nett and Dodd, Former Judge Hast
ings, tried to show bias and interest
and asked Husbands if he would be
paid for convicting these two prom
inent Republicans. Attorney Gene
raj Gray in objecting, said that
every citizen knew that the Anti
Bribery League offered rewa ards for
information against bribers. "Do
you admit that witness will get that
reward?" asked Hastings.
"He will if l can get it for
him.
When Witness Carl Pleasanton, a
boy who caught on behind the wagon
in which Dodd and Husbands were
riding to find Hartnett and overheard
Husbands ask for his money and
Dodd reply that he would get it for
him, finished his direct testimony,
the State tried to show that he had
been tampered with in the interest
of the defendants.
"Do you make an affidavit not in
accord with your testimony here
at the instance of Harry Yingling
and these two defendants in their
presence?" was Deputy Prosecutor
Harrington's question to Pleasanton,
who is about 16.
Hastings fought this out but when
the defendants counsel took Pleas
anton on cross examination, they
confronted him with the affidavit
made before Magistrate Wood in
Dover. The affidavit showed that
Pleasanton did not hear any talk
about money.
"Was this affidavit true or
false?''
1T was false"
A majority of the court found
Hartnett and Dodd not guilty. Judge
Wooley dissenting.
George W. Spayd, who was tried
Thursday and acquitted, was again
acquitted on subsequent trial Fri
day, the charge which he answered
this time being the attempt to pur-
chase the vote of Ellison Gibson,
whom he asked to let Asa Rogers,
Republican voters assistant, mark
his ballot. Convicting converse
tions with Gibson were proven and
the defence Jared we'll with their
character witnesses, while the State
suffered the tumbling down of its
witnesses along the same line when
they became loquacious on the stand.
The most sensational trial was that
of Charles H. Moore, a prominent
Republican worker and farmer n1
West Dover hundred who was placed
on trial for actual payment of 81:
for the vote of William j. Powell
known and described in the stanC
as freddie Bill" Powell swort
that Mr.. Moore bought his vote a
Hazlettville on last election day ant
guaranteed payment with 1.-the bes
horse have in my stable" Powell
voted the Republican ticket, so h
swore, in the presence of Republi
can Voters Assistant Rodway, a
instructed. Friday evening follow
ing Powell swore he hunted up Mr.
Moore ard got his money. Moore
ne sWore, dropped $40 bill and
SIS bill in his carriage. Frank Col
li0s, another voter of the Fourt
district was present and saw tn
money. Moore made a sweepin
denial of the allegations of Powe
and Collins. He produced witne!
ses to establish an alibi for ths
night in question, Mrs. Roy Johi
son, young woman of the neighbo
hood swearing that he was at hi
house. The defense called Samu
Powell and others as to contradicto
conversations and statements
Powell and Collins and then call
witnesses who swore that both me
were unworthy of belief under oat
The State made the same char,