The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-31
STATEMENT MADE
BY JUDGE SKEEN
CONTINUED From First Paee.1


any prosecution or proceeding under
this law who has violated any of Its
provisions.
IL did not discover this amendment
until about tho Let of March 1911 1T
which time at the March term of tho
DicSenson county court 1 announced
from the bench that tue buyer or seller
could either one DO made to testify,
and that alter the tall election | in-
tended TO have tho grand jury of each
county investigate any ana all viola
tons of the election laws. Tho same
announcement vas made at tho April
term in Wise county and May tern
In Lee. During the summer. after the
parties had nominated their candi-
oates for the various offices, 1t was
talked by some of the candidates ami
their friends that l would not carry
out my declaration, that it was only u
bluff. In September and October pre-
ceding the election at the opening
OF my court in each of the said coun-
ties, again warned tho public OF my
Intentions.
Orderly In Wise.
In Wise county all the candida tes
of both parties Signed an agreement
not 10 Spenu any money in any way
ior the purpose or Influencing votes.
lnlS asrtelnent was Kept by all par
Ties we hau the most oruer.y anu
quiet election ever held in the coun-
". The week following the election
summoned special grand jury.
Wnich was IN session LOT eignL days. IL
mace thorough investigation anu
round there nau been no puyIns oil
yotss. anu that the eieclion laws hau
petn violated In tut lew instances.
IN Lee county l mad summoned be-
fore the grand jury the workers Tor
Inc purpose OF lndicIIng InuSe VINO
iurnisheu the money ana the seller.
Inc Democrat anu hepupIican workers
VINO appeared before LfLe sranu jury
answered. all questions asked them
except four Repuuiicans. VINO reIuseu
20 answer certain questions, claiming
tnat answering thSm would IncrIiIi-
mate tnem, anu stated that they hau
ueen auviscu by attorneys that they
couid not safety answer any ques-
ton which would tenu to incrininete
lhem. TINS Tact was reporter u the
court by the granu jury anu the par
yes were calieu before the court anu
their attorneys asAeu Iurtner Time 10
investigate the law on the suuJecl,
"hicn was Sranteu. Wnlle these az
tofneys were investigating the matter
~ was reported 10 lile py reliable par
tisS tHdt IL was talked among certain
partles tnat my MAN ovJtcL was 10
nave the SUCCESSFUL candidates inuictou
anu convicted anu the election declared
Solo, anu to appoint Democrats. AL
this time we were making SLOW prog
ress Alter thinking over the matter
LOT day l cams TO the conclusion
4
would be best to allow ali canuIuatcs
successful and defeated, 10 go peiurs
,ne srand jury, SO called into consul
tat!on all the attorneys or the oar
lhciuoine those OF the parties VINO nau
refused 10 answer questions askeu
them. and Land before them my de-
clslon. which was approved by all OF
them.
What Evidence Shows
Next morning when l opened court
! announced my decision 10 the pup
VINO had refused TO answer questions
vent before the grand jury anu testl-
ned the eviuence before the grand
Jury shows the following: That the
democrats spent from $4,000 to S7,0Uv
IN the election. which was furnished
and distributed to the workers by the
irlenas or the candidates. and that
me Repuoltcans spent from 5000 10
$1,000 In the same election, of whicn
sum Si.2S5 was distributed By their
campaign treasurer TO their workers.
There were l6i indictments made, ali
against vote-sellers except SIN. Up
to THIS time l haven't been able 10
set more than about one-half OF the
reported workers before the granu
jury.
dow many actually sold their vote
and how many Will hereafter be in
aicted am unable to state at this
time The buying and selling OF votes
Is not limited to my Judicial district,
but IT Is State and nation wide: anu
It's corrupting effects are seen and felt
IN almost all elections and In q great
many Instances in the making and en-
forcement of the laws. and too often
In the business and social affairs of
life. am not more righteous than
| two thirds of my people. who, like my
self, believe in fair and pure elections.
am only doing sworn duty and
CARRYING out the wish OF a great ma :
| jortty of those l am serving. AS long
as l hold the position I now hold
l shall use my ability and energy and
the powers vested in me by the law to
| have fair and pure elections"
nrnnAhM aaErrIA> m