Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-23
VOTES AT $50 EACH
Virginia Judge Plans to Probe
Election Frauds.
PARTIES EQUALLY BLAMED
Unique Plan Adopted to Evade Let
ter of the Law.
Special Cores pondence Of The Star.

special Correspondence OF Inc Star.
RICHMOND. Va, April %, 1911
Judge H. A. W. Skeen Of the Wise
county circuit court has created
something of a panic by his announced
intention to investigate the last
election in that county. He declared
from the bench that he had been in
formed that no less than 500 persons of
that county had sold their votes in
most brazen manner.
What is more. Judge Skeen is re-
ported to have declared his intention
of probing the November election in
every county in his circuit
Judge Skeen is a democrat, and he
has been on the bench for several
years. During the campaign last fall
it was notorious that money was being
used in the election and there was a
report that blocks of votes were being
sold for $50 each vote. This was not
confined to any one county, but applied
to the entire ninth district. 1t is but
fair to say that the reports were that
no one party was involved. but that
given to the "Ohio habit" Under the
laws Of the state if a voter is con-
Victed of selling his vote he is dis
franchised, and the man or men who
! engage to buy them are heavily fined.
Whether there may be convictions
| or not Is hard to say. The reports in
circulation here as to how the law was
evaded are interesting. It seems. ac-
cordfng to the reports. that whatever
money could be raised was not sent
to the district. 1t was sent to some
| member OF the national committee for
the parties concerned, and by him was
sent to Virginia. BY that means the
! man who really did the buying may
| escape the penalty Of the law. being a
resident Should Judge Skeen per
sist in his intention there is no tell
| ing just how far the probe might go
or whom it would involve before the
matter ended
Looking Up Records.
The records of the candidates for the
United States Senate are being barred.
In fact, the labor people of the state are
engaged in making public just how each
of the gentlemen now in the race stands
on the labor question.
The votes of the candidates are being
gone over carefully and in addition their
individual dealings with their EMPLOYEES
will be made a matter of record and Will
be scattered all over the state. The
State Federation of Labor has the matter
in hand, and at the meeting here this
spring will publish just what it has
of candidates on the questions which are
of interest to the organized workingmen
Ringleaders Blacklisted.
Gen. Z. w. Nichols. superintendent of
the Virginia Military Institute. who
last winter shipped the entire second
class for gross violation of the regula-
tons, mutiny and INSTRUMENTATION. has is
sued a statement in which he says that
forty of the seventy-flve men will be
allowed to return to the institute. but
that lie has a list of twenty of the
youngsters, the ringleaderS i'll the dis
turbance, who will not be allowed to
return under any circumstances.
This action on the part of Gen. Mich
OILS has the Endorsement of the board
of visitors; which is a unit in declaring
that discipline shall be maintained in
the institute regardless of consequences.
1t is noted that since the authorities took
such q positive stand and refused point
blank TO reinstate the boys last winter
not one of the other schools in the
state has had the least trouble in main
tanning order.