The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-25
ELECTIONS
BILL IS OFFERED
Measure Drawn by Judge Phlcgar
to Wipe Out Bribery in
Virginia.

DEL wn ~ former Supreme Court Judge.
trcher ~ PhleSBr to meet the demand
pure election law which Will
~ elective, bills offered yesterday i'm
create general interest Tho neccsai,v
LOT such law was brought TO IN.
a.'ehtloh OF Judge Phlccur. as well
80 " tnt state. BY tho many recent
proIecutipns Instituted BY Judge II.
W, Skeen, In the Circuit Court of Lee
county. At meeting OF the Ninth Dis
uiGt committee and campaign workers
Aeld at Rad!ord u few DAVIS ago :,
resolution was passed comnending
'uIse Skccn and calling for effective
iaWs To prevent bribery.
h6s @ren claimed BY a number OF
ta"Sers. and among thcm NJ c. Ely.
-etc Commonwealth attorney OF lee
county, that udgo Sl.ccn's cfforts TO
sCnNict ana disiranchiae persona who
sold thelr votes would be abortIye 90
cause the existing laws do not au-
tnorlze him 10 grant immunity To the
buyer when he becomes "a Witness
against the SELLER The argument is
smh. the barksdalc law grants i'm
munity to witnesses only in prosccu-
lions under that law, and does not
extend the immunity bath 80 as 10
protect from prosecution under tn.
BshsfaL brihery law, aud. therefore,
Notwithstanding tho judges offer az
immunity persons can refuse 10 tcE-
tify. upon the ground that they viii
Tender themselves liable under Inc
Eth''Ai li"' me Dill offered In tho
senate by Or. Crockett and IN the
House BY Mr. Chalkicy will il is un-
derstood, set this matter Ut rest.
Docs Not interiors.
Section Of the bill expressly pro.
widss chat II shall not remit nor in
terfere with any penalties heretofore
incurred, but that the right to prose-
cute the same shall remain as though
Inserted for the purpose of preventing
any POSSIBLE impeachment from being
thrown in the way Of Judge Skean In
MS effort to purity the ballot under
The act amends section : Of the
Barksdale law so as to forb!d the dis
;rihution OF money whiskeS or other
valuable thing, to whomsoeve belong
SO as to prevent persons who buy
votes from by any possibility escaping
under the claim that they are acting
n5 agents for some ono else
Section OF the Bark sdale law Is
amended so az to prohibit the use OF
money or whtskey TO influence the vot.
OF any perBon, thus making II nnlaw-
full TO pay person not to vote in a
certain way.
The penalty ia changed SO as TO be
a fnc OF not less than 800 nor more
than $1,000. and perpetual distranchise-
ment. one-half of the fine 10 go 10 the
informer. The idea is that juries would
ne less reluctant 10 administer fines
than TO impose jail sentence. aud
lnua COnNlCuonS would De less 0itncult.
The inforrner is given one-half Of the
fine In order to offer an inducement
TO the vote seller to become a Witness
after the expiration OF six months.
when the prosecution against him is
barred. the idea being that any man
who VIII sell his vote will not hesitate
to Inform on the buyer for $500 il as
sured himself OF immunity.
Gives Immunity
Section OF the Barksdale law rs
amended by this net gives the buyer Of
votes immunity IL within six months
after the commission OF tho oifcnse he
shall voluntarily disclose TO the Com
monwealths attorney or to n grand
jury the name Of the person who sold
his vote. and shall fully and freely
testify in any prosecution against such
person. While few persons who buy
votes, II Is believed. would likely be
influenced by . desire to obtain one
half of the fine collected from the
seller. which could probably never he
collected. It Is the idea that tho de-
sire for immunity and for protection
against the seller after the expiration
of six months would be n powerful In
centive to the buyer to bring about the
acknowledgements of the person who
sold his vote.
Even IL the buyer. after six months,
does not disclose the violation OF the
law, he can be summoned before n
grand jury and compelled to do SO.