Evening journal., 1912-11-22
FRIDAY NOV. %. 1912.
GRAY. DAVIS Am TuRNER.

n EMOCRATIC politicians and newspapers in this
- State endeavoring to make political capital
just from the fact that Moses Turner the States
star witness in the friutess prosecution of Mark L.
Davis Clerk OF the Peace Of Sussex county, for at
tempted bribery of a voter has pleaded guilty Of per-
jury and been sentenced to jail for year. These
Democratic politicians and newspapers would have the
public believe that the guilty plea entered by the lying
and irresponsible negro is tanamount to proof that
Mr.. Davis, who is prominent and responsible ciu-
Of Milford, really guilty Of the crime OF which
he was accused and acquitted. Nothing is farther
from the truth
The plain facts are these That in 1910 the Attorney
Generals Office then and now under Democratic
troll made desperate effort to get evidence Of election
bribery against Republicans The prominent tho
Republicans. he better it would serve the Democratic
purposes Information received in the Democratic
Attorney Generals Office that Mr. Davis had offered the
negro Moses Turner, money to vote the Republican
ticket That fine from Democrats point Of view.
Mr. Davis years had been Of the most prominent
Republicans in Milford and he had been elected Clerk Of
the Peace OF Sussex county Decision was reached
to make "horrible example" Of him.
Turner was questioned closely by the Democratic
officials What he said what they said he said was
reduced to writing and he swore to it. Il was greatl
witness had been found who swore that Mark L.
Davis a prominent Republican ohiceholder had tried
to buy his vote
Immediately thereafter the Democratic Attorney
General and his deputies wero in full hue and cry after
Mr.. Davis. II man-hunt Of the first order They
enjoyed il. Democratic politicians spurred them on
They beheld in the minds eye, Mr. Davis behind prison
bars--a ruined man. It way a delightful prospect for
the Democratic politicians For the time being they
gloated the impending downfall OF this promi-
nent Sussex county Republican.
Finally the trial began The Atorney-General, fort-
fed with what purported to be the sworn statement
Of Turner entered upon that prosecution with full
ndence of obtaining conviction. When Turner was
called he denied that Mr. Davis had tried TO buy his
vote and denied the truthfuness of any assertion
previously made that he had done so The result was
that the case against Mr. Davis went to pieces and he
was discharged honorahly by the court
Attorney General Gray was furious lie decided to
have inflicted upon Turner the lying negro, the pun
shment he had hoped have inflicted upon Mr.. Davis
through that lying negros testimony. Turner in
dicted FOR perjury. There escape for him. He
had sworn private that Mr. Davis had attempted to
buy his vote and he had in court that Mr. Davis
had done anything Of the sort Nothing sensible
was left for him to do but 10 plead guilty. He did
It and sentenced
The foes Of Mr. Davis now are attempting to dstort
the guilty plea Of this lying negro into conclusive proof
that Mr. Davis really did attempt to buy his vote and
that between the time Turner made his alleged sworn
statement to the AttorneyGenera and the time he was
called witness in court interested in the
future Of Mr. Davis had induced him change his story
and perjure himself Those Democratic constructions
too fimsy stand the acid test Of common-sense
In fact they himsy, if not more so, than the
States case against Mr. Davis, which founded
upon the periurious statements Of this negro convict
Mr.. Davis is in his home community pursuing his
accustomed ayocations. On the records OF the Kent
county court there is official evidence OF tho fact
0at the trial judges believed Kim TO be innocent and
mat in accordance with that belief they acquitted him
Turner, the witness upon whom Democratic Attor
ney-General relied to convict Mr.. Davis. is in iai
doing time a seif-confessed periurer. Attorney
General Gray is chewing the end OF bitter discomfort
He went into the Davis like lion he ou
OF Il like a lamb.
II. instead Of bewAiiing the fact that he failed t.
send Mr. Davis 10 JAIL he would investigate the
now current Of the Of large corruption funds b.
the Democrats in Kent and Sussex counties early thi
month ne would be doing much better work than &
be brooding his failure in the Davis case. which
so far he is concerned, IS water that has passe
over the dam.