The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-02
CHICHESTER WILL
SIT IN TREHY CASE
Governor Dcsignatcs Judge to
Hear Norfolk Contested
Elections
MANY CHARGES OF FRAUD
Election Officers Alleged 10 Have
Marked Ballots Tor
MANY CHARGES OF FRAUD

Judge 4. II. l.. Chichester. Of Fred
oficksburg. was designated By Cover
nor Mann yesterday to hear tho Nor
folk contested election case. ia which
Judge Allen K. Iiunckcl thought it
Improper that h" should sit The spc-
cial term for the trial OF this case
opens on Thursday. and tho decision Of
Judge Chichester is final The case is
in the style Of Leon &. steel ana others
against James V rrchy and Il Cray
runstall
on tho face Of the returns III the
recent election. James Y freely was
reelected clerk of the Corporation
Court bv a majority OF ninety three
votes over Richard W. Icatross. candi-
date of tho Citizens party. u. Cray
Tuustall was reelected on TIL. face of
the returns by small majority over T. e.
Stanworth candidate u the Citizens
party FOR the oiiic" OF city treasurer.
The Citizens party elected las candi-
date for commemorative attorney. ..
L. Shackl"ford defeating John G.. TIL
ton. incumbent, and the Citizens party
also carried it's ticket FOR the House of
tion 81 Vrehy faction
Refused Access 10 Poll Books
shortly after the election fraud was
alleged in the method OF voting. and
the Citizens party asked permission to
examine tho poll books to see who had
clerk OF tho Corporation Court had tho
books in his possession. and refused
attorneys ior his opponents access 30
them. appeal was made to Judge
Hanckel. who decided the books We're
public property. Mr.. Trchy appealed to
the Supreme Court which decided
against him, holding that the books
containing :; list OF those who voted
We're public records. As the books do
not show how one voted there Is no
violation OF the secret ballot. Willie a
public Inspection of the list OF voters.
the court held, is a safeguard against
fraud.
Obtaining access 10 tho poll books
containing lists OF tho voters the Citi-
zens party shortly thereafter fled with
the Corporation Court allegations Of
fraud in various precincts. As judge
which Mr.. 'rrehy is now clerk. and as
there is much iacti"nal bitterness in
NorfoiN over the contest. he decided it
would be best 10 have the Governor
designate q judge from some other sec
tiun 81 tn. state.
After consulting the court calendars
Of the various terms OF court. the Gov
ernor yesterday designated Judge Chi
chester, Of the Fifteenth Judicial Cir
cult. composed of King George, stat
ford, Spot sylvania, Caroline and Han
over Counties.
illttcrntcS NOteu.
While the allegations Of fraud con-
tain many counts, and go over "a vast
amount OF ground il is understood that
{ the essence of the situation lies in the
charge that large Number of voters
probably about 200--werc unable to
read and write. and had to secure the
aid OF judges OF election to mark their
ballots. 1t is charged that the cleo
ton officials We're friendly 10 the ma
chine OF Trchy faction and voted hit
crates in his favor. AS TO the allcea-
ton that illitcrates had been registered
illegally. the election officers claim that
they had nothing To do with that, and
had no option but To vote them when
they applied with their names properly
certified on the registration books
That election officers may exercise a
large influence in the preparation of
the ballots OF illitcratcS is not denied
the case Of the Richmond Soldiers
Home being cited case in point,
II being alleged that in past elections
the veterans have been voted almost
solidly for certain candidates by the
precinct officials Even though such
practices in the marking Of ballots may
have obtained to a greater on less de-
gree, ii is contcnded that the practice
Is general throughout the state. and
does not AFFORD any legal ground for
throwing out precinct. In past de-
cisions. ii is asserted, the courts have
not adhered 10 the most rigid construc-
ton OF every clause of the election law,
but have sustained elections wherever
IL appeared that the Will OF the COM
munity .iad been fairly registered
The special term 10 open on Thurs
day VIII probably continue for several
days, for if all of the allegations Of
fraud are gone into, a vast amount Of
testimony must be taken.