The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-12
POWELL CHARGES ARE
SENT TO COMMITTEE
ing lis Allegations AGAINST
Judge ". II. L. tchcsyer.
TEL rs OF FRACTIONAL FIGHT
Particular, However, to Disclaim In
tcntion to Rcficc- Upon the Per
SON Cha, actcr or Conduct of Judge
on Bench.

7
teenth Judicial Circuit. IL the state
ment filed with the House of Delegates
yesterday in response to the Hefiin
resolution. calling for proof of the
charges made on the floor OF the
House W 'dnesday. borrower, MIR.
Powell charges wholesale political cor
ruptiou in Spotsylvania county. and
promises further evidence when sum-
moned before tn, committee.
The statement was read yesterday
afternoon In the House of Delegates
and referred to the Committee on
Courts of Justice, which will meet this
morning at o'clock to consider it,
I Chairman Olve.. of the committee.
said last night that the charges would
be probcd to the bottom and that the
report OF the committee would he
based on the evidence presented. IF
il seem to the committee" he said.
that they are worthy OF further In
vestigation. the committee will so rec
ommend."
Delegate Powell goes into the politi-
cal situation in the county of Spot
syivania, charging fraud in primary
election. naming incidents and prom
Using to name md prove others. His
statement in full follows:
Mr.. Poweirs Statement.
! Gentlemen;
! In compliance with your request, as
! embraced In the foregoing resolution.
/ that | formulate my charges concern
/ ing Judge X. II. L. Chichester. of the
1 Fifteenth judicial Circuit. In writing
and give them to you, and all In
formation upon which said charges
are based, l beg to state that during
! the discussions the Senate bill in
which was opposing the courts be
/ ing given authority to appoint the
| local boards OF review under the new
! tax system, | stated In substance. but
j | cannot give the exact words as !
/ spoke extemporaneously and In the
heat Of debate amid q constant fire Of
/ questions from various gentlemen.
that to give the judges this power
would force them into politics even
more than they were now. That they
already had the appointing of too
many officers, and should not be given
the right to appoint any more. That
| the legislative and judicial branches
| of our government should be kept
separate and distinct as far as pos
sble.
j That in my native County of
Spotsylvania (where / practice law
and which. together with the city OF
Fredericksburg | have the honor OF
trying to represent in this Legisla-
ture), politics was considered by the
Hon, r. H. l.. Chichester, Judge OF
the circuit 1OuEl OF SaId CbdHtyI III
making the appointment OF officers
which the law now imposed on him.
Cites Appointments.
That he had recently appointed Mr..
Fred Fraser, who IL deputy treasurer
. OF Spotsylvania County as MEM
Der OF the Electoral board of Spotsyl-
vania County In the pace of Mar
, melus f. White. Democrat. but who
| does not belong to the county ring
n That he also appointed r. T. Hudson
= a member Of said Electoral Board In
: the place of g. w. Perry, a Dem
ocrat but who does not belong to
the county ring; that he also appoint
ed the said Fred l. Fraser A land as
SCISSOR for 1915 in said county in de-
= nance of the wishes of an overwhelm-
ing Majority of the property owners
| and taxpayers of his district, as ex-
; pressed In petition presented to said
Judge. but in response to the wishes
OF a few members OF what Is com
monty known as the ring.
That the appointment Of Mr.. Fred
: Fraser deputy treasurer of Spotsyi-
vania County, as member of the
= Electoral Board to take part in APP
pointing the judges and clerks OF the
r election precincts in Spotsyivanta
\ County at the coming election, ir
e which his principal. the present treas
urcr of Spotsylvania County, Will be
. | a Cdnuiuhle tbI It-tieNiibi. anu III tiit
Y success of which the said Fred l.
Fraser is financially and personally in
. terested. was In defiance of and con
2 trary to paragraph of section 81 OF
the Virginia Constitution. which reads
as follows:
| Quotes the Law.
mo person, nor the deputy OF any
] person. holding any office or post oil
profit or emolument, under the United
. States Government, or who is in the
> employment OF such government. or
holding any elective office OF profit OF
trust in the State. or In any county
city or town thereof. shall be appoint.
: ed member OF the eicctora. board
or registrar or Judge OF election
That the said X. II. l. Chichester
; had taken an oath to support this
Constitution when he became Judge.
That among the frauds practiced al
! elections at Spotsylvania Count,
which | personally know was the
erasure of II. II. Usher. legally
qualified voter, registered at Thorns'
, burg precinct. Berkeley District
Spotsylvania County. from the voting
list OF November 4, 1912. furnished the
ridges OF said precinct for elections
Thornsburg being the home precincs
OF c. II. Coleman, my predecessor III
the House of Delegates, of Spotsyl-
vania County and the city OF Fred
I 6FlChSuuIE, anu no aioC AiRu tppy
or said voting list with said Usher s
name erased therefrom and objectins
to the judges of said precinct allowing
said Coleman and said election Of
the ground thatshe was not on the
voting list furnished said precinct
Judges by the County Electoral Board
for said election. l held both OF said
lists up to the light and It showed the
election officials and crowd Of by
ISLANDERS where said name had been
erased by the extreme thinness Of the
paper at that place and also by COM
parison with an official list furnished
me by the clerk of the Circuit Court
OF said county, which l had kept In
my pocket up to that time and which
said Coleman and said electional Of
ficia,s. did not know | possessed. and
only which said Usher's name APP
peared In the said place as erased
therefrom on the other two lists. and
AS originally printed thereon. All of
said lists being printed from the same
original copy and plates. l will fur
nish evidence OF many other election
frauds, of which / have information
! to the Committee on Courts OF Jus
tee when they come to Spotsylvania
\ to investigate the matter. together
with complete proof from eye-wit-
nessea of the one above referred to.
Csfsmond appointment.
The latter part OF aJnuary. 1912,