Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-18

NJ. w. Thorburn. prominent farmer
and former member OF tho public road
board. said he was n member OF the
delegation that advocated Biscoe for
clerk. He did not recall that anything
was said at the time against Crismond
Ne said that " there had been no ring"
Powell would not have been elected to
the Legislature. He did not think tho
ring" elected Powell Mr. Powell
asked Mr.. Thorburn II no thought
Judge Chichesters appointment caused
his (tPowelrs) election. This was OBJ
Jectcd to. and the objection was sus-
tanned. Mr.. Thorburn said there was
n ring" or clique" and those who
asked for tho appointment Of Mr.. Girls
mond were among those who composed
tho ring" and that II extended further
than that. He said Judge Chichester
had never made a political request Of
him.
WAS NOT KNOWN
WHO COMPOSED "RING"
j. Brock TriGg said he was appointcd
registrar and held the Office until last
spring, when he was displaced He said
there were no charges madc AGAINST
h'in' that he was turned out by the
new board and by Fred Frazer ons
OF Judge Chichester's appointees lie
did not vote for w. S Embrev in 1914
ZIG delVered the book to r. p. Payne,
| who was appointed land assessor nv
Judge Chichester. He did not know
who composed the ring" and did mot
Know who influenced Judge Chiche ester
|" make appointments, Replying to
Judge EmbrcT's question. he said Judge
|hicheS'er had never made any request
OF him politically. nor had he ever
seen Judge Chichester taking any part
in political meetings.
p. g. Finney. commissioner of the
| revenue for his district stated that he
WAS member Of the Biscoc dcleEa-
| ton. He goes to the courthouse every
court day. He said Leo j. Graves F
w. Coleman and William W. Butzner
had all acted Commemorative at
torney at different times He had
never seen Judge Waller conduct a
case alone. He saw Judge Waller at
the courthouse the last time six or
eight months ago. Judge Waller. he
stated had not pract!ced law in the
last hftcen years. to his knowledge.
Mr.. Powell asked Mr.. Finney il he
attended tho trial Of j. T. H. Crismond.
ana II he was not one OF those who
asked Judge Waller not to preside in
inc case This was objected to by
Judge Embrey. The objection was
| sustained. and the ruling excepted to
by Mr.. Powell. Mr.. Finney said he be-
l!eVcd there was ring" and those
who advocated the appointment of Mr..
| Crismond and Judge Waller. composed
the ring
Mr.. Powell asked the witness several
questions as to who had Influenced
Judge Chichester in his opinion and
whether he thought the judge desired
to receive petitions. The questions
were all objected to. tho objection was
sustained and exceptions noted. Mr..
! f!nney said he did not know who re-
quested the other attorneys TO act as
Commemorative attorney for Judge
Waller when the latter was not acting.
NEVER KNEW JUDGE
| TO ENERT INFLUENCE
| a. l.. Johnson was another member
OF the Blscoe delegation. He said he
Endorsed the speech made by DR.. Dick.
lnson. He saw Judge Embrev and
Lawyer Coleman advocating the ap-
pointmcnt OF Crismond. He never had
heard that Judge Chichester tried to
influence politics in Spoteylvania Coun-
i'y BY the appointments Of MI Girls.
mond lie did not think the appoint
ment OF Mr.. Crismond met with the
approval of the people He stated that
! Thomas Payne was now acting as both
registrar and land assessor. He never
had kn"'vn Judge Chichester to try TO
influence politics in Spotsylvania.
Mr.. Powell stated that he did not
Intend TO hear George ". Perry, a
| prominent merchant of Spotsylvania
witness was present, he asked him to
take the stand.
! Mr. Perry said he was a member Of
the electoral board in 1913 and opposed
retaining G. w. Burton as Judge OF
| election at Brents Mill. and for this
reason he resigned from the board and
Judge Chichester insisted that he re-
main on the board. He did not tell
Judge Chichester his reason for resign
, Ing. He said the board consisted of him
| self. NJ. F. Waite and Wesley Hogan
He had learned that Burton was not
qualified to vote. and called on the Com
| IHonwealth's attorney in Fredericks-
burg and asked If Burton was eligible
! Mr.. Butzner advised that another man
be put in Burton's place. Hogan OBJ
)ected to removing Burton and he
| the witness-berame dissatisfied and
rcSiEnea re cailed up Judge Chlches-
| ter and asked him to appoint some one
in his place. He said Mr.. Hogan made
| himself SO dsaEreeable that he did not
care 10 serve with him any longer. He
did not recall any other objection 10
the judges OF election. with the excep-
tion OF that made by Mr.. Powell as to
| r. c. Blaydes. He told Mr. Powell that
! he would have to prove his charges
against Mr.. Blaydes before the board
would remove him. Mr.. Powell asked
If he did not object to the appointment
| OF T. c. Goodloe and r. ". Harris as
! Judges Of election because they had
written certain articles to the Free
Lance and Star. Mr.. Perry said he
could not remember. He said e T.
| Hudson succeeded him on the board.
and he did not know how the board
voted. He usually consulted members