The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-05-14

any elector by threats, menace or
promises from voting, shall be deem
ed guilty of a felony, and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be impris-
oned in the penitentiary not less
than one nor more than five years"
1t is barely probable that the alb
sence of the printed list of voters,
or that the terms 'fraudulently AID
corruptly permit persons to vote IL
legally" will operate to mitigate
the alleged offense of the judges.
1t may be insisted that the judges
did not "fraudulently and corrupt
ly permit any person to vote IL
legally" although the evidence may
disclose the fact that many illegal
votes were cast. However, this is
question for the court to deter
mine and is mentioned here only
incidentally.
Investigation into the city cleo
ton is said to have been result
of the contest proceedings filed by
]. T. Hester against w. c. Middle
ton who was elected mayor of Par
agould by two votes over Hester.
The vote received by the four can
didates in the race for mayor was
as follows: Middleton 377, Hester
375, McHaney 1872, Parrish So. On
the day following the election ].
r. Hester stated he had been ad-
vised many illegal votes were cast
and that he had decided to ask for
an investigation. On Saturday, fol-
lowing the election on Tuesday, he
filed formal contest proceedings in
circuit court. When circuit court
convened Monday Attorney D. G.
Bueachamp, representing J. T. Hes
ctr, filed a motion with Judge Guat-
ney asking for an order from the
court requiring the election COM
missioners to deliver the sealed bal
lots and poll books into the custody
of the court to be used as evidence
in the contest proceedings. This
motion has not been acted upon and
will probably not be pressed further
in view of the fact that the grand
jury demanded and received the bal
lots and they are now in the Gus
tody of the court to be used as evil
dence in the criminal prosecutions
that will follow the indictments for
alleged illegal voting. !,
1t is expected the contest pro-
ceedings over the mayors office will
come up for hearing during the
present term of court. Judge J. L.
Light, attorney for Mayor Middle
ton, has filed motion to dismiss
the suit, and this motion will prob
ably furnish the first issue in the
case.
Prosecuting Attorney Huddleston
says the warrants issued on the
indictments for alleged illegal vot-
ing are made returnable at this
term of court and he expects to
have all or a large number of the
cases disposed of before this term
adjourns.
The law fixes a minimum bond of
$1,000 in felony cases and this
amount of surety will be demanded
of each defendant when the war
rant of arrest is served upon him.
The citizens who composed the
grand jury that made the investiga-
ton and returned the indictments
are as follows:
r. Jackson, foreman; w F. Trice,
j. r.. Cooper, E. C. Walden, J. w.
Hill, l. S. Horne, j. M. HALEY, E.
Allen, w. G. Lamb, L. c. Newberry,
John Wood, j. ]. Norton, j. w.
Cooley, R. M. Cothren, w. A. We'll
ton and A. P. Mack.
The grand jury was in session
five days and returned one hun
dred and seventy-one bills of in
dictment, the largest number ever
returned in that length of time by
Greene county grand jury.