Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-12-18
CHICHESTER is,
EX0NERATED
Committee Reports That
There is No Evidence
to Sustain Charges
GIVEN. CLEAR RECORD
Chairman Oliver Differs With Com
mittee on One Point-Report will
Be Sent to Legislature. :,

Richmond, Dec. 1S-Judge r. H. l..
Chichester, of Fredericksburg, charg-
ed with many misdeeds and wrong
full and illegal acts by Delegate 5.
P. Powell. of Spotsylvania, has been
declared absolutely free of guilt in
each and every instance.
The report was finished soon al
ter noon yesterday by the commits
ion. The entire committee joined In
the findings in the case, making the
report unanimous
Shairman Oliver, however, differs
from his colleagues Or just one poiE,
In the matter of naming a deputy
treasurer for the electoral board Mn.
Oliver holds that Chichester violated
the Constitution, and adds that IN
doing so he made the appointment
without knowledge that the appointee
was an officer at the time thereby
freely acquitting him of the least inn
proper motive in the premises.
The charges filed by Delegate Pow
ell contained nine alleged violations
or acts which were deemed. b. BIN,
to be in contravention of fairness
equity and justice. Taken up IN order,
they were:
/. That Judge Chichester was actin.
ated by partisan politics in making
appointments.
.. That he violated statute laws u!
making appointments by naming
party associates.
3, Appointing men to position VINO
already held Office, clearly violating
the Constitution.
4. Permitting attorneys practicins
in his court to traffic in matters PEND
ing in his court.
). Charging and accepting per diem
for holding terms Of court when net
actually engaged in holding court:
6. Partisan action in the trial OF
cases.
7. Nepotism.
8. Naming persons for position af-
ter consulting few persons.
Q. Partisan bias in naming cleo
tion officials.
To each Of these charges the COM
naittee- reports Not sustained" add
ing in one or more cases in reference
to the charges, mot 4 Scintilla OF evl-
dence to sustain this charge" or, "No
evidence whatever tending to sus-
tain the truthfuness of this charge
or any specification"
In concluding the report the COM
mttee declareds that Judge Chiches-
ter is wholly free Of any and llE IL
legation made against him; that his
conduct is, and has always been, above
reproach or censure, and that no
grounds whatever can be found IN
the evidence for any adverse action
in the matter
The last paragraph Of the report
which bears the names of all the
members is as follows:
"We doubt if there is single
member of the judiciary who can
show cleaner record on the bench
than Judge Chichester, according to
the evidence in the investigation
Chairman Oliver, lifetime friend
of Judge Chichester and former
member of the assembly endorsed
what the majority say, but ne filed
member of the assembly, endorsed
his views on the matter Of the ap-
pointment of +. L. Frayser, deputy
treasurer. as member Of the cleo
toral board. He holds that such ap'
, pointment by Judge Chichester was
violation Of the Constitution. but
holds also that as Judge Chichester
: did not know that Frayser held the
j, position of deputy treasurer that he
was not knowingly guilty Of any IL
legal act, and that no censure attaches
for such appointment, taking. the
: position that the judge shsuld have
:: informed himself on that score.
II Ths bearing has aest the State
. something like $4,000, including the
fees to officers and er9witnesses. :.