Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-28
CHICHESTER .BA:STAND
IN H|S:0WN DEFENSE
san :,n'&
Y NyUHTs
Makes Long Statement. Reviewing
His AppQinIpents and Other
Tddffaf Acts.
lnIh1anU
DENIES r&AyNlEAi,;s CHARGES
III sEJ-r,
At Conclusion, Of .FisrTestimony, DE.
Tense RestH4ts Case-Oniy Few
More Witnesses TO BE Examined
Before Powell Is, Through.
Especial to The Times Dispatch

n
brought aSa.Dht; him by Delegate
Powell. At the conclusion OF his tcsti-
mony. the defense rested it's case.
Several WITNESSES then were called
in rcbuttal, and, Mr.. Powell still has
about. six more witnesses to examine
before tcstimons- for his side is con-
cluded. Thcst viii testify tomorrow.
and the sessions Of tho committee will
come to an cid. IL having been agreed
By both siJts that there will be no
argument. 49,.
When the;t legislative investigating
committee opoiIed it's scssion this morn
ing Judge r, ~. l.. Chichester. against
whom Deleg1poS. =. Powell made the
charges on fhfi,noor Of the House OF
Delegates last March. took the stand
IN his own behalf. He was questioned
by Mr.. FitzhAtssA Judge Chichesters
counsel. and Judgc Chichester com
nenced n long statement. reviewing his
appointments and hother acts He said
he Was native OF Fairfax County.
moved to Stafford in lSSl-s2. was
elected Commemorative attorney, later
became county judge Of Stafford and
King George CountinB and was APP
pointed circuit judge din 1910. which
Office he has held siifcc tina, time.
Judge Chichester said be never took
politics into consideration when making
appointments. Fred Frase was APP
pointed deputy treasurer by Treasurer
}. w. Massey and he approved tho
appointment He appointed NJ
Fraser on the electoral board 10 take
the place Of Mr. Waite. whose term hal
expired. Mr.. Waite did not apply for
reappointment. and a petition was pre-
scented requesting appointment OF Mr.
Fraser. lie said he had never heard
of "Chiclrster faction" until these
charges were. 59adc.
Judge 'Chiche st-s,, old OF naming T.
T. Hudson ,v,i i4,e- electoral board 10
succeeth;i GeprrcH 81 Iiae4, who re-
signed over Judge ChiRRdst,t's protest.
y petition had been presented hirtask-
ing for Hudson's appointment. Judge
Chichester stated that the charge that
these appointments were made for po-
ittcal purposes was false. He ap-
pointed Fred Fraser land assessor. al
though petition had been presented in
behalf of w. g. Chandler and John NJ
Chiffon. There was friction between
The two. J. T.-Coleman. who presented
Chandlef's petition, charged that chill
cn cha x.gsssfs resident ,"ia. ,0 OF sp ss,H
sylvania County. Uuher these circuu-
stances Judge Chichester selected Mr.
Fraser and appointed All. Crismond
clerk. after considering petitions for
him and for Mr.. B!scoe. because he
considered Crismond tho most compe-
tent man. He sent for Judge E.mbrcy,
who had examined the clerks Office
and asked him IL there was anything to
indicate that a ". Crisnond knew any
thing OF his fathers alleged shortage
in advance. Judge Embrey said there
not know how either man voted: Clerk
Crismo..d kept all books required by
law, and kept them wcn Judge CHI
chester again empha his former
statement that the ciSXyefhat he made
appointments {T poliNtAI purposes was
absolutely faH$ lie said he appointed
Judge Wallet Commemorative attor-
ney because ne considered him legally
!qua!ifed and every one spoke Of him
as gentleman and as fully compe- !
tent; every member OF the bar. with
the exception Of two or three. urged
his appointment. as we'll as q number
OF citizens. -
DID NOT REFLECT
CREDIT on ,soMi:Li.
Judge Chichester saidt5e'f1,sn OBJ
served>Mr Powelrs copduci u, the bar
and his wranEling with other attorneys
and had heard things that did not re-
fleet credit on Mr.. Eqwc1i, Ssome OF these
coming from JudS9 Mason. He said
Judge Mason ,b5n ahis, OF letter
Powell wrote. to lhe, Court of Appeals
which led TO Mr. rSwell being sum
moned before the Court Of Appeals for
contempt. dfTaS, GWrcnt at the same
time. he sA'da an'olts the lawyers OF
Fredericksh R4 ats5ut the incident
when Judge Wright threatened To put
Powell in Jail for contempt. These
WINGED JudsM1'hiehes'er that MIR.
CORRESPONDENCE. Judge Chi
ches&f .ai1 + &. Harris. late clerk OF
SpotsNvania. had told him that Mr.
= Po wa ff-'Tre ss-.sse-e1.ty attorney he could
papeff SSGnHoT'fa,e6r ice and returning
-lhap&&RaATQR&G.t llas. Judge Chichester
sa@$HSheRSA&GsosSTg circuit judge he
tafeenfp red' to'esstin'-Mr Powelrs conf
dence and allowed him TO so the limit.
4. but Mrt~Ro~elii sesTsd to grow worse.
i1AeM imprdvAg; that attorneys
eohfaGfd to- Observation-Disclosures of the
consideration he showed TO Powell.
Judge ChichfsIes had no intimation
that Judge Waller was in bad health.
i Tcs:a MTs{ffYYell why he did no,
fof the lplase. J fSo% taw$er Endorsed
Powen.s ffeA had no ,Ioubt of .Judrc
Walters legal qualifications. The
charge that he appointed additional
justices Of therpeecs throughout his
circuit was false, lie said, and he had
appointed only fye since he became
Judge. EIehieG1ewa! She resignation
and reappontInent OF b. r. Easiburp
as justice of the peace and explained
I'd rssssFAnE,ssioJIlRa 'aslsssoEs ' Captain hs %1s
NJ. r. Rowe, who made the charges
which caused Eastburn to resign. He
f pssv%sa over OF h e
with, Republican. The appointment
was made before Beckwith's petition
was. received, He said the appoint
ment of!bde u. Graves coXhhissioner in
chancery was the only appointment TO
IA u.