Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1915-03-27

tlemen, that TOP give the judges this
power would force them into politics
even more than they We're 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. executive and
judicial branches of our government
should be kept separate and distant
as far as possible. 49,.
That In my native County OF Spot
sylvania (where I practice law, and
which, together with the city of
Fredericksburg, have the honor to
represent in this Legislature) politics
was considered by the Hon. r. H. r..
Chichester, judge Of the Circuit court
OF said county, In making the. ap-
pointment OF officers which the law
now imposed on him. #. "
APPOINTED DEPUTY TREASURER
ON ELECTORAL. BOARD.
That he had recently appointed
Fred Fraser, who Is deputy treasurer
OF Spotsylvania County las q mem
Der Of the electoral board Of Spot
sylvania County In the place OF. Mar
melus +. Waite "a Democrat, but who
does not belong to the county ring ).
That he also appointed p, T. Hud-
son O member OF said electoral board
IN the place Of G.. w. Perry q Dem
ocrat, but who does not belong to
tho county ring.
That he also appointed the said
Fred l.. fraser land assessor for
1915 In said county In defiance OF
the wishes of an overwhelming ma
jority OF the properly owners and
taxpayers OF his district, as ex-
pressed In petition presented to said
Judge, but III response to the wishes
CT a few members OF what Is COM
monty known as the ring, 81
That tho appointment OF Fred T..
Fras or. deputy treasurer Of Spotsyla
vanih County, as a member OF the
electoral board to take part In APP
pointing the Judges and clerks of the
elc NJ on> tx which his principal, the
prenent treasurer Of Spotsylvania
County, will be candidate for re-
elecGion. and In the success o. which
tho said Fred L. Fraser is financially
and personally Interested, was in de-
fiante Of and contrary to para graph
3 OF section 81 Of tho Virginia Con-
stitution, which reads as follows:
sNo person, nor the deputy OF
any person, holding any office or post
OF profit or emolument under the
, United States government, or who Is
in the employment OF such govern
mont, or holding any elective office
Of profit or trust in the State, or In
any county, city, or town thereof,
shall be appointed member OF the
electoral board, or registrar, or
Judge Of election"
That the said r. II, T.. Chichester
had taken oath to support this Con-
stitution when he became Judge.
CHARGES FRAUD OF -,
SPCTSYLVANIA ELECTIONS
That among the frauds practiced
at elections in Spotsylvania County,
which I personally know, was the
erasure Of r. M. Usher, q legally quail
ified voter, registered at Thornsburg
Precinct, Berkeley District, Spotsyl-
yania County, from the voting list OF
November 4, 1913, furnished the
judges OF said precinct for elections,
Thornsburg being the home precinct
of G. r. Coleman, my predecessor in
the House Of Delegates, from Spotsyl-
yania County and the city Of Fred
ericksburg, and he also had copy
OF said voting list with same Usher's
name erased .therefrom, and object
ing to the judges of said precinct al
lowing said Usher to vote at said
election on the ground that he was
not on the voting list furnished said
precinct judges by tho county e1ecto-
raj board for said election.
I held both Of said lists up to the
light, and It showed the election Of
ficials and crowd Of bystanders
where said name had been erased
by the extreme thinness OF the pa
per at that place, and also by COM
pariBon with an official list furnished
me- by the clerk Of the Circuit Court
Of said county. which I had kept in
my pocket up to that timeS and which
said Coleman and said; election off,.
Gals did not know I,possessed, and
only which said Usher's name ap-
peared in tho said place as erased
therefrom On the other two lists, and
as originally printed there, all of
said lists being printed from the
same original copy and plates.
Will furnish evidence OF many
other election frauds Of which T
nave information to the Committee
on Courts OF Justice when It comes
TO Spotsylvania to Investigate the
matter, together with complete proof
from eyewitnesses Of the one above
referred to. ~.
APPOINTMENT OF
Z CRISMOND AS CLERK
The latter part Of January, 1912,
the clerk Of the Circuit Court of
Spotsylyania County died; he had
Just been elected at the preceding
November election for q term oT
eight years. commencing January.
1912. Judge r. II. l.. Chichester ap-
pointed A. H. Crismond, the incum-