Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-12

| proffercd by counsel for either side
! Scores OF the witnesses will never
reach the chair and other scores will
/ occupy only minute or two OF the
/ committees time.
NOTABLE SPECTATORS
PRESENT AT HEARING
Some idea of the wide interest the
pending inquiry holds for citizens OF
! every walk OF life may be formed when
II 's said that the throng of spectators
daily is made up of professional and
business mon, farmers. workingmen
1 ana politicians. who como from many
; part of tho judicial district.
Two prominent clergymen were among
! the spectators to-day-Rev. Franz;
rage, ID. D.. of Fairfax. brother of Am
bassador Thomas Nelson Page and
! Rev. ii. Barber. D. d.. rector of
| Trinity Episcopal Church. Fredericks-
burg. Commonwealth's Attorney w A.
ltose. or King George County; Thoma 6
! i.omaN Hunter, the lawyer-poet. of
kinE George: Otho Helm. member OF
inc House OF Delegates: Forrest Halsey.
hoNelist and playwright. author of the
successful novel, The STAIN" and other
prominent mem were also in the court
house during the day.
SAT IN reconnaissance
TO ACCOMMODATES ATTORNEYS
Regarding Powelrs charge that,
while sitting as Judge of the Cor.
. poration Court Of Frederick sbure
Judge Chichester had charged for time
which he did not employ on the bench,
the judges answer says:
RMS charge is to the effect that
charged for forty-one days time
holding court in Frcdericksburr for
Judge Goolrick in 1912, between Nav /
| and September /. when on many of the
days practically nothing was done en-
cept to enter some little order, such
as appointing his friend. a. w. Embrey.
member OF the ELECTORAL board Off
! fredericksburg during his illness and
without consulting Judge Goolricc
which could have been deferred II few
days until the business Justified n
charge for n full days service On
several other days he also entered
othcr orders and DEGREES in other courts
In ms circuit, for which he was being
paid regular salary, thus being paid
Tor service in two courts on the same
day, and one of them not in his cir
cult
Il may state here that Frederieks-
ourE is within easy communication by
automobile with Stafford, King George
caroline and Spotsylvania Counties, the
other, or Hanover Courthouse, being
more remote; that after actually going
TO open and holding court at any OF
the four courthouscs first mentioned, |
nave then returned to Frederick sburg
ana nave there been met by lawyers In
my circuit representing litigation In
other courts OF the circuit and at their
request l have abridged my hours Of
rest and attended to the business which
they had in hand. 1 may also state
chancery business In all my courts Ia
attended to by me in vacation, with
the consent and at the request OF the
lawyers engaged therein. Ii is thus
not an uncommon thing for me 10
enter DEGREES in the same day in two
t,,
SAYS JUDGE GOODRICH
APPROVED HIS ACCOUNT
I'm this connection ! will further
state that l made no charge what
soevcr; that the record Of the Cornoru
ton Court speaks for itself and show
the services | performed: that after I
had adjourned the court and Judge
Goodrich had recovered from his illncss
and was holding his own court. the
clerk thereof made up the account
which was passed upon and allowed by
Judge Goodrich; was approved by ST
George X. Fitzhngh. City Attorney, and
ordered paid by the City Council /
might further add that l never heard
any question OF the legality or proprie-
" Of either my action or OF the action
or Judge Goolrick, City Attorney st.
| George r. FitZhuEh. or the Council OF
the city Of Frederick sburg. in respect
or this payment. until Mr.. Powclrs ac-
! ton before the House of Delegates Of
Eirg inia. Mr. Powell admits that no
never heard of It until he received a
letter last winter when he was in at
tendance upon the General Assembly,
which letter he published. or caused to
he published, without disclosing the
name of the author, and he reiterates
this charge in his charges and speci
tications of July TO- 1915. without dis
closing the name OF the author of such
letter.
The statute law OF Virginia provides
for the per diem compensation OF a
judge who holds court for another
judge. The trouble in this connection
is that Mr.. Powell assumes to criticize
the Council Of sburg. the City
Attorney Of Fredericksburg. and Judge
Goolrick of the Corporation Court OF
Fredericksburg. in connection with
auditing, certifying and paying this
account; in other words. and this threa d
runs through his entire action in this
proceeding, that Mr.. Powell Is u self
constituted Judge and critic OF the ac-
ton OF everyone else, regardless of the
fact That the law has constituted vari-
Gus courts. Boards Of Supervisors.
Councils for the cities, electoral boards
and other authorities. to judge. pass
upon and decide things necessary to be
decided in the ordinary conduct OF the
. government Of the State and of its local
subdivisions.
The record will show that ] held the
Corporation Court during Judge Cool
rick's illness for fv months. or more.
and that my compensation for this SER
vice was less than the regular salary
Of the Corporation Court Judge during
a like period or course. I continued.
during this time to transact the usual
business of my circuit. and entered
many DEGREES and orders in my own
courts on days held court in Fred
erick sburg The fact that 7 was hold
ing court for fredericksburg was no
reason for neelectinE the work of my
own circuit"
DENIES POLITICS GOVERNED
ANY OF HIS APPOINTMENTS
In emphatic language Judge Chi
chester asserts that he had never
heard Of any chichester faction be-