Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-01

Sli'utioH TenioNaple only ana eSclu-
sivcly by methods other than those
provided by this act. who shall know
| inEly or willfully misconduct himself
in office who shall knowingly or
cnjoincd upon such officer by any law
of tho State of Virginia shall for
felt his office and be oustcd from Of
flee" I'm tho manner provided in the
same act
TENT OF PETITION
FILED HY DOIIEItrY
Commissioner Doherty's petition to
Judge White follows:
TO the Honorable i. u. White. judge
of the Circuit Court of the County OF
Isle of Wight
Application is respectfully made to
your honorable court under Chapter
i5l of the Acts of Assembly of 1916,
to remove from Office J.. c. Brock
Mayor of the town of Smithfcld. in the
County OF Isle OF Wight for know
ingly and willfulIy misconductinE him.
self III office upon the following
grounds, to Wit:
>That tho said l.. G. Brock, by virtue
Of his said Office OF Mayor, exercises
the powers and authority OF Justice
OF the peace for the said town of
Smithncld:
That upon the 21st day of June 1916.
being applied to by J. Il. Clincdinst,
assistant chief factory inspector OF the
state of Virginia, for warrants against
the Smithflcld Light and Power Com
pany and the Underwood Manufacture
N hn fnl1
dinst that if he. Clinedinst. brought
tho case against tho Smithfcld Light
and Power Company before him. that
he. the said Brock. would dismiss II;
chat he further said that he was glad
tho Child-lahor cases were in the coun-
TIFF they came before him he would
dismiss them: that he thought Mr.
Underwood was doing the town a favor
In working those children; that this
was said before the trial of the cases
and before the said Brock had heard
the evidence: that the said Clincdinst,
nevertheless, swore out warrant
against tho Smithticld Light and Power
Company for violation of Chapter LOG
of tho Acts Of 1912. known as tho semi
monthly pay law, and two warrants
against the Underwood Manufacturing
Company, Inc. one for violation of
Chapter Is Of the Acts Of 1911, known
rs the safety appliance law. and Of
Chapter 33s of the Acts Of 1914 known
as the child labor law: that the said
warrants were tried Al Smithficld in
the County of Isle Of Wight. by the
said j.. G. Brock, Mayor, on June 26,
1916 that the cases against the Smith
field Light and Power Company and the
Underwood manufacturing Company,
NIL
offered by the Commonwealth: that the
said l.. c. Brock seemed in haste To
decide the cases in favor Of the de-
PENDANTS. as he had threatened TO do.
without waiting for evidence to be
fully offered, that lie led the witnesses
with the evident intention of damac-
'uG in appearance the commemorative
cases, that he permitted bystanders to
prompt the Witnesses, that he dis
missed two OF tho warrants. TO wit: the
warrant against the Smithfcld Light
ana Power Company and the warrant
under the child-labor law against the
Underwood Manufa curing Company
Inc, upon the express ground that the
law ought not To apply to towns like
Smithfcld that he admitted from the
bench In open court that he had threat
ened. before the warrants were sworn
out and before he had heard the evil
dcnCe, TO dismiss these warrants il
they were sworn out; that his whole
attitude and bearing was openly and
shamelcssly hostile to the enforcement
OF the laws of the Commonwealth. that
his judicial opinion was admittedly
warped, biased and prejudiccd. that the
cases tried by him were prcjudCcd,
and his action predetermined, expressly
vi adj
In all Of which it is respectfully sub
mittcd he, the said Brock, knowingly
and wilfully misconductcd himself in
Office within the meaning of Chapter
ISL of the Acts of 1916.
And your complainant accordingly
.prays that tho said l.. G. Brock he re-
moved from his said Office OF MAYOR
OF the town Of Smithield. in accordance
with law.
(Signcd) JAMES b. DOHERTY.
Commissioner of Labor.