Evening star., 1922-03-08
M0NCURE RESUMES
HIS TESTIMONY
A
Tells Alexandria Inquirers He
Will Summon Special
Grand.Jury.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, March S.-Judge
Robinson MOncure this morning re-
sumed his testimony before the spe-
cial committee Of seven of the Alex
andria Ear Association engaged in
probing the alleged divorce evil in
this city. 1t probably will be late
this afternoon before the judge COM
pletes his statement. 1t is expect
ed that several witnesses will be on
the stand in rebuttal.
For more than three hours yester-
day afternoon the Judge was on the
stand. 1t was nearly 6 o'clock when
the committee adjourned and the
Judge stated at the time that it prob
ably would take three more hours be-
fore he completed his testimony.
Not to BE CrOas-Examined.
Just before Judge Moncure took the
stand Attorney John S. Barbour OF
Fairfax, representing Judge Moncure
told the committee that, acting on his
advice, Judge Moncure would not be
subjected to cross examination by
Attorney Frank Stuart, the latter be-
ing the man who preferred charges
against Judge Moncure, but he added
that he would answer any questions
Mr.. Stuart would submit through
counsel or any member of the COM
mittee.
In opening his remarks Judge Mon
cure declared that the situation is
necessarily embarrassing, but, he
said, it was a duty he owed the COM
mittee and the citizens. and in re-
sponse to that duty he was present.
Takes Up Various Cases.
The Judge then took up the various
cases which had been called to his
attention since the probe started and
all such cases as handed down by
him. A Judge who don't temper JUS
tice with mercy, he declared, is not
fit to occupy the position.
He told of the dropping of the
Bailey case and of the dismissal OF
Mrs. Mary L. Baggett in the police
court.
He told the committee that wher
he became judge he was making
s12. 900 a year, and the judgeship pays
only $4,000. He said he intended tc
stay in only short time. The judge
declared he was not going to be
driven off the bench and that he felt
the good people were with him.
Judge Moncure told the committee
that he was going to summon a spe-
cial grand jury composed of real
men and real citizens" to Investigate
the divorce conditions here, and the
jury would be summoned for next
week. He also told the committee
that he is going to have the clerk OF
court hereafter keep a record of the
persons who testify as to residence
of persons obtaining divorces here
and where one person testifies five OF
six times he is going to have the
grand jury make an investigation.
Inherited Business, Snys MOncure.
Referring to the number of divorces
granted in the court, Judge Robinson
Moncure testified that since he went
on the bench, twenty-one months ago
$40 final divorce DEGREES had been
granted, and he said he did not think
lhe was subject to criticism because
la large majority came from Wash
ington.
Washington. he asserted. has only
one ground for divorce, and that is
adultery, and he said that he had beer
reliably informed that 20 per cent OF
the chancery cases in that city were
divorce cases. He explained that in
Virginia there are five or six grounds
for divorce, and he added that when
he became judge he inherited the
business that was still on the docket