Evening star., 1927-11-24

:
full Investigation was launched. The
INQUIRY was conducted under cover.
The defendant has 10 days in which
10 file his answer. Drastic penalties
are provided under the State election
laws for persons convicted of GER
tain of the more serious charges ot
corruption. allesci ~ the petitions.
Signatures Obtained.
The committee held its final secret
meeting Tuesday night in darkened
storeroom in Clarendon, at which
time signatures TO the papers were OBJ
tanned. Signing of the petition was
not completed until yesterday after
noon.
The petition is worded as follows:
''To the Honorable Samuel G. Brent,
Judge of the Circuit Court of AR
lington County, Va:
'"The Is or more undersigned quail
flied voters of Arlington County, Va,
beg leave to file this, their complaint
under the provisions OF section 261,
Code of Virginia, 1919. and of the laws
of the State of Virginia. against the
report and returns of the commission
crs of election as hereinafter stated,
duly appointed In accordance with the
statutes of the State of Virginia in
such cases made and provided. and
thereupon say. as follows:
"That on November S. 1927. an cleo
ton was held and conducted in said
county for the various county and
district officers. at which election each
enc Of the undersigned was duly
qualified voter voting aud participat t.
ing in said election.
Errer Is Charged.
"'rhat A. c. Clements was can.
didate at said election for the Office
Of sheriff OF Arlington County, Va;
that one Howard s. Fields was like
wise a candidate at such election for
sheriff of Arlington County, Va; that
the commissioners of said election
proceeded in accordance with the law.
to open and convas the several re-
turns Of the said election from the
several sprecincts in said county, on,
to wit. the tenth day of November,
1927, and enormously reported and re-
turned the number Of votes received
by A. G.. Clements for the sheriff OF
said county to be 2.402. and the mum.
ber Of votes received by the said How.
ard 3. Fields for the sheriff of said
county to be 1886.
The petitioners aver and charge
that the said election. in SO far as the
result thereof attempts to determine
the proper person for the Office of
sheriff of said county is illegal, un-
due, and that false returns thereof
have been made whereby the will of
the voters duly qualified to vote in
said election have been defeated and
frustrated; and they further aver
and charge that the said returns in so
far as the same relate to the person
chosen as sheriff of said county are.
under the provision of the aforesaid
section 267. code Of Virginia of 1919.
and the laws Of this State governing
elections, subject to the inquiry de-
termination and judgment of this
court.
Statute Held Violated.
THE petitions further state that
the provision of chapter 16. OF the
code of Virginia. 1919. governing
pure elections, has been violated by
the said Howard 8. Fields, candidate
for sheriff of said county in said elec.
ton, or by his friends and adherents.
with his knowledge and consent, and
that as a result of the said viola
tions. the said election is null and void
and of no effect, and that as a re
suit Of said violation herein referred
TO, the said Howard E. Fields was not
duly elected i'm accordance with the
statutes Of the State of Virginia in
such cases made and provided
Petitioners assign as objections tc
the legality of the said election and
the returns thereof the following:
II. Petitioners are advised and
therefore allege and charge that al
the precinct in said county known as
Arlington precinct, in Arlington mag
isterial district of said county, the