Evening star., 1945-09-11
Darden Offered Aid
OF COP Attorneys in
Vote Fraud Probe
Iy the Associated Press.

ROANOKE, Va, Sept. l1.-Robert
H. Woods, Pearisburg, ninth district
Republican chairman and Republi-
can State campaign chairman, said
he had offered to Gov. Darden with
out charge the services of six promi-
nent Southwest Virginians who have
had long experience as Common
wealth's attorneys. to assist in full
investigation of the alleged fraud
in Wise County in the August 7
Democratic primary.
Those whose services were ten
dered lin full investigation of this
shameful outrage" are Fred C. Parks
and Roby c. Thompson, Abingdon;
j. Livingstone Dillow, Pearisburg;
Hagan Richmond, Gate City; S. H.
Sutherland, Clintwood, and Ralph
L. Lincoln, Marion
In letter to Gov. Darden, Mr..
Woods deplored the fact that the
laws of Virginia are such that the
Governor has no authority TO direct
a complete investigation by the Of
flee of the attorney general, and
said he had observed from press re-
ports that in some counties where
irregularities are charged legal as
sistance is being secured from other
sections of the State to carry on
the investigation.
Would Prevent Embarrassment.
Declaring that ct may well be
that certain officials of Wise Coun-
ty may be in an embarrassing po-
sition concerning this matter" Mr.
Woods pointed out that sit seems
that where embarrassment has
arisen in other Virginia counties
in this same election, that those
officials, and I think properly so,
have stood aside and welcomed as
sistance from other Virginians who
would have no cause whatsoever
for embarrassment regardless Of
what the facts turned out to be-"
Meanwhile, special Apo
mattox County grand jury yester-
day reported 1t had found in its
investigation of alleged irregulari-
ties in the county primary only
four illegal votes and three ballots
held as "doubtfuls."
The report said, the four errors
cor what appear to be errors to
the grand jury, have every indi-
cation of being honest mistakes on
the part of the election officials
of the voter"
There was no evidence of any
fraud in connection with any votes
cast in the county," the report
stated. LID t.'.-... ~,
Charles F. P. Crawley, foreman,
read the report before Circuit Court
Judge Joel w. Flood, who later
commended the jurors for "an ex-
cellent painstaking and thorough
investigation which exonerates
county election officials in allega-
tions made recently in the City
Circuit Court of Richmond"
Directed to Send Records.
In preparation to continuing the
investigation of the Wise County
vote, Judge Julien Gum of the
Richmond Circuit Court yesterday
directed j. A. Gardner, clerk of the
Wise County Court, to send ali elec-
ton records Of Wise County returns
in his possession to Wilbur Griggs,
clerk of the Richmond court.
Counsel for both Charles r. Fen
wick, whose Democratic nomination
for Lieutenant Governor is being
contested by L. Preston Collins, and
Mr.. Collins agreed to the shifting Of
the records to Richmond for further
examination in the alleged irreg-
ularities in Wise County returns.
A stipulation in the order directs
that the records be returned to Wise
County in time for the grand jury
investigation scheduled for Septem-
her % O.,