Newspaper Page Text
_=JEhJLBi&Stone Gap Post.
OL. XX '
^^'====^^ VA.. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28. 1912. No. 35
Election Cases
Tried by Judge Skcen at
Jonesville last Week.
Jonesville, Va., Aug; 23.?
j I, ,| g ,. Skeon's campaign
?gainst tlio traflic in votes in
pie counties comprising his cir?
cuit has had startling rosult
and it is ?afo to say that the
practice has boen broken up. or
at least mudc so dnngorons that
few will oare to engage in it in
the future Both Republicans
Rnd Demooraota say they arc
glad the practico has boon
broken up.
At the opening of court on
Mondayi Jhidge'Bkeen announo
,.,t tliat lie lind received several
petitions tUaiing (hat the sign
cm believed it to be for the best
Interests of the county and hirn
?elftliat the cases bei Bettled as
tpeedly as possible and request
lag that the cases bo certified
to by the local magistrates.
After Heading the petitions,
which contained probably 160
names, .lodge Bkeen made a
brief address, in which be de?
nied the petition and announc?
ed that be would try the cases
himself, that he had no preju?
dice in the matter. The fuel
that lie bad taken an active
part in securing the indictments
would not prevent his giving
um accused man a fair trial.
'] would be glad to have pub?
lished to the world every act of
mine in thin connection," he
said "and 1 also would like to
tee the actions of some others
published."
He told, of the warnings he
hud given after the emigres
aioual elections in which it is
reported tbut probably $200,000
was spent. The warning was
not heeded and he proposed to
?liow the people that the law
was not a dead letter and that
it must be respected.
Alter the "cyclone of corrup?
tion" that bad swept over the
county in the Slemp-Sttiart
campaign, he said, he called the
attention of the people to the
law and told what he could do
and wbnt lie proposed to do in
the future. If they thought he
was bluiT.lng, he declared, they
would have to take the conso
tiuencos,
He referred to the intimation
(hat bad been spread abroad
thai t In-reason he had not gone
into the Slemp-Stuart frauds
wan becauSe he was involved
in them himself.
"< mil knows that that is not
true," he said; "my bands are
clean, 1 will admit that 1 did
make a contribution to the cam?
paign fund for the publication
of literature, but that! I had a
perfect right to do. Hince this
tiling haH boon started I have,
received many compliments
mid much commendation for
my .-Hurts to break up bribery.
I'hal bus not given me a swell
cd head. I have also received
threats and havo received one
threatening letter. Those have
sot made me afraid. Neither
compliments nor threats are
going to prevent me doing my
duty. Let the jury be called."
Mr. M. (1. Ely, former Com?
monwealth's attorney, who
is a Republican leader in the
county, represented a number
of the men under indictment.
Associated with him was form?
er Senator J. <J. Noel and form?
er Judge .lames SV. Orr.
The prosecution was conduct?
ed largely by former E. W.
"ennington. Tho Common?
wealth's attorney, E. E. Skagga
is a new man a'id Iiis experience
at the bar has not been exten
m'" . mo at the request of the
court Judge l'enningtnn agreed
to ussiHt i n tho prosecution
without expense to the county.
, The usual motions of objec?
tion were made by the attor
He) ri for the defense when the
tirst case was called. That was
the case of"W; N. Burchett, a
[Arm laborer, who is popularly
known ns "Doc" Burchett. He
's an excitable man, with his
face almost hidden beneath a
growth of brown whiskers,
the witnesses against him were
H. Klanary, a pleasant-look?
ing V'ltng man who did tho
vote-buying: John V. Morris,
handled the money, and
"' har|cs" Mink, from whom
Burchott got the money. All
three of them were, reluctant
witnesses.
It seems that the deal for
Burchett's voto was made in
n roundabout way. "Mo and
him made a trade," explained
Flaunt y, by which Burchett
wof to got $i0 for his voto for
the strnight Republican ticket,
but Klanury .was not to dolivor
it to him. In Burchett's pres?
ence ho counted out the money
to John Morris, and Morris
went over to Mink and asked
him if he had anything in his
right-hand coat pockot. Mink
had some chestnuts and a hand?
kerchief and a t tho request
Mink took them out. Then
Morris put tho ?10 in tho pocket
and told him if Hurchett ran
his hand into his pockot not to
puy any attention to hies.
Hurchett did run his hand
into the pocket. When he was
asked why he had not delivered
the money to Hurchett direct,
Klanury said he had "other
business to attend to," and a
loud laugh swept over t h e
courtroom. Morris would not
deliver the money direct be?
cause he was afraid he might
be summoned before the grand
jury.
A number of incidents oc?
curred in the course of the trial
that put everybody in a good
humor, but nevertheless Hurch?
ett wiih convicted and got a
Sentence of um days in jail, in
spite of bis denials that he had
received any money for his
vole, lie voted his sentiments,
he said, and never got a cent.
He had not been arrested
prior to the trial; in fact, was
not under arrest at any time.
He took to the woods, however,
after he had been found guilty
and hail not been arrested up
to the lime court adjourned.
While the jury was consider
ing this case a number of other
men who are under indictment
confessed and nsked for the
minimum punishment, Some
preferred jail sentences to lines,
and they were accommodated.
They may be pardoned on good
behavior and may not have to
go to jail.
Another case tried was that
of Elijah Gibson. He told H.
K. Ncely, according to Neely'a
testimony, that he would have
to have $:i.r> for his vote, on bo
half of the Republicans, told
him he thought Gibson might
Und f l-'..
"If you should lind $36" ho
told Gibson, "1 suppose you
have sense enough to know
what to do for it."
Gibson assured him he had.
Then the two went up into a
barn loft where there was a big
water tank and Neely counted
out $36 and laid it on the tank
and walked o IV. Gibson re?
mained in the loft and came out
after awhile, but when Neely
went back the $36 was gone.
Gibson then went to the polls
and voted. Gibson was found
guilty and sentenced by the
jury to 100 days in jail.
The tables were turned on
the Democrats when the ease
of Hen t Isborne was called and
George Orr. a prominent mer?
chant of this town, was culled
to testify against him. Orr
testified that he gave t isborne
and .lames Kldredgo to bo
divided among five men for
voting the Democratic ticket.
Osborne to have $i>i) to distri?
bute and Kldredgo $00, In ad?
dition Bldredge get $ I it head
for the man for rounding thorn
up. Orr also testitled that a
few days before the election he
gave Bldredge $00 for the live
voles, but the day before the
election Kldredgo hunted him
up and returned the $?0j saying
the other side had raised the
limit. Then Orr ruised it back
ugain and paid over the $150.
Kldredgo is it very old man und
the case against him was re?
tired.
James Powell was acquitted
on insufficient evidence, as was
Thomas Hobbs aud tho case of
"Doc" Eld red ge was not press?
ed.
Most of the men indicted,
however, decided that as loug
us tho men who paid them
nioney were "snitchiug," they
might as well confess und get
the beuefl of the extremely
lenient terms that Judge Skeen
offered them. This course will
probably bo followed until all
the eases are doposed of. In
tho caao of a number of old
white-headed men who aro in
bad health Judge Skeen retired
{their cases, although they are
'not dismissed.
Judge tikeen, adjourned court
at noon Wednesday after con?
cluding the trial of all the cases
that were set for trial this week
and after hearing a number of
pleas of guilty during tho ses?
sion. Court was adjourned
until the socond Monday in
September, when tho election
ca8808 remaining on the docket
will be called and heard.
In adjourning court Judge
Skeen said that ho was well
satisfied with the work of tho
week and would resume the
trial of the election cases
September. A considerabe I
.number of indicted men have|
tied the countv.
Additional
Bond Issue.
In speaking of the proposition
to float another bond issue in
Wise County for the completion I
of our public roads, the Coe
burn Journal in its lust issue, |
say s:
There is now on foot a move
ment to hold another bond elec?
tion in Wise comity at an early
date for the purpose of voting
additional roail bonds in tin
sum of $300,000 as a supplement I
to the issue of Seven Hundred
Thousand heretofore issued and
which is now being used for|
tho construction of the new
roads through the county.
An application to the Circuit I
court asking that an order be|
made calling for such an elec?
tion is now being prepared und
a petition signed by a long list
of business men and citizens of
the county will soon be present?
ed to Judge Skeen in support of I
the application for the order to|
tlx the date for the election.
It has now become certain
that the former issue will not
tie sufficient to macadam and
complete all of the roads in the
county and the object, in asking
for the additoiial amount is to
muke ull the roads complete.
The petitioners will show to
the court that it is very essen?
tial that the road from St. Paul
to Coeburn ami from Coeburn
to Norton by way of Tacoma
ami from Norton to Big Stone
by way of Appalachin should
be finished at this time as it
will be of great importance to
farmers and others along these
routes. The promoters of the
new election idea also will con?
tend that tho road from Wise
to the Dickeuson county line
ami from Norton to Stoucga
and several other places should
be completed.
The petitioners have already
gotten the preliminary matters
under head way and say that
the matter will ue submitted to
tho court just, as soon as possi?
ble
Among those who will ask I
the court for tho election aro|
men prominent in political mat?
ters and a largo number of bus?
iness men and property owners.
The committee now being or?
ganized to promote the interest
of tho bond election hope to
complete their organization
next week and we hope to be
able in our next issue to publish
the names of tho committee
and further outline the contents
of the application which will be
tiled with tho court nsking for
the bond election order.
Missionary Society Meets in
Coeburn.
T h e Woman's Missionary
Society of the Big Stono Gap
District, of the MothodistChurch
was held out here tbiB week.
Mrs. J. W. 1'erry, of Chattu
nooga, and Miss Bottie L. Brow
dor, of Sweotwater, Tenn., con?
ference officers were preseut.
Ladies from a distunce at?
tending the meeting were: Mrs.
Dobbins und Mrs. Kinzer from
Kingsport; Mrs. Bond, from
Gate City; Mrs, Anderson from
Wise; Mrs. Wagner, from Nor?
ton.
Ho vs. J. W. Kader, E. F.
Kahle and W. N. Wagner. Rev.
Wagner preached a great mis?
sionary sermon Tuesday even?
ing. Tho conferenco was well
attended by the ladies of the
town and was a very inspiring
occasion. Coeburn feels quite
honored in having such distin?
guished guests in her midst aud
being aide to secure the confer?
ence.?Coeburn Journal.
Typhoid Out?
look Still
Favor?
able.
No Outbreaks Reported Last
Week and General Con?
ditions are Good.
Richmond, Va., August 24,?
With no new outbreaks of ty?
phoid fover reported during the
past week, the Health Depart?
ment announced today that
the outlook was still encourag?
ing and that tho startling re?
duction in typhoitl fover report?
ed for July bidw fair to con?
tinue, if proper precautions aro
taken.
During tho week, one out?
break was investigated by tho
experts of the Health Depart?
ment but was found to bo of
small consquence. A few cases
had appeareil in a community
on the Northern Neck, but all
were regarded as contact cases
and no serious spread of tho
disease was expected. An?
other outbreak in Southwest
Virginia was found to be due
to careless methods of sewage
disposal, which have been in
some measure corrected. In no
other communities have more
than scattered cases been re?
ported to the Ileulth Depart?
ment.
In commenting on the July
typboid fever statistics, which
have oreated widespread inter?
est, Health Commissioner Wil?
liams was inclined today to at
tribute tho marked reduction in
the number of cases to tho gen?
eral improvement in locul sani?
tation. "Most of our typhoid,"
said Dr. Williams, "is duo to
carelessness and to tho neglect
of simple precautions where a
single case of the disease ap?
pears. (Ifton times this brings
about a scattering of the germs
of disease and the infection of
healthy persons who should es?
cape. In many localities thin
summor, our bedside directions
for the care of typhoid cusos
aro being strictly observed,
with the result that one case
does not mean a widespread
prevalence of the disease.
Another great factor in re?
ducing typh?'d is the marked
improvement in sewage dispos?
al methods in tho towns and
villages. Our field investigat?
ors find n healthy and growing
interost in bettor methods of
sowage disposal and report that
many towns aro bonding them?
selves for water works and sow?
er systems. So active is this
inovotnent that our sanitary
engineer is kopt busy in advis?
ing localities who aro install?
ing new sowerage systems.
"There, too, tho marked im?
provement in the sanitation of
hotels and summer resorts is
playing a large part in reduc?
ing our typhoid. Heretofore,
much of tho tvphoid in the
cities was attributed by local
health officers to infection at
summer resorts. Of courso,
this danger is not altogether
passed, but conditions arc tre?
mendously improved. Evory
summer hotel of ten guest?
rooms and over is inspected by
tho Honlth Department and all
of them are now conforming to
the requirements of law.
"General sanitary conditions
are rapidly improving in Vir?
ginia and the typhoid rato may
bo expected to decline in direct
proportion."
Kov. J. B. Craft drew a beau?
tiful picture of the life of Sher?
iff C. W. Carter, true in every
lotter. We cannot pay too
much honor to the memory of
stieb a man.?-Onto City Herald.
,MEN WlTED.
MINERS wanted by
Stonegap Colliery Com?
pany, Glamorgan, Va. Steady
work. Highest price per ton
paid in the district. Ilealthy
camp. Excellent water. School
and church facilities.
Stonegap Colliery Co.
30. J. S. CHEYNEY, Oen'l Supt
Democratic
Committee
Met Here and Arranged for
Coming Campaign.
Tho Ninth district campaign
committee met hero last Wed?
nesday night and took stops to
push aggressively tho cam?
paign of (Jon. Ayors for Con?
gress. Gen. Avers mot with
the committee and reports wore
roceived from over tho district
which wore very encouraging
and foreshadow Democratic
success in November. Arrange?
ments wore made for tho open?
ing of campaign offices, both at
Big Stone (lap and Bristol,
and for tho dissemination of
literature on n lnrge scale; the
iden of the committee being to
make an extensive campaign of
education. A tentative list of
speakers and dates for the cam
puign wus itrrunged. General
Ayors will open Iiis campaign
ul Marion on September 'J,court
day, and will speak at Lebanon
Hussoll county, on September.');
Mr. J. Norment Powell, one of
tho electors at large for the
State, speaking with him at
both places. Democratic speak
ers will also address the people
of l'ulaski and Lee counties at
the court houses on September
3, theso being court days, hut
the personnel of the speakers
was not announced. The cam?
paign committee was selected
by the Ninth district executive
committee ut a recent meeting,
and two committees will co?
operate in the conduct of the
cumpuign. The campaign com?
mittee cousists of ft. Tote Ir?
vine, Hig Stone (lap, chairman;
H. 0. Stuart, Russell; A. S.
ltigginbothum. Tar.owoll; J.
Norment Powell, of Wytheville
and II. G. Peters, of Itristol
Mr. Stuart was present with
the committee and is in line
hoalth mid spirits, lie believes
the Ninth district will follow
tho nation and go overwhelm?
ingly Democratic in November,
lie placed his services nt tiro
disposal of tieneritl Ayers and
the party committee, and will
speak with Ueneral Ayers at
Abingdou on court day Septem?
ber 2:1, und (.late City 011 court
day, September 24, and take an
uctivo part in the campaign.
Slemp Commended.
The Bristol Republicans in
tho Mass Meeting lost week
adopted a series of resolutions,
among which was the follow?
ing well merited one concern?
ing Hon. 0. B. Slemp:
Resolved, That wo havo
learned with regret that it is
the purpose of our popular and
efficient Congressman, the Hon.
C. B. Slomp, to retire from Con
gross at the close of his present
term, und especially at a time
when the nomination is equiva?
lent to an election.
Always dignified and modest,
capable, considerute of others,
mindful of tho service of the
veteran-; of his party, a
thorough organizer and full of
tact in overcoming opposition,
true as steel to his friends, he
stands before, us today one of
the finest types of a progressive
and energetic Americau, of
whom we are justly proud, and
one whom the people of this
district would delight to honor
so long as he would con?
sent to Borve thorn.
Ab State chairman he has
rendered his party valuable ser?
vice; as a Representative in
Congress he has a record of
which.au ohler statesman might
well envy. At his retirement
on tho 4th of next March, we
wish for him continued good
health, happiness and prosperi?
ty.
In the appointment of our
esteemed fellow citizen, the
Hon. D. F. Bailey, us collector
of internal revenue, we extend
our hearty felicitation.
K. W. Nickels, of tho big de?
partment store of .Vickies Bros,
at Big Stone Gap was in the
Progressive o in c e Saturday
talking business, ami speaking
1 in optimistic terms of the out?
look for Appalachia and this
growing- section.?Appalachia
How To Boost
Your Town
Mr. LaBaume, Agricultural
and Industrial Agent oC
The Norfolk and Western
Railway Company. Gives
Some Suggestions Relative
To Practical Development
In Your Own TownorCity.
Villages, towns and cities
are vory much liko individuals.
Thoy havo thoir own individ?
ual characteristics and thoir
habits are as hard to change as
thoso of the individual himsolf.
Many towns aro characterized
by energy, aggressiveness and
live-Wire development while
many more aro conspicuous for
tho lack of theso conditions.
How To Start.
If your town i h included
among those in tho latter cate?
gory, why not got a few of your
friends interested with you and
organise a town boosting or im?
provement club. A fow good
men gathered together to 11
nanoo the movement can inter?
est others until tho best men in
your community have joined
with you for the mutual dovol
opment and improvement of
of our own town nud its envi?
ronment. Meet at once njinouth,
if possible, or oftener, mid dis?
cuss openly and freely all mat?
ters of civic interest. Von
ought to start somo definite
progress for making your town
or township the best i n tho
country from a living stand?
point. Toko up tho matter of
schools, a n il improve roads.
How about a local library build?
ing. Kvery village of two hun?
dred people or more ought to
have a public library of its
own. (let your own citizens
interested in |improviug thoir
home grounds and in painting
lip their property. Talk over
the matter of a park if you
haven't one, or if you need an?
other for the accommodation
and recreation of your people,
(let the school children inter
08tod in these mutters. If tho
business men will secure a suit?
able site for the park it ought
to be easy to got the school
children interested in tho de?
velopment of it. A water sys?
tem is a necessity in any well
regulated town, and with it
goes public drinking fountains
for man and beast, and orna?
mental fountains for parks and
private use.
You want to get settlors from
other sections and the way to
net them is to make your sec?
tion so attractive that they
will be glad to locate and will
be contented after thoy do so.
Make Your Town Attractive.
The above suggestions aro
nocessary for tho accomplish?
ment of these purposes. A woll
organized nnd equipped tele?
phone system is another matter
worthy of attention. A com?
fortable and attractive head?
quarters for your association,
including a reading room with
comfortable chairs, tables, mag?
azines, books, newspapers, etc.,
with an auuox that can bo used
ns a parlor and entertainments,
on special occasions, is almost
a necessity, in any well rogula
ted town. Kit up club rooms
for yourselves and then invite
your friends and the farmers
who trade with you to make
this their headquarters when in
town. (Jot in touch with tho
farming element nud secure
their coutidence. Start a paint?
ing campaign, and if necessary
sell paints at very close prices
or at cost to induco thoso who
have unpainted buildings to
paint thorn promptly and effec?
tively.
How about a farmers' insti?
tute. Talk it over with your
peoplo and help them organize,
then invite them to hold their
meeting in your town and pro?
vide some simple entertainment
for thorn while they are with
you. Tho matter of breeding
stock is worthy of considera?
tion, and other important de?
tails, such as new sidewalks
better city streets, the removal
of rubbish and garbage. Get
after the flies and mosquitces,
and the tilth and unsightly pools
that broad them. An associa?
tion of this kind can well con>
sider the necessity for some
summer recreation.
