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Is Challenged J.■y*LAREDO, Aug. 2 W—Two Laredo attorneys who say they are sympathetic to the Independent Club today challenged the legality Of the master of chancery hearing probing alleged absentee voting irregularities.Horace C. Hall and Gerald Weatherly said no district judge can place the question before a master of chancery.“Nobody can investigate this but a grand jury or a district judge,” Weatherly told Dan Moody Jr., who is acting as master. Hearing Was Ordered The hearing was ordered by Travis County Dist. Judge Charles O. Betts after complaints of irregularities in Webb County absentee voting for last Saturday's Democratic primary.Moody said he was only gather ins evidence.T,he Reform Party, whose leaders asked Judge Betts for the in vestigation, claim they cannot get a fair hearing before a similar probe now under way four blocks from this hearing site. This probe is being conducted by Judge R. D. Wright of Webb County.Fighting Each Other The Independent Club and the Reform Party are local—political groups which have been fighting each other for years.A. W. Gates, Laredo rancher, was fined $50 earlier by Judge Wright for contempt of court in refusing to testify at Wright’s hearing. Gates claimed. as did three others, that they couldn’t obtain a fair investigation in that court.LCf Tlle lesality flarcup occurred 27 when the Reform Party called Rodolfo Villarreal, deputy clerk in the city secretary’s office, to testify.Reform Party attorney George By field asked Villarreal if he had ever seen or if he knew Augustina Jasso and Manuel Jasso.To Be Key Witness Villarreal swore he had never heard of them or seen them.Mrs. Jasso was expected to be a key witness in the master’s hearing. A statement by her previously had been given Judge Betts.At this point, Hall declared that Villarreal should have an attorney, i Moody said he had made this ED jclear to all witnesses and then told UP_ iVillarreal he could have counsel. vvjlli Hall then began a lengthy state-•neysentlyrun-: the of a n intable Datedi anhhvelaws ence-rthur f At-ilson,ment as to the validity of the hearing.Hearing Legality Challenged Weatherly joined Hall, both saying that the hearing should be See BALLOT HEARING Tage ItNARROWof the pat; mcnt’s bo: the crowd. Wirephoto.Pioneei Is Sche CrosbyCROSB\31st annua eers and ( is schedule a progran and Mrs. settlers of A memc conducted Fitzgerald list Churcl music wil Pcnningtoi McClure. Mayor Mayor C liver the ' persons e from all o the South the rcunk the old F( here. Roy tomey, w: to pioneer lowed by the day’s McLaughl dent of t! cial musi( by Jesse An ol dinner wi Seo PIi
Newspaper Details
Lubbock Morning Avalanche
Lubbock, Texas, US
Fri, Aug 03, 1956
Page 29
Full Page
Clipped by
Texas A.
TX, USA 19 Jan 2024
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