A Peculiar Appointment
July 27, 1895
Summary
A white special constable was caught defrauding a colored man out of his ballot, but the case was never sent to the grand jury.
Transcription
Mr. J. W. Donley, white caught a white special constable in the act of defrauding a colored man out of his ballot. This evidence was conclusive, yet Justice Vincent we are informed declined to even send the case on to the grand jury.
Myer Angle was the white man who thus perjured himself. To any fair-minded man, this was plainly evident.
But there was a vacancy among the constables of Henrico County, and many were the applications among which quite fittingly was that of the murderer of Col. H. C. Parsons, ex-Conductor T. A. Goodman.
Judge Wickham of the Henrico Co. Court has always been regarded to be a most excellent gentleman one of who would scorn a dishonorable act, and white and colored vied in doing him honor. This was due to a large extent to his father, Gen. Wickham, at the time of his death, Vice-president of the C. & O. R. R.
This distinguished gentleman made the name “Wickham,” a household word. Colored men would jump over party lines to vote for the “old General.”
It was surprising then, yea, disappointing to everyone when it was ascertained that Myer Angle had been appointed a constable for Henrico County.
Others may be able to explain it we cannot. Why did Judge Wickham appoint him? Was he ignorant of his record? Did he not know that he was guilty of trifling with the inalienable right and privilege of a freeman – the ballot? We should like to have these questions answered and find out what malign influence was exerted in this case and why Myer Angle was selected to fill a position, which his previous action had demonstrated he was unfit to hold Selah.
Myer Angle was the white man who thus perjured himself. To any fair-minded man, this was plainly evident.
But there was a vacancy among the constables of Henrico County, and many were the applications among which quite fittingly was that of the murderer of Col. H. C. Parsons, ex-Conductor T. A. Goodman.
Judge Wickham of the Henrico Co. Court has always been regarded to be a most excellent gentleman one of who would scorn a dishonorable act, and white and colored vied in doing him honor. This was due to a large extent to his father, Gen. Wickham, at the time of his death, Vice-president of the C. & O. R. R.
This distinguished gentleman made the name “Wickham,” a household word. Colored men would jump over party lines to vote for the “old General.”
It was surprising then, yea, disappointing to everyone when it was ascertained that Myer Angle had been appointed a constable for Henrico County.
Others may be able to explain it we cannot. Why did Judge Wickham appoint him? Was he ignorant of his record? Did he not know that he was guilty of trifling with the inalienable right and privilege of a freeman – the ballot? We should like to have these questions answered and find out what malign influence was exerted in this case and why Myer Angle was selected to fill a position, which his previous action had demonstrated he was unfit to hold Selah.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Cord Fox
Citation
“A Peculiar Appointment,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 7, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1435.