The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-27
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.
ANNUAL MEETING.
CONTEST FOB TIE PRESIDENCY
PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING.
ADJOURNED UNTIL T

| The annual meeting or the stockholder
of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was
held in the hall of the House of Delegate!
yesterday.
Colonel Fontaine called the meeting tt
order at a quarter to II o'clock, anG
nomin ated Mr.. Nicholas X. Trout as chair
man of the meeting. He seemed to bt
elected with only few dissenting voices
OBJECTION MADE.
j. G. Paxton, Of Rockbridge, objected tc
the proceeding, as II o'clock was the time
advertised for this meeting to assemble.
Colonel Fontaine said that they would
test whether the meeting would organize al
this time oy putting the name of Mr.
Trout before the house again. He was
again unanimously elected. Here q great
confusion ensued. Mr.. Paxton called for
order, and objected to the proceeding.
Order being restored, Mr.. Paxton an
nounced that Mr.. Trout was not in the
house, and he therefore nominated Mr..
John Wood, Jr., of Albemarle, for chair
man.
The motion was put, and by himself de-
| clared voted down.
A scale vote being called for, confusion
|
| the floor at the same time.
Mr.. Paxton called upon Mr.. Wood to take
| the chair.
Mr.. James Lyons No, don't you.
Mr.. Paxton: Yes, sir; take the chair.
Mr.. Lyons If he does, he is not the
man / take him to be.
MR.. WOOD TAKES THE CHAIR.
Here Mr.. Wood, who was sitting near the
chair, advanced and said that NO one had
been put in nomination in opposition, and
he would therefore take the chair.
Mr.. Lyons again objected to his taking
the chair when he had received only one
or two votes.
Mr.. Paxton then asked if the State and
city was represented in this meeting. Some
one answered that they were.
Mr.. Saunders said he held that the city
was not regularly and properly represent
ed by proxies.
Mr.. Paxton again called for scale vote,
and asked if the State and city was repre-
sented. He was answered in the affirma-
tive.
Mr.. Patrick Henry Aylett, Of edmond,
said You (NIr. Wood) are in the chair
in gross violation of the wishes of nine
tenths Of the persons present. This is the
first instance in railroad meetings in Nir-
ginia where vote was desired to be taken
for chairman by scale, but always by
uiua u0ce, and you have only received one
vote, and yet claim that you are the legal
chairman"
1t was then announced that Mr.. Trout
was in the house, and he was loudly called
l. ~. H. al h,,+
Mr.. Wood refused to yield.
MR.. TROUT TAXES CHAIR TOO.
Mr.. Trout took chair near the stand.
Mr.. Aylett said to Mr.. Wood, "You may
hold the chair as lang as you please, but |
will put the vote"
Mr.. T. was again elected, with only a
few dissenting voices.
Mr.. Wood then asked leave to make q
personal explanation. He said that Colonel
Fontaine had called the meeting to order
some ten or fifteen minutes before the time.
He knew there were some proxies who
would vote for him, and they we're not in
the house at the time. The State and city
proxies would vote for him, which was a
large majority.
Colonel Johnson here interrupted him, and
yielded, and Colonel Johnson said it was o
time-honored custom for the stockholders
to assemble at II o'clock. 1t is true that
this meeting was called to order little
before that time, but it is now striking ~,
and | now nominate Mr.. Trout, and will
put the motion.
Mr.. Trout was again elected.
Mr.. Wood said the gentleman asked the
courtesy of being allowed to speak, but had
not returned that courtesy. He has taken
the opportunityto to oust him from this chair.
Colonel Johnson insisted that, having
been elected by majority of the stock
holders, Mr.. Trout was entitled to the
chair.
Colonel Harman appealed to both candi-
dates to withdraw, in order to prevent fur
ther difficulty.
Colonel Cabell, of Richmond, desired that
a committee now be appointed to ascertain
whether q quorum was present.
Mr.. James Lyons, of Richmond, address
ing Mr.. Trout as chairman of the meeting,
was astonished at the gravity with which
MIR. Wood stood up and advocated his claims
to the chair. That gentleman claimed that
he had been elected by the stockholders and
proxies because the city and State had
agreed to vote for him. How did he know
who were the proxies either of city or State
until the claimants had submitted their
claims to the proper tribunal. For his part,
he intended to protest against the clty's be-
ing allowed to vote at all. But If the stock
holders decided that she could vote, ne
would acquiesce, as in duty bound. Ia con-
clusion, he insisted upon the right OF Mr.
Trout to the chair. If law and order Is TO
prevail, Mr.. Trout is chairman; if not, we
have no business here.
CONTEST FOR THE FLOOR.
Colonel Fontaine addressing Mr.. Trout)
Mr.. Chairman
Judge Bond addressing Nlr. Wood) Mr.
| Chairman
Mr.. Trout: Colonel Fontaine has the floor
Judge Bond will come to order.
Mr.. Wood: The gentleman from Rich
mond Judge Bond) will proceed. lie has
the floor.
Judge Bond: I will not give way unless
the Chair decides me out of order.
Mr.. Trout: The gentleman must take hls
seat.
Colonel Fontaine only wish to make q
personal explanation.
Judge Bond (speaking at the same time)
l insist upon my right to be heard
Both chairmen here raped, but fol
several minutes the two claimants OF the
floor continued to speak amid cries o.
"order" and the raps of the chairmen
No one could tell what either was dri
wing at.
At last Judge Bond held his peace for