Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-17
DECLARE slNfoRo THE NOMINEE.
The County Committee Does Not Think
There Was Any Fraud.

There Was Any Fraud.
The Henrico County Committee held
lengthy session yesterday afternoon to
hear the statements of MFR. Marshall +.
Burton, the defeated candidate for the
House of Delegates. who asked their sane
ton to contest the nomination of his
opponent, Mr. William j. Binford Mr..
William c. Mitchell. the chairman. presided
over the body and Mr.. Barney Frisch-
korn acted as secretary. Captain Will
liam H. Sands represented Mr.. Burton
as COUNSEL while Mr.. G. V. Meredith
appeared on behalf OF Mr.. Binford.
Before the regular proceedings began
the Chair introduced Captain J. II. O Ban
non and Mr.. George +. Styll. the newly
elected members of the body, who repre-
sented Barton Heights
MIR. BINFORDs REPLY.
After the secretary had read Mr.. Bur
toms notice to the committee, which was
published in the Dispatch of Sunday, and
which asked a recanyass of the returns
the Chair asked II Mr. Binford had a reply
to make. The latter submitted the fol-
lowing:
ITO the notice Of contest given by Mr..
NJ. f. Burton | beg leave to submit the
following answer.
81. / have no personal knowledge of
any OF the charges set forth I'm said no.
tice. But from all the Information | have
been able to gather | state that | 10 not
believe any one OF them to be true, and.
therefore, charge that each and every
one Of said charges Is false.
"2 / ask the committee to hear all
proper testimony which may be- furnished
It upon any Of said charges.
80 While Mr.. Burton. doubtless. be-
lieves what he charges. | assert that he
is not only mistaken, but that he was
mislead and induced to start said con-
test by certain persons who are only
moved by a petty spite and ill-will to
mysslf."
Mr.. Sands made n brief explanation on
behalf Of his client, in which he stated
that neither he nor his client wished. 70
do anything 10 disrupt the Democratic
party. and that they would ask TO have
the matter referred TO the chairman of
the State Committee.
one OF the members of the committee
asked Mr.. Sands IL It was true, as rumor
said. that Mr.. Burton would run on the
Thir'l-party ticket Ii the committee de-
clined to grant him a contest.
Mr. Sands replied that he tad heard
the rumor himself. and was prepared to
deny 1t as untrue. Mr.. Burton likewise
denied the report. Mr.. Sands admitted
that, upon investigation, he had learned
that Mr.. Burton was mislead in believing
that there was fraud AT Shoemaker s
Precinct, Tuckahoe District.
NO FRAUD WAS CHARGED
Mr. Meredith said that. being a men,
ber Of the State Executive Committee,
he knew that Chairman Ellyson now had
as much work as he could possibly attend
to. and that 1t would be unfair to inn
pose the case on him. II was a work the
| county Committee could attend to. and
he therefore asked that they take the
investigation in hand provided any fraud
was unearthed. He stated that MIR. Sands
had mentioned nothing but trivialities,
and no fraud.
Mr.. Sands said that the matter might
be considered trivial. but it was viola
tior of the plan under which the election
was held He did not care 10 go into the
question of Irregularities just at that
time, because II would harm the party.
MIR. Henry c. Hechler was for exposing
fraud If any existed but he did not think
the committee should bother with the
! matter unless the defeated candidate
| brought forth good reasons for alleging
| Irregularities.
Mr.. Frayser urged that Messrs. Sand,
and Burton proceed at once to tell wha
| they. knew of the primary and 10 poin
out where they had been wronged.
Mr. Sands again said he did not car,
to explain the Irregularities unless th'
matter was brought before the State Com
mittee He did not think an investigation
| by the County Committee would be ac
ceptable.
The committee again went into eXecu
| tive session. and Major Courtney offere,
! the following, which was unanimously
adopted;
Resolved. That no good grounds have
| been given by Mr. NJ +. Burton or his
| counsel for a recount of the ballots OF
| the precincts named in his notice OF con
! test and the committee therefore declines
| to make such recount, and hereby de-
clares Mr.. W. j. Binford the nominee OF
the Democratic party for the House Of
| Delegates from Henrico county.
| CONFIDENCE IN THE CHAIRMAN.
As Mr.. Sands. I'm his address. had made
certain remarks which Mr.. Mitchell con
strued as offensive. and implying thai
he did not faithfully discharge his duties
the committee adopted the following as
an expression of their respect Tor the
| chairman:
Resolved. That the Democratic Commit
| tee of Henrico County hereby express
our confidence in Chairman j. c. Mitchell
and express the belief that he conducted
the late primary election for House OF
! Delegates with perfect fairness and i'm
partiality
Just before the meeting adjourned
Nessrs. Blnford and Burton both made
brief addresses In which they expressed
their allegiance to the Democratic party
Mr.. Burton announced that he would
stand the decision Of the committee and
would support Mr.. Binford in the coming
election.