Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-04
THE BsRRYVlLLE CONTEST.
A Card from the Hon. Marshall McCor'
mick.

To Tire People Of Virginia:
Initiating the example set mo by my friends,
Samuel Mccormick, j. s. Powers, Mason Hum
mer, aud Conrad Kownslar, two OF whom were
candidates for delegates and two for alternates
10 the Richmond convention, beg 70 address
YOU on the question OF the convention held at
Berryville on the evening of June 10th for
the purpose OF electing delegates to the said con-
yenton, and at the came to give a passing no.
tice only TO the letter Of SIR. Kownslar 90 kindly
published for him by the Alexandra Gazette.
The communications published by these gen.
tiemen contain only enough OF the real occur
rences OF the meeting to mislead and prejudice
the public My object will be to give full State
ment Of all that occurred and then leave the pub
lie 90 pass in judgment upon the case. The meet
ing was called in tho usual way and after TIE
usual notice. and although tho shortness OF the
interval between the publication OF the notice
and the date OF the meeting has boen criticised
by designing outsiders, ye, II Is true mat the
notice given Is the same that for numeer oil
years has been given in similar cases III thlS
county aud this the record Will prove
ELECTION OF CHAIRNAN.
Asam member OF tho County COMMITTEES call
ed the meeting TO order and, otter stating iis
objects, declared that nominations for chairman
were in order, whereupon Mr.. ;. - Thomas re-
presenting tho OfetraU st1e, huu DR. 81. -
Fletchcr, tho anti Ferrall, were respectively
placed In nomination. The Chair then inquired
how the contest should be determined, and IN
response TO this n motion Was made by Mr
Kownslar that IL should be by division OF the
crowd, which was a largo and unmanageaD'e
one. and this motion was carried.
then asked the voters TO dlvde-those IN
favor OF Mr. Thomas 10 stand on my right, ana
tnose opposed TO him on my left. II at once De-
came apparent that the courthouse was inca
pable Of accommodating tho crowd, and Mr..
kownsar moved that we retire 10 the court
house yard, which motion declined 10 entertain
until order could be restored In the meeting.
As soon as order was restored recognized
Mr. Kownslar, who renewed his motion aud l
put IL 10 a vote decided IL carried, ana thereupOn
we retired TO the rear OF tue courthouse.
at once requested the crowd 10 uifiuei ohu IL
did so.
then inquired how the numerical strength
OF each side should be determined ana again
Mr. Kownslar carno 10 my relief with motion
for the appointment OF four tellers-two for
each side-uhich motion was also put TO vote
and carried. / then called upon each slde 20
nominate its respective tsllers, promising that
would confirm their selection, ana toe teuers
being selected in this way by each side were ap-
pointed by me-
Each side wa. drawn up In line Of twos.
separated from each other by distance OF
about thirty yards. Inc teilers AZ my Ioquess qun
then began 70 count by passing along each line
and counting as fhey passed. When the count
was com pleted the tellers who counted the line
or side In favor OF Thomas, representing inc
O'FerraU yoters, eported l2S In that line, and
the tellers who counted tho other side reported
ll6 or I'LL won't be positive WHICH
but certainly one or the other. Nheu
this latter report was made, ana before
I had announced the result, several gentle
men on the anti-O Ferrall side came up to me
with great deal Of excitement and insisted
that their side had not been properly counted
and asked for recount. | announced that, 10
a a
by the teilers OF that side. and this did The
recount Was made and after its com pletlon the
teiiers announced 12s notes.-the same hn,1oer
reported by-the tellers who counted ihe orer-
rail- line. There Deng tie, l announced that
toy vote as a citizen no. having been taken into
tho count, ] would such cast IL Tor >. -
Thomas, which did and declare1 hlm chair-
man OF tho convention, and ne thereupon
samed the chair. Nominations were then de-
clared by the chairman 60 be IN order Tor dele
gates and nlternates. and each side placed IN
nornnation its respective candidates. UP 70
tni$poiut of time each line had remslned p, phoe,
ticaiiy intact and unbroken. The Chair inquired
hog the result OF the vote should be asccrtaineo,
and again Mr.. Kownslar game TO his reiei ahu
moved that teliers be appointed. lbe Chalr
was about to appoint the tehers, wnen n..
Koynslar asked tnat each side 0c permitted 70
select its own tellers. which was acluiesced Ia
by the Chair. and the selection was accordingly
made.
Before the count Desdu ODeotfoi ih ehc Jill
O'ferrali line some eight or ten negroes, and
called Mr.. Kownsiars attention TO IL. tie re.
piled that be had opposed the Introduction OK
fhis element In n democratic meeting. but had
been oyeruied by mis- associates. protestsc
ngatpst such an innovation OF vel-known Demo-
cratic usage, and Mr.. Knounslar then said that
he would agree that negroes should not pe
counted on either side 10 this proinpaN
agreed, and the count then began.
Mr. John Y. Bell and myself counted the
Orerrali eide. going along with each other, ono
ON either side of the hne, but Keeping abreast
with each other. Mr. Boil rspresented the anti
O'Ferrau element and the Oferral when
We got TO the end OF the line each OF as stimuli
tansousIy announced 130 votos. then SAID
ueithsr Mr.. ). T. Grifith, the secretary OF the
meeting nor mvsslf hsd been counted, ana 70
fs;s Mr. nell sgr,ssd, and We then, after counting
Us two. announced 80 as tho number counted oy
us 10 ths O'FerraIl ine ana We 20 reported to the
chairman. In this count there Was not included
M. 5. =. Thomas. the chairman OF the meoting.
nor DR.. II. d. korfoot, the 0'Fsrreil teller, then
saeerei IN corn sing he other side. Had those
1g0 6ssn inclndsd the vote would have been ia
tnstooa e lsa Net single nssre wss eounsso