The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-12

cINCASTLE, July 11.-(SpeciaO-The
following is an accurate statement of
the facts in relation to the mass meeting
held at Fincastle Monday to elect dele
gates to the State convention:
At about half past 12 o'clock DR.. R.
Goodwin, chairman of the county
executive committee, called the meet
ing to order and announced as the first
business the election of permanent
chairman. Capt. j. h. II. Figgat placed
John Ross, Esq, in nomination and
BENZ. Haden nominated DIR. 1. r. God
win, who Was the temporary chairman.
The crowd had by this time assumed
great proportions and cheer after cheer
went up from the respective O'Ferrall
and Tyler parties.
DR.. Goodwin, with becoming modesty,
announced that as he had been placed
in nomination he would call some one
else to the chair. This he did by an
nouncing that Lewis R. Deisher, a
member OF the executive committee,
would temporarily preside. Mr.. Deisher
assumed the gavel, but was powerless
to secure or maintain order.
Various propositions and counter
propositions were made as q basis Of
taking the vote, the O'Ferrall men
claiming that IS two parties were in
nomination the vote should be taken by
tellers and the Tyler men asking for q
viva voce vote on their man first. This
proposition was deemed unfair and was
strenuously opposed by the O'Ferrall
men. One Tyler man, with more mouth
than brains, jumped upon chair and
started to put the motion to the house
himself but was promptly stopped by
the O'Ferrall taen. The confusion be-
came more COMPOUNDED every moment
and 1T was apparently impossible to get
vote.
At this moment Captain Figgatt,
leader of the O'Ferrall forces, made a
short speech declaring that the OFFER
rail- people loved the Democratic
party better than any man; deprecated
the unseemly wrangle and offered as a
spirit OF compromise, that both of the
candidates be withdrawn and ex Judge
John j. Allen, Tyler man. be elected,
to which proposition everybody agreed
and better feeling prevailed c b.
Camper, editor OF the Fincastle Herald,
and Mr.. Green, editor of the Buchanan
Standard. were elected secretaries.
The moments calm was only the fore
runner of the storm that was to follow,
which in moment came in all of it's
fury. The new chairman announced
that nominations were in order for dele
gates -at-large, Botetourt being entitled
to Two. In q moment c. Fl. Vines, ESQ.
and Benz. Haden, ESQ, were on their
feet both claiming recognition from the
chair. Several minutes were occupied
before the chairman could make up his
mind whom to recognize and at last his
Tyler prediction got the better of his
weather eye and he recognized Mr..
Haden. who nominated the chairman
himself for delegate at-large, probably
as favor for his (Haden's) recognition
or by preconcerted directions of the
Tyler people, and if the latter, then
the chairman may have known who
would be named by Mr.. Haden.
Mr.. G. IL. Vines then in short speech
placed in nomination Capt. j. H. H.
Figgatt and declared that If he would be
elected he would vote for Colonel
O'Ferrall in the State convention. This
announcement was greeted with wild
cheers that clearly indicated to every
unbiased mind that the O'Ferrall men
were largely in the majority.
The Tyler men then placed DIR. I. r.
Goodwin in nomination for the second
delegate-at-large, the O'Ferrall men
protesting that the vote could not be
fairly taken with triangular fight of
that kind, 1T being two men for Tyler
and one for O'Ferrall. But the chair
ruled that the two delegates receiving
the highest number OF votes should be
declared elected. The OFerrall men
then. by Mr.. c. M. Lunsford, put Allen
w. Finch, OF Buchanan, in nomination
as the other delegate. at large
Then the question arose as to the
manner of taking the vote, the O'Ferrall
men proposing to divide by going into
one OF the jury rooms and tho Tyler
men into another. This proposition
was vehemently rejected by the Tyler
men, who refused to go out at all.
Judge Simmons. Tylerite, proposed to
go out in the courtyard, but his prop
osition received no consideration by
either side. c. NJ. Lunsford, Mai.
James Mcdowell, C. II. Vines, M. S.
Cahoon and other O'Ferrall men made
various propositions 80 as to get fair
count, all Of which were rejected by the
Tyler men.
Then the chairman announced that
he would first order a division in the
house and give his decision, and il
there was any dissatisfaction with his
decision that he would appoint tel.
lers to count the vote. A division
was ordered, and it was clear to any
and every disinterested party that the
O'Ferrall men were in very consider
able majority.
The attention of the chairman was
then called to the large number Of Re-
publicans and non-residents and hoys
in the Tyler ranks. A numbe OF them
were singled out and designated by
name. but the chairman ignored the
suggestion and announced that he 1.-THE
chairman) and DIR. Goodwin had been
elected. The O'Ferrall men at once