Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-17

TO BE DECIDED TONIiHT.
The Contest for the Judgeship of the
Eleventh Virginia Circuit.
Special Correspondence Of the Evening star.
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. II, 1894.
The contest for the judgeship of the elev-
enth circuit. made vacant by the election Of
Judge Jas. Keith to the Supreme Court, will
be decided by the democratic Legislative eau
Gus tonight. Ali of the circuits in which there
were contests were disposed Of by the eau
Gus last Friday night except the eleventh.
which was postponed until tonight. at the
instance of friends of Judge Norton of
Alexandria, who is opposing Mr.. Charles
Z. Nicol, the member of the House of Rep
resentatives from Prince William county.
for the position. Senator Mushbach Of
Alexandria, who is leading the fight for his
friend, Judge Norton, was seen by The
Star correspondent and asked for what
purpose did he wish the election postponed.
Mr.. Mushbach said that he asked for a
postponement for several reasons, the
principal one of course, being that he
thought the support of Judge Norton
for the judgeship would be increased. On
the other hand, II is believed by the friends
of Mr.. Nicol that the continuance was Sc
cured in order to survey the field more
fully and give Judge Norton a chance to
withdraw in the event it was ascertained
that his hope was a forlorn one. The lat
ter, from present Indications seems to be
the most plausible explanation of the mat
ter.
The concensus of opinion today seems to
be that MIR. NicOl is almost certain to be
elected, and some go SO far as to say that
the name of Judge Norton will not be pre-
sented to the caucus tonight. While 1t Is
conceded that Judge Norton is eminently
qualified to fill the office. 1t is believed that
Mr.. Nicol has got the inside track on the
judge In the race and has two-thirds of the
members of the caucus pledged to him.
The friends of Judge Norton deny that he
has any idea of withdrawing from the con-
test. and say he has a good fighting chance
of success.
In the Legislature.
The legislature has at last gotten down
to active legislative work. nearly all Of the
elective business, of which there was a
great volume before it at the beginning of
the session, having been disposed of. Meas
ures embracing the oyster question, cleo
ton laws, the financial problem and the
railroad question are now before the body
and are being discussed and advanced with
vigor and earnestness.
The most recent bill of Importance be-
fore the body is one introduced in the
house Monday by Mr.. Saunders Of Frank
lin Ito prohibit the formation and opera
ton of pools, trusts, combinations and con-
spiracies in the state and to provide for
the punishment of persons connected with
same"
This measure. which is framed after the
Missouri law. is one of the most rigid Of
the kind ever created, being very wide in
It's scope and most stringent in it's provis-
ions. A similar measure was introduced
In the House at the session two years ago,
but failed CT passage and the Mushbach
bill became a law in its stead. under which
frequent raids have been made upon Jack
son City. near Washington, d. c., and
other resorts of like nature in this state.
For time, under this law, bookmaking
was prohibited all of the turf exchanges
III this city being closed. A gigantic policy
organization, with a branch in Norfolk,
Va, was also broken up under this law.
Subsequently it was learned that the law
could oe evaded under conditions. and
books were again opened In this city, and
jackson City's existence was spared. If
the Saunders bill becomes law evasions
and treacherous lodges will be impossible,
and legal gaming in Virginia will be
wiped out, and the places that used to
know such establishments will know them
no more forever.
This is what Mr. Franklin hopes to ac-
complish. and he processes to believe that
the bill will become a law at this session.
Fourth Congregational District.
The report that Representative James F..
Epes of the fourth congressional district
would probably not be a candidate for re-
election has brought out already two as
pirants for the honor. Mr.. d. NJ. Bernard.
ccmmonweaith's attorney of Nottoway
county. would like to be Mr. Epes' success
sor. but will not be candidate in opposi-
ton to the incumbent.
State Senator Thomas ". Williams Of
Mecklenburg is being urged by his friends
in that and adjoining counties to contest
the Office with MIR. Bernard in the event of
MIR Epes declining a denomination. Mr..
Epes Is from Nottoway, and his predeces-
sor, Mr. Venable is of Petersburg, and the
voters of Mecklenburg and that end ofsthe
district claim that the next candidate
should come from their section
The fourth district Is popularity known as
the black district" comprising the coun-
ties of Amelia, Brunswick, Dinwiddie,
Greenesville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg,
Nottoway, Prince George, Powhatan, Prince
Edward, Sussex, and the city of Peters
burg, which have large negro populations.
The last census show that the negroes in
this district exceed the whites by about
500. and, together with the white repub-
icans. make the district republican by
about 10000 majority. How the democrats
elect their nominee in this district is a
miracle,
1t will be remembered that the last re-
publican Congress unseated the democrat,
Mr.. Venable, in favor of John NJ Lang
ston. cOOred. of Petersburg