Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-15
MR.. II. HOBSON'S CALL
Democrats Do Not Favor Representation
at the Meeting.
ERRORS IN ELECTION LAWS
Can Tie Corrected by Democratic L"g's'a'
tlon-A RepublIcan-Popuiist Scheme
Results Of a Winter Thunder Storm.

PETERSBtRG. VA, January ii-tSpe-
cial.)-The Democrats Of this city. as lar
az your correspondent Is advised. DO not
favor any representation Of the party
in the meeting which has been called by
Mr.. J. Hatkins Hobson. the chairman ot
the Populist party OF this State. They
believe that whatever errors there may
be In the present election laws can and
VIII be corrected by the Democratic L"gis-
lature itself, and that as near approach TO
a perfect election law as can be made
viii be made by the Democratic party.
It Is not. therefore. believed that State
Chairman Ellyson Will either attend Mr..
Hobson's meeting himself or authorize the
attendance OF any representative of the
Democratic party.
WHO WILL BE THERE.
The representatives in the meeting
called By Mr.. HObsJn will be Popu.ist5
and Republicans. and they viii. OF
course, resolve in favor a honest cleo
tons and such ike. is believed.
though there IL 10 positive evidence OF
the fact. that the Popul!sts are backed
by the Republicans in this movement Tor
fair elections. and that some shrewd
Republican leaders are active in the
scheme, with the hope OF breaking the
strength of the Democratic party and
reaping the spOils aud benefits.
A MIDWINTER THUNDERSTORM.
On Saturday night just previous to the
arrival OF the cod wave there was a
severe thunderstorm In this section. The
flashes OF lightning were brilliant anu
the pells Of thunder loud. FRS; rain and
then hail and then snow fell. The Har-
rlsln-Street cOlorcd) Baptist church was
struck by lightning and slightly damaged.
Mr.. James G.. Smith and his son. who
were driving to their home, In Dinwiddie.
in separate buggies-One behlnd the
other-narrowly escaped injuries during
the storm. Their horses became very
FESTIVE under the ptlting OF the hail.
and during a brilliant lash Of lightning
they became frightened and unmanage-
able. Mr.. James c. Smith narrowly
escaped being thrown into a creek. and
as ne stopped his horse on the bank II
the stream. mis- sons horse and buggy.
which were Immediately behind. plunged
into his team. I; was some time before
the two gentlemen could RICH: their We
hicies and proceed home.
Immediately after the storm the tenn
porature rapidly fell. and 50 lay morn
ing the Thermometer stool AZ I degrees
above zero. with everything in sight
frozen hard. Ice formed in one night suf-
fcienily thick to AFFORD excellent skating.
TRAVELLERS PROTECTIVE ASSO-
CITATION.
Mr.. John 4. Lee. president Of the Ma
tionll Travellers Protective Association,
arrived in the city to-day. and tonight
-. a.. c-r,.Ea-. -. aEE,,fyat Dna. -
# the Virginia Division Of the T. +. y.
Some twenty or more gentlemen today
sign.ile1 their intention OF becoming MEM
bers Of the association.
A NEW OVERCOAT.
Rev. \. J.. Fristoe. the pastor Of the
Second Baptist church. who was robbed
Of his overcoat on Saturday night. was
the recipient today OF a fine new over
coat, the gift Of his friends.
Judge j. NJ. Mullen. Judge Of our Hus'
tings Court. has gone TO Raleigh. y. G,
on business. He will return by Thurs
day. when an important term Of his
court begins.
Interesting revival services will be
held every night This week at West
End Baptist church. to be conducted by
the pastor. Rev. j.. A.. Barker. assisted
by Rev. Luther Thornhill. Of Manches-
ter.
MT. dlItE -. iItdSdllNS. u He-iI -NANp>
Mo. Tex. was in the city to-day. for the
first time In thirty years.
Mr.. Caleb Stabler. Of Montgomery
county. Nd. who has been visiting rela>
tives in this city for some days, returned
home to-day.
Deputy-Sergeant ]. T. Parham today
took over 10 the penitentiary Charles
Williams (colored). sentenced at the re-
cent term Of the Hastings Court to two
--s -f-..ra,. Tor nrsGA-1Faa l. N q.
MIR. MKENNEY'S ANSWER.
The answer Of Hon. William Il. Nc
Kenney. Democratic congressman-elect
from this district, TO the notice Of con-
test OF his seat in the next Congress
recently served upon him by Mr.. Il. T.
Thorp, the defeated Republican candi-
date, has been finished, and Is now In
the hands Of the printers. 1t is under
stood to be a full, complete, and unan.
swerable paper.
Wild turkeys have been so abundant
in this section during the present season
that huntsmen who have erected blind,
have not infrequently killed as many as
four to six at a single shot.
THE CATHOLICS AND SECRET So
CIETIES.
AT the services at 1t. Joseph's Catholic
church yesterday. in response to the re-
NAfEl VI III lsl7i4VR VI 'fN 'ApNMH'f ~ v
Father OFarrell read TO his congrega-
ton the recent letter Of his Holiness, the
Pope, denying the privilege OF Catholics
TO Join the orders Of Odd-Fellows. Sons
Of Temperance. and knights OF Pythias.
In commenting on the letter Father
O'Farrell said that the matter had been
maturaly considered by the American
bishops before II was referred to the
Pope. and that 1t was after the most
l---. .l.ugl.Hutta tIat th. 1aniEtnn
as announced in the letter was reached.
"It is not" said Father OFarrell. be
cause the membership OF these orders IS
not ompose Of good men. because there
are good men I'm all Of them, but Catho~
lies must obey the Church when II wishes
TO discipline them with reference {,
their religion. the same as the CIVIL goV>
ernment does Its citizens. II Is under
stood tina no one Of the orders MENTION
ed has a Catholic as a member.
SUNDAY-SCUOOL OFFICERS.
At the meeting OF the Sunday-School
and Missionary Society of the Washing
ton-Street Methodist Episcopal church
held on Sunday the following officers
were elected for the ensuing year: Presi-
dent. NJ. W. Stearns: Vice-President. Il.
o. Strailman; Secretary. l.. +. Badger,
Treasurer. John r.. Turner. The report
of the treasurer shows liberal contribu-
lions during the year.
MANcHESTER'S AUDITOR DEAD.