Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-23
IN FAVOR OF EPES.
'uch Is The Decision Of the House
Committee.
ARGUMENTS IN rnn CASE.
they Were Animated and Compre-
hensive-Richmomd Times Inau-
encc Used to the Advantage of the
Opponents of Democracy.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., February r.
tspeciai)-The House Committee on
Elections, at meeting held to-day. de-
cided the Virginia contested case OF
Goode against Epes in favor OF Mr.. Epes.
The sitting member. by n vote Of to 4.
All those voting in the affirmative were
Democrats. and the negative votes were
AL cas-, by Republicans. but one Of the
latter. Mr.. Mccall. Of Massachusetts. is
to change his vote should he see TT An
other Republican, Mr.. Wheeler. OF HI
nois. was present. but did not vote. He
Is reported 20 have declared that his
mind was not made up. He needed more
light on the subject Two Democratic
members and one Republican member
OF the committee were absent. Their
votes will not alter the result. as the
Democrats are known to be in favor
of the sitting member. The action Of the
committee to-day puts an end to the
stories so industriously circulated that II
ever a vote was reached the committee
would feel bound to decide the case In
favor Of Colonel Goode. and that they
they were opposed to facing the issue
squaTely. IL has been repeatedly stated
In the Dispatch that II the vote was taken
In committee the result would be de-
claration In favor Of Representative
Epes.
II is not expected the case will be reach
cd I'm the House.
THE ARGUMENTS.
The arguments made before the commit
tee In this contest were animated and
comprehensive. Judge Mann. Of MOTTO
way, made the chief address In behaif
OF Mr. Epes. and the latter also spoke for
a half hour. He declined TO take any tes-
timony In the district, and most of the evil
dence submitted came from the other side
Judge John T. Harris. Of Rockingham;
Mr.. Samuel G. Brent OF Alexandria, and
Mr.. Thorp, OF Mecklenburg, were the
lawyers in the case for Colonel Goodc.
Judge Harris. IL will be remembered
charged in effect wholesale fraud in the
district. and spoke for more than an hour
In an effort 10 prove that his client was
entitled TO the seat
Mr.. Brent was more diplomatic in the
brief argument submitted by him. lie
positively declined to charge fraud, and
in so doing indirectly combatted the
charges OF Judge Harris. Mr.. Brent, in
alluding TO the action OF the county can
wasting boards, so emphatcal.y con-
demned by Judge Harris. declared they
acted under a misrepresentation or duty.
THE RICHMOND TINES.
Mr.. Thorp, now contestant himself
for q seat In Congress from the same
district. contented himself with reading
extracts from the Richmond Times In
frantic effort to prove that the Demo-
Gratis had literally robbed Colonel Goode
Of his votes, and in defiance of the VIII
OF tie people had counted in Mr. Epes.
1t is freely predicted at the Capitol that
Mr. Thorp and other Republicans VIII be
apt TO use literally before the next Con-
gress ed iorials and statements made by
thu Times recently. and that they Will be
cited as alleged proof that Mr. Thorp
and not Mr. McKenney was elected last
November.
No effort was made in the House to-
day to call up the North Carolina election
contest of Williams VS.. Settle but it is
understood the friends of Captain Will
liams will make the move next Tuesday.
NORTH CAROLINA'S SHAME.
There was intense Indignation among
southern people here to-day when they
read in the morning papers that the
House Of Representatives Of the North
Carolina Legislature had adjourned on
account Of the death of Fred. Douglass.
Coupled with the statement that they had
refused to adjourn for the birthdays OF
Washington and Lee. IL was all the more
revolving, and North Carolinaians at the
Capitol, while Disguised in the extreme,
are of the opinion that this caper will
result in showing 10 the people Of the
State what a tough combination has
temporarily obtained political control in
the State.
Senator-elect Marion Butler has been
running for some years a paper known
as the Caucasian. IL has been charged
ever since the fusion movement succeed
cd In North Carolina that the culmina-
ton would be a wedding between the
Populists and the Republicans, ,he latter
being dominated by the black element.
The comment now at the Capitol is that
political miscegenation in North Carolina
t. complete. The resolution offered by
neg.o member Of the Legislature was
carried Fred. Douglass married a white
woman, and people here are torcibly re-
minded that this fact must have been
uppermost in the minds Of the legislators
who voted for the negro members rtsolu-
ton.
MARION BUTLER.
senator-elect Marion Butler, with his
neatly-trimmed black whiskers. Is here.
His presence was noted IN yesterday
correspondence of the Dispatch. Just
what brought him TO Washington at this
time Ii not known. 1t may lie he simply
wanted 10 be on hand TO witness the pro-
ceedings of an expiring Congress. IL is
suggested that in view OF his being the
editor and publisher OF a paper STYLED the
Caucasian he probably wishes he had
remained at home to keep the fellows
straight at Raleigh.
BATTLE-SHIPS AND NEWPORT
NEWS.
Senators Daniel and Hunton will en-
6eayor, when the naval appropriation bill
IL taken up in the Senate. 10 have an
amendment adopted providing that one or
the new battle-ships shall be constructed
at the Newport News yards. They are
working hard on the matter, and the
prospects OF success are at least encour-
aging.
Representative Tucker. who made a
vigorous fve-mlnute speech in the Hous,
yesterday against the proposed Hawaiian
cable, which the Senate incorporated In
the consular and diplomatic bill. says nc
Is afraid the Senate will insist on Its
amendment TO the last ditch. and proba-
bly, finally compel the House TO recede.
The temper OF the House is just now over
whelmingly against the cable project. bu
rather than let the bill fail the fear is
the House will have TO yield II the Sen,
ete conferrees are stubborn.
Senator Morgan is very enthusiastic
over the cable. and so is the Republican
conferree on the part OF the Senate.
RANSOM AND MEXICO.
There is growing belief about tn
Capitol that Senator Ransoms chances
for the Mexican mission are very good
II Is thought the nomination may b.
sent TO the Senate on Saturday. Ii 4
known that the President is most favor
ably inclined, but still there is no tellinl
what he may do. The politicians ar,
after him sharply. and many names hav,
been presented.
The House tomorrow afternoon will
devote several hours 10 eulogizing III,
memory OF the late Senator Vance o.
North Carolina The first address will
be delivered by Congressman Henderson
Several other members OF the Nortl
Carolina delegation will speak, and Mr.
Swanson Will make an address, and
possibly. one or two other Virginians
When the Republicans attacked the fai
name or Virginia on account OF the Dan
Vile riots Virginia had no Democrat,
representative Ia the Senate, but Senato
Vance was a friend Of the State, an,
defended her and the Democratic party
POSTAL AND PERSONAL.
post-ofiice 10 be known as Osteen ha,
been established in Henderson county