Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-08-18
THE LAST FIJI

How the Contest for Supreme Judge Was
SettIed-AnE Exciting Scene Which Gener-
al st. Clair Figured.
Nominations for Supreme Judge were
declared in order at half-past seven,
and Hon. s. L. Flournoy took the plat
form, but surrendered for an announce
ment that the Congressional Commit
tee for the First District would meet
at CoI. Arnetts Office as SOC as the
delegates returned to the city. Col.
Flournoy then resumed and nominated
S. s.. Green, of Kanawha.
He was followed by Hon. H. r. How
ard, who nominated ]. H. Holt
Hon. Joe Chiffon said he wanted to
name a winner, and besides he wanted
| the convention to try a Kanawha law
yer. to see if they were as good as Ka-
! nawha politicians. If he should turn
out that way he had no doubt the De-
mocracy would keep a Kanawha law
yer on the supreme bench right along
| He named Hon. Thomas l.. Broun.
w. L. TAYLOR. of Mcdowell, named
Hon. David p. johnson, of Mcdowell.
John D. Sweeney. of Mercer. suggest
ed that it would be a Christian act to
nominate David 3. Johnson by aceia-
nation. and the convention yelled
THAT'S the stuff!' THAT'S right" and
made other encouraging remarks. He
stirred the delegates up nightly De-
for he yielded the floor to John J. Con-
if, of this county and city, VINO I'M
pressed upon the convention the great
importance of the place they were ABOUT
to make a selection for. He spoke IN
behalf of Hon. Thomas L. Broun, OF
r%z..-rbo county
w. w. Brannon nominated u y. mig
| ginbotham, of Upshur.
w. II. McGinnis, of Raleigh, seconu-
ed the nomination of David E. john
son.
Mr.. R. Thompson, of Cabell. seconded
| the nomination of Mr.. Holt, and Hon
John T.. McGraw followed in the same
| etrafn. Several others made BRIEF ad-
dresses, among them Hon. Andrew Ed
mission, and J.. w. st. Clair. The Con-
Bention got very impatient about this
time. and raised no end OF a row when
| st. Clair attempted to speak, but he per-
| sisted, at first with great good humor
| and latterIy in wrath. once threatening
to paste one delegate who called to him
| to get down, "in the jaw" As he at
! tempted to go on he was met with yells,
bowls. cheers, cries, and in~describable
| confusion, and could not proceed. A
chair was handed up to General st.
Clair. and many Kanawha county dele
gates urged him to sit own and stay
| all night, but that he should be heard.
A motion was made and seconded, dur
ing the hub-bub, that the ~Sergeant-at-
Arms clear the house OF all but dele
gates. but it was not put. Finally the
| delegates wore themselves out and there
was comparative quiet for a moment,
but by the time General st. Clair got
fairly warmed up he was again greeted
by cries of timer "sit DOWN. and
many other sorts of bowls. The speak
er kept to his feet, however, and had
his say out, and then, at S:25, nomina-
tons were declared closed, while st.
Clair went for the delegate he was go
ing to paste" and was proceeding TO
carry out his threat. The victim of
the Generals wrath was Delegate Max
well, of Upshur, and there would have
not only been a fight but a riot, in about
a minute, as a hundred delegates rushed
to the scene and soon were clutching
each other and pushing and ~crowding
at a lively rate. Before a blow could be
struck, however, John T. McGraw, John
A. Howard, Col. Bob Carr, and a dozen
others hustled St. Clair away, while
his opponent was taken the other way
by delegates.
The roll was then called, and resulted
as follows:
FIRST BALLOT FOR JUDGE OF ST.
PREAIE CURT.