The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-13
THE EIGHTH DISTRICT
SEVEN CANDIDATES STRO00LiSs
FOE THE NOMINATION.
Ao.r Eighteen Ballots the Convention 40
journed in Dead-iock-A DsrH
Horse Not Likely.
lc,an corresnondence.l

ALEXANDRIA, VA August
The Eighth District Convention "
veritable Chinese puzzle and after all 'n'
ballots cast to-day the end Is no assres
apparently than it was when the fo'
call first began.
All of tho seven candidates are In tns
field with the exception OF Senator sius'
hack who while In the city. has spen'
the day in his law offices ana eShio'"
hut little concern in the final resu" OF
the convention
II would be difficult to imagine more
determined set of followers than those
who are arrayed here undea the banners
of Meredith McCabe and Rixey.
The supporters of Ashton, willard ana
Anderson are hanging on with pt'uha-
city which is commendabls In poiiticaf
allies but which bears evidence OF
strugglR hope that the lightning gene
rated in the fierce conflict between the
three leading candidates may strike their
favorites before the storm Is over.
MEREDITH GETS FIRST BLOOD.
The first stroke OF the convention was
made by Hon. George 5. Shackelford. OF
Orange, who in the interest of Mr.. Mere
dth secured by the close vote OF ~ TO
So the adoption of a two-thirds vote to
nominate.
1t was evidently early IN the meeting
that Rixey would lead in the first bal
loting and as his strength was 50 votes
his opponents were afraid OF a stampede
to " votes which would be a majority OF
the 1853 votes which compose the conyen-
tion. The weaker candidates all saw
a glmmer OF hope in the proposition. and
they jumped at the bait, but the Rixey
crowd struggled vigorously against what
appears TO be a dtath blow to their hopes
although this Is not OF necessity "A cer-
tainty.
THE SITUATION.
As the case stands tonight the chances
are against Rixey. but not particularly
bright for any of the others In the fight
now, and it would not be a matter OF
very great surprise IL Hon. Walton
Moore should run in under the wire. n
dark horse winning In the stretch.
It WAS evident from the very start that
the balloting was what the delegates
wanted. aud that everything in the way
OF preiminaries would be considered as
time wasted.
CONVENTION ORGANIZED.
At noon Mr.. Leonard Marbury, the dis
trict chairman. called the convention 10
| order. and in q brief speech stated that
he accepted the Chicago proceedings as
the action Of a majority OF his party and
therefore would support its platform and
nominees.
lie then named Mr.. William Mexican,
of Louisa. as the temporary chairman,
and. Mr. 5. r. Donohue of Fairfax. the
! secretary.
SIr Mexican. In taking the chair. paid o
great tribute to the Eighth district. de-
| claring In his enthusiasm that for two
thousand years IN district had
/ given great men 10 Virginia, America. and
| the world
The usual committees were appointed
! with following charmen: George Dabney
| Gray. OF Culpepsr. on Platform; John s.
| Barbour. on Permanent Organization. and
w. II. May. OF Alexandria. on Creden.
tials.
A SENSATION.
The great sensation OF the day was
offered just after the convention open
cd Mr.. Marbury was upon the stage
whon n letter carrier came in and hand
ed him about dozen large square en-
velopes. These were addressed to n num-
bcr of the leading men IN TIE convention.
and were. OF course. ut once delivered
I and as the men IN the convention read
them there was Oalpable fidtter OF ex-
citemeuf around Them.
At the Meredith headquarters a similar
envelope Was received and when Mir.
Meredith opened the letter. he found the
following circular, which was printed on
common paper. and evidently at some
inferior job ciIlce:
a QUESTION OR TWO.
"If Mr.. JOhn 4. KXey Is for free silver
at IL TO /. as Will be required by the
] Irf. txbU fa
Mr.. Rixey, declare himself painly on this
subject at the Louisa county mdss-meet-
! ing held at Louisa Courthouse last Mayy
! Can Mr.. John r. Rixey, a stockholder in
and attorney for the Farmers National
Bank of Culpeper. whose brother. G. j.
/ Rixey. is cashier, consistently be for free
/ silver?
me president. cashier and a majority
of the directors Of this bank, for which
Mr. John II. Rixey is attorney, are pro-
nounced gold men. Can the attorney, Mr..
John f.. Rixey. carry water on both
shoulders? ASK him how he manages IT,
When ID. NJ. Ream, Of the Culpepcr
| Times, stood ~ front Of the courthouse
making "A speech, in which ne reclarcd
that in the next issue OF his paper no
would publish the fraudulent returns
concerning payment OF poll tax. made by
Treasurer Powell II. Jones, what hap
| pencdy Keam was slalpcd IN the race
by Philip Jones and closing with him.
was shot In the back by a man un-
known TO him. Ream declared on his
death-bed that the man who hai shot
him had nothing against him, but had
been hired TO Kill him.
Who was running for Commonwealth 5
attorney AT the time Of this murder? John
l.. RiXey. Who were Powell and Philip
Jones2 Uncles OF John 4. Kixey.
How was the editor OF the Culpeper
Exponent. a paper always opposed to
the Barbour-Rixey ring. sienccd by muir
der? Who murdered him? Edwin Bar
bour Who was Edwin Barbour A
brother-in-law or John r. Rixey. at that
time commemorative attorney.
Don't vote for the man who has had
completely in the terrible tragedies which
have blotted the fair name OF CulpcDer.
and which Will blight the reputation ~
fthe Eighth district.
A DEMOCRATIC SUPPORTER OF
PRINCIPLES.
MEREDlTHS ACTION.
Mr.. Meredith al once denounced the
circular and sent II TO the Rixey head
quarters with his profound contempt for
any one who would publish such an
unwarrantable and disgusting tniDg The
other opponents Of Mr.. Rixey also re-
ceived similar documents. ana when the