Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-15
DECIDE FOR NEBLETT
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DECLARE
HIM TO DE THE NOMINEE.
HEARING LASTS FOR FIVE HOURS.
The Decision Reached EnrIy This
Morning-Mr. Passmore Accepts
the Result Gracefully and Pledges
His Cordial support-visitors Here

His Cordial support-visitors Here.
The Democratic State Executive COM
mittee met at Murphy's Hotel last n'ght
to consider the rival claims Of DR.. n. III.
Neblett and Mr.. G. T.. Passmore to the
nomination for the House OF Delegates
from Lunenburg county and after ses-
sion which lasted for more than hVe
hours they decided in favor of the
former.
,rhe,r decision was accepted without
murmur by Mr. Passmors ana MS
friends. who assured DR.. Neblett OF their
whole souled support in the campaign.
Ii was a very harmonious ending OF a
fight which had attracted widespread In
terest. and over which the party lead
er, and people generally in the county
seemed quite evenly divided.
HOW THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
The trouble was brewed in Lewiston
Precinct. which was entitled to four dele
gates in the county convention, called
both TO nominate a candidate for the
House and send delegates to Roanoke.
When the election of delegates took
place at this precinct in July DR.. Neb-
LEFT had eighteen delegates committed
TO him and Mr.. Passmore fourteen. The
convention was to be composed Of thirty
six. There were two meetings held at
| Lewiston. One of them went for the
one candidate, the other for the other.
Mr.. Passmore and his friends claimed
| that the Neblett meeting had not been
properly called, and was held without
the knowledge of the Democrats gene
rally. On the other hand, the Neblett
men contended that theirs was the legal
meeting.
There was a good deal of wrangling as
a result of the two meetings, and Mr.
George L. Smith, the county chairman,
| appealed to Captain Frank Lassiter,
chairman OF the Congressional Commit
tee, who brought the matter to the at
tention Of the Executive Committee.
LAST NIGHTS MEETING.
Mr.. II. NJ. Smith, Jr., Judge w. II.
Mann, Hon. Edward Echols. Senator
Martin, and Hon. Joseph +. Willard, were
the only members OF the Executive
| Committee present last night. and as it
| takes six TO form a quorum, 1t looked
| very much at one time as though a set
tlement of the question would have to be
deferred.
DR. Neblett and Mr.. Passmore were
present with their friends, and when.
after 0 o'clock, the committeeman sug-
| gested that the matter should be SUBJ
mitted TO them without waiting for a
! quorum. their proposition was readily
agreed to by both parties.
DR.. Neblett's side was presented by
Messrs George L. Smith, T. c. Fowlkes
| II u III {. 4
| r. Harris, T. A. OVERLY S. Shelburne
| T. +. williams. N. Matthews, j. w
| Jenkins. and II. x. Bagby, and Mr..
| Passmore was supported by Messrs. o.
| l.. Hardy, w. c. Winn, George r.
| Bridgeforth, b. A. Townsend, 4. W.
Bacon, and Wellington Featherstone,
! The hearing was lengthy and exhaus-
tive.
At the close some leading questions
were asked. One Of these was, whether
both candidates would be willing to refer
/ the matter again 20 the Lewiston Pre-
cinct. Mr.. Passmore said he would
rather concede the nomination to Dr.
| Neblett
HE TAKES IT GRACEFULLY.
| Mr. Passmore said to a Dispatch re-
! porter, as he came down from the meet
| ing: Il was perfectly willing to sub
|
mittee confident that the matter would
be given a fair and impartial considera-
| ton. They have decided that DR.. Neb-
| lett was nominated. / am grateful tC
all my friends for their support, and
hope and believe that they will all sup
port the Doctor as the regular nominee
| Personally. ] have the warmest feelings
| for DR.. Neblett, and so l told him after
the contest was over. / congratulated
him and offered him my services as a
canvasser If he is met with any oppo-
sltion. As far as ! am concerned, the
batchet is buried, and / sincerely hope
the two factions will be united"
DECIDED IN NEBLETT'S FAVOR.
After the testimony on both sides had
/ been submitted the committee went into
| executive session, and after celebrating
for about half an hour the announce
ment was made that a decision had been
reached in favor of Dr. Neblett as the
| legislative candidate and Mr.. George h.
Smith as the county chairman.
THE DINWIDDIE CASE.
The committee adjourned to meet
again next Thursday night. when the
! Dinwiddie case will be considered. 1t
was reported early I'm the evening that
| one Of the parties interested in this con-
| test refused 10 submit IL 10 the commit
tee. but as Fthis meant virtually the
| throwing of the election to A. w. Har-
ris. the Republican candidate, some
pressure was brought to bear, and 1t was
eventually decided to settle the dispute
| within the party.
Much interest was evinced in the Lu-
nenburg case. and many prominent
| Democrats were present. The reports
were uniformly encouraging. Speaker
John f. Ryan, of Loudoun county was
among those interested in the Lunen-
burg case. He has no opposition in his
county, and speaks with confidence Of his
election as Speaker of the next House.
Mr.. Pitcher, of Fauquier, who is here,
has been asked TO meet McCaull at Fair
| fax county on the 18th in joint debate.
Messrs ]. r. Kemper, of Augusta
county. and w. w. Brand, of Craig coun-
~. are in the city TO attend the meeting
OF the State Board Of Agriculture, to
| he held to-day.