Evening star., 1897-03-17
East Washington Citizens Choose Can
didates for Commissioners.
MESSRS. ROSS AND DODGE FAVORED
Representative CoIored Men Also
Strongly Indorse Mr.. Ross.
o T H z r low E NJ E n T S

| MI JOnn W. koSS ana w. =. lodge
! were selected as the choice for District
| Commissioners at a conference of citizens
| of East Washington. South Washington
| ard the eastern part Of the District. held
yesterday evening at ;he Office OF Gen.
| William Birney. Those present were DIR.
| G. c. Havenner. representing the Anacos-
| tia Association: w. ]. Frizzell Northeast
Washington; w. w. Hall, jr-, South WASH
| inStcn: r. f. Bradbury, Twining City; II.
S. Sutton, Langdon: J. NJ. Wood. Benning;
| A. E. Randle, Congress Heights: A. r.
Serven, North Capitol and lexington; Will
| liam Birney, East Washington. A COM
| mittee of fifteen, appointed by Gen. Birney.
consisting OF ]. W. Babson, w. A. Croft
| fut. E. H. Tucker. s. II. Walker, ]. u.
Crolssant. James Martin. w. G. Henderson.
c. A. Barker. 1. s. Slater. Henry Barton.
| T. L. Jefrords. Josiah Millard. J. W.
WneIpley, N. G. Ordway and Lorin Chap
pei, and Messrs. James P. Edwards and
| Michael Brown.
Mr. Tracey L. Jeffords presided over the
gathering. with w. A. Croffut as secretary.
Or motion of Mr.. ]. w. Babscn it was de-
| cided to vote first on the choice for the
republican candidate and then on the dem
ocra,ic. The result OF The ballot. which
| followed, showed that w. c. Dodge re-
ceived thirteen votes. Chaplin Brown, three.
and Evan H. Tucker and w. G. Henderson
| one each. The point was made that Mr..
Brown was not an East Washington man,
and his name was stricken from the list.
and then, by unanimous consent. Mr.. Dodge
was agreed upon as the choice for the sue
cession 10 Commissioner Truesdell.
There was considerable discussion
| the propriety Of recomrne nding two names
| to the President. 1t was suggested that
| East Washington should go to the Fresi
dent for one man only but the democrats
| present declared that they wanted a dem
| ocrat considered because they had already
voted their choice for a republican. Sever
al motions in relation to the matter were
| disposed of, and then a vote was taken on
| the choice for democratic candidate,
| sultinE in Mr.. Johr W. Ross receiving thir-
teen, Mr. NJ. 1. Weller. one. and MIR. w. A.
Richards. three. \ motion was made to
make Mr.. Ross selection unanimous and
after some discussion, in which ex-Gov.
n. q. Ordway paid tribute TO the Com
Birney, General Ordway and Mr.. Croffut
| were appointed a committee to draw up 4
memorial asking for the appointment OF
| Messrs Ross and Dodge Commissioners.
and to arrange tor an interview with Pres
| ident Mckinley the Subject. Secretary
Porter was seen last night by the commit
| tee and an interview was arranged for go
| o'clock today. II was decided that the en-
| tire delegation present last night should
assemble at Gen. Birneys Office at =
o'clock and proceed to the White House.
CCIOred Citizens IndOrse Mr.. Ross.
A meeting of colored citizens was held in
| the office Of the Bee yesterday for the pur-
pose Of considering the District commits
| sionership. Mr.. w. Calvin Chase editor
| of the Bee, presided, with Mr. L. H. Peter
son secretary.
Mr.. Chase. among other things. said that
one of the best friends the Afro-American
citizen had on the board of District Com
missioners was Mr.. John w. Ross.
| Addresses were also made by Messrs.
Brown, Brooks, DR.. Lee, Attorney Hewlett,
and others.
Mr. Peterson offered, and the meeting
unanimously passed, a preamble and reso-
luton, reciting that the term of John w.
Ross, as Commissioner Of the District of
Columbia, had expired much to the regret
of the Afro-American citizens Of the Dis
| trict OF Columbia, who had always held
him in high esteem. He had served the
people of this city Commissioner, and
has on all occasions treated the most hum
| Bile citizen with respect and consideration,
not at any time In his official capacity ig-
norng the just claims of those in humble
| positions, and declaring that the colored
| citizens Of Washington, in public meeting
assembled, unanimously indorse Mr.. Ross
| for the office of Commissioner of the Dis
| trict of Columbia, and respectfully ask
| President Mckinley to nominate him to
succeed himself as Commissioner of the
! District of Columbia.
A committee of three consisting of DIR.
| Brooks. l.. H. Peterson and Mr.. Hewlett.
was appointed to present the resolutions to
the PRESIDENT
Other Candidates.
The movement in favor of tine retention
of Mr.. George Truesdell as District Com
| missioner is being prosecuted with great
| energy by the friends of that gentleman,
and petitions are being circulated which
| are receiving a large number OF signatures.
Mr.. w. V. Cox, president of the Bright
wood Citizens Association, is being urged
| by his friends to become a candidate for
| the District commissionership now held
by Commissioner Ross. and in the
President decides not to reappoint Mr..
Ross will be a strongly backed aspirant
for the position.
Mr.. Jesse b. Wilson's name is also
brought forward as a candidate for the
: democratic commissionership. Mr.. Chaplin
Browns friends seem very confident that
their candidate will be appointed but have
not relaxed their efforts. Many very
strong petitions in his behalf numerously
signed by representative business and pro-
| fessional men, have been secured
An active campaign is also in progress
In behalf of Mr.. August Donath and OF
Mr.. L. NJ. Saunders.