Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-11-23
HISTORY INVESTIGATION.

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HISTORY INVESTIGATION.
The committee of Investigation last
night in Richmond submitted its report
to Lee Camp of Sons of Confederate
Veterans, recommending the expul.
sion of Commander Minetree Fowlkes,
Of that organization. Mr.. Minetree
Fowlkes is tho young lawyer who
figured 80 conspicuously in the rumors
connected with the history committee
of the Grand Camp of Confederate Vet.
Grams. The committee submitted sep
arate reports, one to the Lee Camp
and the other to Grand Commander
Cox. Both were brief and we're &C.
companied by full manuscript of the
testimony taken before the committee.
Ia their report the committee say
"From the evidence as before US we
respectfully report that Comrade Mine.
tree Fowlkes has been guilty of conduct
unbecoming gentleman and com
rade and we recommend that he be
expelled, and to this end that charges
under the constitution and bylaws be
preferred against him. We further re-
port that no other member of the his.
tory committee OR Grand Camp has
been guilty of improper conduct"
Immediately after receipt of the re-
port Grand Commander Cox issued an
order removing Mr.. Fowlkes from the
history committee. The report made
to Lee Camp Sons is substantially tine
same as that sent to Commander Cox.
No name is mentioned in it except that
of Mr.. Fowlkes. AS the committee
were only authorized to investigate the
conduct of members of the history com.
mittee of the Sons organization they
could not refer to the others whose
names figured prominently in this scan
dial. The connection of these persons
is, however, fully brought out in the
testimony, which accompanies the COM
mittee's report.
The report of the investigating com.
mittee recommending the expulsion Of
Commander Fowlkes provoked consid-
cradle discussion in Lee Camp of Sons
of Confederate Veterans. Several
speakers opposed the committees re-
port and asserted that the camp should
deal more leniently with Mr.. Fowlkes.
On the other hand, other members
urged in vigorous speeches the adop-
ton of the report.
The camp adopted the committe re-
port, but decided that it was necessary
for charges to be preferred against Mr..
Fowlkes before the recommendation of
the committee could be acted on. A
committee was then appointed, which,
after considering the report, submitted
charges and specifications. These set
forth that Mr.. Fowlkes, while COM
monder of the camp and on the Both
day of August, 1897, gave to a news.
paper reporter the original Mahood re-
solutions against Massey that Mr..
Fowlkes received $50 for opposing on
the floor OF the camp the Mahood.
Massey resolutions, that he endeavored
to procure appointment on the history
committee of the Grand Camp and &C.
cepted it while in the employ of a pub
fishing company. The specifications al
so allege that Mr.. Fowlkes swore false
ly before the investigating committee
with regard to giving the Massey reso-
lu ions to reporter and meeting Wo-
mack, the agent of the American Book
Company, on the night of the defeat of
the resolutions.
The camp will meet next Monday
and will probably take final action at
that time.
CANvAssING THE VOTE OF VIRGINIA.
The State board of canvassers met in
Richmond yesterday and began the
work of canvasslng returns from the
election of Nov. 2 In the Senatorial dis
trict OF Washington the republican OPP.
ponent of Steele, the democrat who was
returned, protested against the count
ing of some of the votes for the latter.
Steele was voted for under different
initials. The ballots which did
not contain Steele's right name, his
opponent insisted, should not be &C
copied. Under the last decision Of the
Supreme Court the board contended
that question had been disposed of, and Steele
will be accorded the certificate of election.
Tho reps blican did not press his protest in
the House district of Rappahannock, where it
wss insisted that the democrat was ineligible
because of holding the position of sheriff OF