Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-22
FIGHT THE CHARTER.
ALEXANDRIA PEOPLE DoN'T WANT
ROssLYN INCORPORATED.
MAKE ANOTHER MONTE CARLO.
Delegation waits on Governor
- TyIer and Charge That the Bill
VIII Make n Gambling Resort for
Washington-Tbe other side.

| andria, is being bitterly fought.
Rosslyn Is just across the Aqueduct
bridge from Washington, and IT is claim
ed by those who are endeavoring TO IN
duce the Governor to veto the bill incor-
porating 1t that II is the intention of
some of those who are trying 10 secure
a charter to make IL a gambling resort
Of the worst description. and they go so
| far as to say that several of the officers
provided by the charter are gamblers.
Senator Mushbach and Delegate Barley
had the bill passed in the Senate and
| House. respectively without reference TO
a committee, each stating that it was
| only a local measure.
| Yesterday morning Governor Tyler re-
! ceived a telegram from Mr.. M. b. Har-
| low, City Treasurer of Alexandria. and
secretary and treasurer OF the Rosslyn
| Development Company, asking him TO
| withhold his signature from the bill until
| a. delegation could reach here to be heard
| in opposition 10 1t. The Board of Super
| visors of Alexandria county met yester-
! day morning. The meeting had been
| called to prepare papers asking for bids
| for the erection of the new courthouse,
| but this matter was passed by ana the
| board came on to Richmond with large
| delegation TO protest against the Rosslyn
| charter. Those in the party were Messrs.
| Saegmuller, Corbett. and Duncan, super
| visors: A. ID. Torrion, Robert Neitch,
| George Rucker, A. S. Doniphan, W. W.
| Douglass. George w. Donaldson, j. II.
Clements. George p. Robinson ana MT;
| Hobson. of Alexandria county, ana
Hfo.srs NJ II Harlow and James r.
| Cation, OF Alexandria city.
CONFERENCE WITH THE COVER
NOR.
Governor Tyler received the delegation
| in his office at the Capitol at o'clock.
| Colonel Barley, the delegate from AleXan-
| dria CITY and county, was present also.
| He presented his constituents 10 his EX-
| cellency. Mr.. Harlow told Of the meet
| ing of the supervisors. Mr.. Saegmuller
presented the resolutions adopted by that
| body, asking the Governor TO veto the
| charter. and a letter from the commits
| sioners OF the District Of Columbia OPP
| posing the charter was given TO the Gov
| ernor At the outset Governor Tyler re-
marked that he had received several let
ters and telegrams on the subject of the
| bill.
Colonel James r. Cation, the first speak
or started out by asking what citizens Of
| Rosslyn had asked for the charter.
''When the bill came over to the
House." remarked Colonel Barley, Il
went to the long-distance telephone and
called up Mr.. Frank Hume. gentleman
of high character, and asked him about
the measure. He told me it was a good
bill, and that the people of Rosslyn want
ed IL passed"
"Why didn't you call me up?7 asked
Mr.. Harlow.
II thought you left your Office at
o'clock. and II was after that hour" re-
piled the Colonel
II am geneeaiiy Ill my office until 5
o'clock" rejoined Mr. Harlow.
did you read the bill?' asked Colonel
Cation.
II did"
Didn't Il strike you as quite remark
able that this measure sought TO exclude
the County Sheriff and the county magis-
trates from Jurisdiction in the territory
proposed to be Incorporated"
IL did not. / understood from Mr..
Hume that the object of the bill was to
provide better government for the ter
rtory."
Mr. seagmuller: Didn't I ask you If
any bill came up concerning Ballston to
let me know, and didn't you say you
would do so2
1OlOntl Ddl-tgs L ffIldllll hlb
Mr. Saegmuller: Then why didn't you
let me know about this bill?
Colonel Barley: Because you asked me
nothing about Rosslyn.
BILL NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.
Colonel Cation read the bill. and argued
that IL was unconstitutional. as IL pro-
vided that the officers named for Mayor
Recorder, and councilmen should hold
Office for four years, when several cleo
tiOns would occur during that time. He
contended that it was against public
policy, because II took away the jurisdic-
tion Of the Sheriff and county magis-
trates and made the Mayor the lord
high lieutenant and supreme ruler Of the
place. He called attention to the fact
that the Mayor was TO issue liquor
licenses and that the bill provided that
the County Court should not indict for
misdemeanors committed in the town.
Colonel Barley here remarked that the
people of Rosslyn should be consulted as
10 their wishes i'm this matter He was
not advocating nor defending the bill.
applause by the opponents Of the char
ter)
Governor Tyler: Do you know why the
officers are named for four years?
Colonel Barley: 1 suppose the people do
not wish to be burdened with an election
before that time.
"Shis bill" said Colonel Cation, "is like
a loaded gun that appears TO be unload
ed. OF course. / do not charge Colonel
Barley and Captain Mushbach with
knowingly doing anything wrong. but 1
am going TO show you that this is a dan
gerous bill. Colonel Barley has been
hoodwinked. Why, the Sheriff and other
officers of Alexandria county cannot
serve warrants in Rosslyn. The County
and Circuit courts are not allowed to pass
upon liquor-licenses. The Mayor is 10 be
le egislator Judge, and executiOner."
Here the sensational disclosures OF the
evening were made. Colonel Caton sald
Mr.. A. A. Lipscomb was a high-tOned,
honorable man. He was named as a cOun-
Gilman, but Mr. Lipscomb's name was put
in the bill without his knowledge or con-
sent, and he would not serve. A letter 10
this effect was handed the Governor
"WhO is Mayor Birch?" asked Colonel
Cation. 'He has not as much backbone as
there is whalebone In a ladv's corset"
He then took up the various town off,
cials and councimen named I'm the bill
and either by his own statement or by
answers to questions brought out charges
affecting the reputation OF all of them,
using this 10 support his argument that
they were not suitable people 10 be put
I'm office.
AN AMERICAN MONTE CARLO.
Colonel Cation said he was a large pro-
perty-owncr al Rosslyn. He could not
give his consent to this bill. notwithstand-
ing the fact that he knew his property
would increase In value II this town was
turned into an American Monte Carlo.
He would rather be pauper than receive
money from such a source.
Mr. Harlow said he agreed with Colo
mel Cation that with the Charter pro-
posed property would go up but ne did
not want to make money by such means