Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-11
NORRIS AND H0LMEAD HEAD FACTIONS
Each Announced as Party's Choice
to Succeed Lawrence Gardner.
THE STATUS OF PROXIES

all ClOtneu Win the rlgnt not only TO vote,
but to carry heavy constituencies with
them as we'll A renewal of the effort to
select District man to be recommended to
the national democratic committee as a
member thereof to succeed the late Law
renee Gardner was the occasion of the
meeting. and in comparison with the pro-
ceedings the two former attempts were as
mild and moderate as yachting weather
when contrasted with blizzard.
1t broke all records for even the District
democracy in the matter of recrimination
between factions, and was a fight from
start to finish, that ended in what the elect
would probably call a draw, but which
each side claims as a victory.
Accordingly, each nominee this morning,
with the support of his individual friends
and followers, regards himself as the ac-
credited representative of the District dem
ocrats as the successor to the place on the
committee made vacant by Mr.. Gardner's
death
The two referred to are Mr.. James l..
Norris and Mr.. William Holmead, each of
whom claims he was chosen by a majority
of the democratic central committee.
Air Was Full of Fight.
There was be,ligerency in the very at
mosphere when Vice Chairman John A.
Clarke called the committee to order at
s o'clock, and the next two hours develop
ed war of the most substantial character.
1t was ushered in by the all-important ques-
ton of proxies. AT the two former meet
ings held for the purpose, DIR. Chas.
Alien, Mr.. Jackson Yates and Mr.. Robert
f. Mattingly appeared as proxies Tor Chair
man Thomas B. Kalbfus, who is in Califor-
MIA; Robert E. Doyle and John B. Miller,
respectively Messrs. Doyle and Miller
were present last night In person and en-
deavored to revoke their proxies and as
sumo their prerogatives committeeman.
This led to a hot debate, and finally the
chair was appealed to.
Chairman Clarke promptly decided that
the revocation of the proxies could not be
considered, as the meeting was merely
continuation of the former meeting, a re-
cess having been taken for the expressed
purpose of reasseTbing to continue the
balloting for a choice of committeeman.
That alone was the business before the
committee, dec'ared Mr.. Clarke
Mr.. John Boyle thereupon stated that
the presence of the two committeeman was
sufficient to revoke their proxies and called
attention to the clause in the committees
constitution which provides expressly that
a proxy was always revocable in person.
He was followed in the same line by e.
l.. Jordan, George Killeen and several 9TH
ers, including William Dickson member
OF the committee advisory board. Mr.. Jor-
dan appealed from tho decision of the
chair, and Secretary j. Fred Kelley COM
menced to call the roll. When the third
district was reached and Committeeman
Maher, who had been considered an I'M
bending Holmead man. voted to sustain the
chair, 1t was seen that the decision would
be upheld.
Secretary Kelley continued to call the
roll, and when the seventeenth, Mr.. Doyle's
district. was reached. he called the name
OF the latter's proxy, Mr.. Yates
Holmead Men Bolt.
That settled it The Holmead faction
went to the other end of the room, and at
once organized another meeting. with Geo
killeen as chairman, and John Boyle as
secretary Messrs. Doyle and Miller went
with the "seceders.'' but Messrs Yates and
Mattingly remained with the regulars" as
the Norris men styled themselves Messrs.
Dickson, Sullivan and Mcclure of the adj
visory board eXerted themselves to restore
harmony. Mr.. Dickson being particularly
persuasive and eloquent, but without avail
Both factions then proceeded with ballot
ing Tor a successor to Lawrence Gardner
The Holmead men were first to reach a
conclusion A roll was called and Messrs.
! Beyer. HoltzclaW. Boyle, Killeen, Jordan
Turner. Wells. Doyle, Miller, Neitzey and
Or: Darling voted for Mr.. Holmead, Mr.
W1ttektndt being recorded as not voting
Chairman Killeen thereupon declared that
OF twenty-five members, were present and
eleven votes had been cast for Mr. Hol-
mead, the latter was the choice of the
democratic central committee for member
snip in the national body This was greeted
with great enthusiasm by the boilers, who
Immediately adjourned to Mr. Jordan's sa-
loon, accompanied by Mr.. Holmead where
banquet was discussed and speechmak-
ing continued.
Mr.. Norris Named.
The Norris men continued their deliber-
ations at the same time. The roll was
again called and disclosed fourteen men,
bers present, including proxies Yates and
Matting!y. The vote for national commit
teeman resulted as follows:
Mr. Norris-Messrs. Maher, Small. Con-
nors. Donovan, Allen, Scanlon Kelley,
Vat 7v,t t proxy; Lynch Clarke, Mcouade
Proxy Mattingly voted for William Dick
son and Committeeman Holtzclaw declined
to vote.
When this result was announced there
were resounding cheers, and the cheers
were Justify echoed by the big crowd out
side. which declined to be further re-
strained. and forced its way into the meet
A committee, consisting of Messrss Scan
lon, Small and Donovan, was appointed to
notify Mr. Norris and escort him to the
meeting. He was enthusiastically greeted
when he appeared. Chairman Clarke briefly
announced the results of the evening, and
in response to vociferous demands for
speech Mr.. Norris made a characteristic
reply. He would always, he said, plead the
cause Of. the ''rock-ribbed. rock-bound,
plain. unadulterated, yet unterrified, hon.
est and old-fashioned Jeffersonian and
Jacksonan democracy"
Throughout his remarks Mr.. Norris made
nc -eference to Bryan or the Chicago plat
&c m. saying, however:
while we may have our individual pref
erences for the standard bearer before the
nomination, we are loyal to the man and
the platform upon which he stands, and
we vie, one with the other, in giving both
our best. united, untiring, jealous support.
Such men l know you to be; such man l
hope. you believe me to be- I yield to no
enc in party fealty. In the past I have
brought to the support of the democratic
party whatever of talent and energy l
may have possessed. and tonight am be-
fore you to again renew my obligations of
duty and Of pleasure to serve that grand
and glorious old party with Refrigerated
energy
AT the conclusion Of the speech the crowd
sang 1.-The Jeffersonian Banner and "Bry-
ans Coming and dispersed with cheers for
Bryan, Norris and the party.