Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-14
ticians. knew the contest was for pur-


Mr. Lees story Of the Downing's con-
vention. TO a certain point. was practi-
caly the same as that OF Mr.. Chinn He
said that while he knew the Richmond
delegation had been put under the Unit
rule when chosen. yet II WAS known that
the delegation had met that morning and
decided to vote together upon every
thing. Therefore. the Lancaster delegates
held a caucus and decided 10 do the
same thing. The Htwalton delegates
protested. They were released The lat
ter voted as they chose.
INSISTED ON A NOMINATION.
However. Mr.. Lee insisted that the con-
vention made a nomination. He said
things were somewhat chaotic. and In
hubbub during the session, but that Sc
lection was made. There was spurious
contest for purpose.
Mr.. Wexford here interrupted Mr.. Lee
! to say that his name had not gone before
the convention with his wish, and that
he had insisted always that no nominal
ton was made.
| Mr.. Lee said he had had no intention OF
casting any aspersons upon Mr.. Well
| ford. He then read the minutes of the
proceedings of the Downing's meeting.
The record shows that ii was Mr.. Saun-
ders, OF the Idtwalton Precinct of
Richmond, who nominated Mr.. Thomas
A. Pinkard, q Martin man. The record
says Mr.. Pinkard was unanimously
| chosen.
DR.. F.. w. Lewis. of Richmond county,
arose, and said emphatcaily II wish
the committee to know that Mr.. Saunders
was not a delegate to that convention"
| Mr. Lee said ne was regarded as such
prior to his having nominated Mr.. Pink
\ .fa t.I 40 Mr.
bill. after the nomination of Mr.. Pinkard,
moved that it be made unanimously.
| Pinkard was again nominated.
| Mr.. Lee concluded by saying that
| spurious contest was at the bottom OF
| the whole trouble. The people in Rich
mond county had been fettered in mass
meeting The people in Lancaster had
| expressed themselves in precinct meet
| ings. 1t was a full, fair, and free ex-
preston of opinion. 1t should be allow
ed to stand.
AT COROTTOMAN PRECINCT.
Mr.. c. S. Towles then testified as 70 the
contest at Corottoman. He said the vote
| was 81 TO 81. This, he said. included the
chairman. who voted for Martin instruc-
tions. Mr.. Towles said he protested
| against the chairman casting two votes,
| as he would do If he cast the deciding
vote, but in spite OF the protest, Mr.
| Shackelford the chairman, voted to
break the tie The Chair refused to en-
! terrain the appeal from his decision.
| taken BY Mr.. Towles. As a result, Mr.
| Towles. and his friends withdrew, with
forty-two others, and the same after
| noon held a meeting and chose a dele
| CATION The contest was In no sense
spurious it was bona-fide from begin
ming to end.
Mr.. Chnn then read an affidavit from
| Mr.. virginius Towles, one of the tellers
at the Corottoman meeting, and also an
| affidavit signed by large number OF men
! present at the meeting. The aihdavit
| confirmed the statement made to the
committee by Mr.. c. r. Towles.
Mr. Chinn replied with much earnest
ness and some warmth to the charge
| that the contesting delegation from Co
rottoman was spurious, declaring that
! those delegates were as honest and as
true men, as loyal and faithful Demo-
Gratis. as were In this State. Mr.. Chinn
then said he took It as good party law
that a majority OF delegation had no
right to bind the minority by unit
| rule. This precipitated discussion,
| which was right lively but resulted In
nothing.
Mr.. Chinn then resumed his argument,
his chief point being that Chairman Lee
had no right to cast the vote Of Corotto-
man Precinct. whose delegation was con-
tested and that therefore no organiza-
ton was effected. and therefore no nomi-
| nation was ever made.
SUPPORTED MR.. PINKARD.
Mr.. Frank Newbill made n statement
In support of the claims Of Mr. Pinkard.
He maintained that the genuineness OF
| the contest at Corottoman Precinct was
the only question for the committee TO
pass upon. He thought Mr.. Wexford,
though innocently. had perpetrated an
| outrage when he sought to prevent the
reeularly-elected delegation from Corot-
toman from voting i'm the convention.
He brought out the new point that the
split at Corottoman took place over the
election of delegates 10 the senatorial
| convention. and that the Tyler men were
| not In the hall when the delegates to the
| House convention at Downing's We're
| chosen. A number OF affldavits were read
to substantate this statement.
Mr.. c. r. Towles replied 10 Mr.. New
bill. He took up the affidavits as TO the
meeting at Corottoman. He said he
would contradict under oath the state
ment sworn to by Mr.. Shackelford that
he was standing I'm the centre or the
| room when the vote was taken. lie
| knew the gentleman was OF the highest
character. but he was mistaken. Tie
| thought there were discrepancies in two
of the statements. He said one OF the
men who made affidavit TO the meeting
having been regular told him In MS
parlor few days after the meeting tha'
ne thought the vote should be taken
over again.
Both DIR. Lee and Mr.. Chinn made brief
| statements in conclusion, and then the
| matter was submitted.
FINDING OF THE COMMITTEE.
AT 1906 O'Clock the committee retired
to an adjoining room 70 consider the case
| AT 1920 o'clock the committee came IN,
| and Mr.. Ellyson read the following:
| "The committee being or the opinion
| that there was a bona fide contest from
| C3riCtcman, the votes from that pre-
| cinct could not have lawfully pariicl-
| mated IN the organization OF the c0nVei-
| ticn until il was first determined WhcI
| delegation was entitled 10 be seated, ana
| thai therefore the Downings convention
| was not lawfully organized, ana III cDii-
| Sequence no one has been regIiarl! hpnti-
| mated TO represent Richmond ana Ian
! easter counties in the House OF Delegates.
-. TAYLOR ELt1SON
"FRANCIS II. LASslTEH.
JAMES p. WOODS"
LET SAME DELEGATES MEET.
Mr. Chinn at once arose and said tnat
he would then renew a proposition mace
soma time ago. that the delegates orisi-
noIIv chosen 10 the Downing's convention
! ID colled IN meet again for the purpose OF