The age-herald., 1900-08-21
FIFTH DISTRICT
 FIGHT INTENSIFIED Meeting of Executive Committee
 to Hear Contests. IN SESSION AT GO0DWATER Dilatory Tactics Adopted by Some of the Candidates-Day Taken Up
 With Arguments-Adjourned
 Until This Morning,
IN SESSION AT GOODWATER

Until This Morning,
 Goodwater, August 20.-(Spacial) heat of the Congressional race in the Fifth District was a decided maximum to that recorded by the weather maker here to- day
 The District Executive Committee was called to meet here today to pass upon contests from Elmore, Clay and Coosa Counties, and it is but having an intensi- flying effect upon the feeling that has characterised the fight form it's ineipiency. More dirty politics have been charged up to this fight than any that has ever been made between Democrats in this State, and the first days session of the commit tee has given warrant to the charge.
 It has been proclaimed upon the streets of Goodwater, according to afidavits of a number of gentlemen that one of the can didates counseled the executive commt- tee, and it was therefare useless for the others to go before the committee. When Mir. Hefin was addressing the committee today he charged Chairman Dave White with having made such an assertion, and but for the interference of friends there would have been serious trouble between the gentlemen. Chairman White was leav- ing the chair and approaching Hefin as the latter dispassionately raised a chair with his strong right arm as if to brain the game cock of Coosa-
 DiIatory Tactics
 There were eight of the nine members of the committee present at the morning session, and from the very start dilatory tactics were inaugurated. The Brewer men wanted to take the testimony in executive session, while the Thompson men contended for an open session. Very able counsel has been employed by both sides in the case and almost the entire day was taken up in arguing the question Frank s. White of Birmingham, j.. B. Graham of Talladega, T. D. Stanford of Opelika and Felix l.. Smith of Rockford represent Thompson, and J. NJ Chiffon of Montgomery and A. s. Stockdale of Clay represents Brewer. The executive session was ordered by vote of 6 to 9
 The committee was called to order at the Pope House at 10 o'clock by Chairman D. M. White, and went at once into executive session. In few minutes it was learned that the committee had decided to hold it's sessions at the school house, the room at the hotel being entirely inadequate to &C., commodate the crowd The committee also adopted resolution excluding all from it's sessions except the candidates, the attor- neys and the members of the press
 Got Down to Work
 At the appointed hour the committee met at the school house, the roll was called and all the members of the committee answer ed to their names except Judge Driver of Chambers, who came in this afternoon, and will attend the committee tomorrow The resolution of the committee passed in ex- ecutive session, and was then read and all persons not entitled under it to remain were asked to retire, and did so. Frank White then asked that the sessions of the com mittee be held with open doors, and that the people be given an opportunity of hearing what was said and brought out be- fore the committee. He said it had always been the custom of the state committee to hear all contests with open doors, and then, after all the evidence was in, to retire in executive session and make up their yer dict. The courts of the county had the ar bitrary power to deny the public admit tance, but they never exercised it, and he did not think the Democrats should be excluded from the deliberations of the committees of the party, for they had a right to hear what they said and to know the evidence brought out.
 Judge Chiffon replied opposing the quest, and said that it would be much more comfortable and expeditions to en- force the resolution.
 He insisted that it be not reconsidered. MT. Graham also addressed the committee, arguing that it's sessions be held with open doors, and MT. Sanford also made an earn est appeal for open doors, saying that he had been on the State committee for years and to his knowledge no hearing of con- taCt had hal in sion.
 MT. Hefin and Chairman smith
 MT Hefin, himself a candidate, appealing for himself, addressed the committee. He argued open sessions in justice and fair ness to the Democrats who were there ask ing to be admitted. He also has been member of the State committee, and he had never known of a contest being heard in secret session. He said 1t had been stated that the committee was partisan.
 What I ask is in the name of common right and justice," said MT. Hefiin. q tell you, gentlemen of the committee, 1t makes my blood boil and at times the cold chills run over me, I who a candidate before the bar a Democrat to be told to my face that the committee is against me-"
 Chairman White-Who told you that?
 MT. Hefin-A Brewer man told me that.
 Chairman White-It is like great many other things.
 MT Refin-I will tell you who told me standing in front of your store. You said it in the presence of half-dozen men. We have the committee on you.
 Chairman White-I don't know whether did or not.
 Mr. Hehin-I say you did say it.
 Chairman White--I don't know whether I did; I don't believe I did say it, to tell you the truth.
 MT. Hefin-All right, MT. White; it is as I say So far as I am concerned, ] say you said 1t.
 MT. White-I don't believe I said it.
 MT. Heftin-I have nothing more to say. I say that he said it.
 This incident created much excitement, and it looked at one time like the two gen. tlemen would go together, Chairman White arose and seemed much excited. MT. Hefiin of Randolph moved to hold open sessions, which was laid on the table, MT. Hefin then moved that contests be taken up in alphabetical order, and which was laid on the table by vote of to 2.