Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-19
NEWPORT NEWS
THE CONTEST FOR OFFICES-COL-
ONlzATION-CHAR
Especial to Virginian-Pilot.)

Newport News, Va, Oct. 1S.-Circuit
Judge K. r. Prentis. who was in the
city last week and sat in the election
contest cases of Fitchett> against Ma
rye and Mitchell against NMassie. has
rendered his decision in the demurrer
OF the defendants, in which the motion
TO dismiss the case was overruled.
rms means that the contest will not
ana that the case will be heard in
the Corporation Court by Judge Prem
IT'S on it's merits. This was the first
stand made in the contest and is a
victory for the plaintiffs.
AS has been stated before in these
columns. the attorneys for the defend
ants demurred to the petition, taking
the ground that the Offices OF city en-
sineer and city attorney are not lpub-
lie offices, but municipal Offices. and
could not be reached under. the pro-
ceedings instituted. The fact that
Judge Prentis overruleS the demurrer
places these offices, in the opinion Of
this court, on the same footing as pub
lie offices, and really declares them to
be such. The cases cited by the de-
PENDANTS are regarded by n number of
attorneys who heard the arguments as
bearing no relation to the point raised
This decision affects both the cleo
ton contest cases now in the Corpora
ton Court, which are those of Captain
George w. Fitchett vs.. city Engineer
Il. a. Marye, and Attorney c. C. Nit
chell VS.. City Attorney j. a. Massie.
BODIES FOUND.
Workmen on the steamship Main, at
the shipyard, have found the bones of
two bodies in one of the passages lead
ing to the coal 'bunkers. The men were
probably part of the crew. Fastening
to the bunkers for safety, while the
ship was burning at her pier in New
York harbor.
MORE COLONIZATION.
1t has Just come to light here that
the Republicans of West Virginia have
been indulglng in "pernicious activity"
III this section. y week or two ago n
man appeared here and engaged 200
negroes to go TO EltinS. w. Va. There
were some suspicious circumstances in
connection with the case and Mr. r.
Nj. johnson, formerly a well-known
newspaper man of Charleston, made
an investigation. which convinced him
that the negroes We're intended for
colonization and to be voted for the
Republican ticket in the coming cleo
ton. Mr. Johnson has warned the
Democratic State chairman of West
Virginia, and the little scheme of the
colonizers will undoubtedly fall
through.
WATER COMPANY CHARTERED.
The charter of the Powhatan Water
Company, which has been recently or
Sani2ed here, and which has applied to
the Council for n franchise, has been
filed in the Clerks Office of the Corpo-
ration Court. The officers are: Pres
ident, Mr.. George a. Smell. the we'll
known banker; vice president, Mr.. l..
J.. Stearns. eX-Coliector of Customs;
secretary and treasurer. Mr.. w. S. Up
shur. superintendent of the Chesapeake
and Ohio elevator: directors. Messrs
Schmelz. Stearns. Upshur. Francis eau
scy and Thomas +. Stearns. The cap
ital stock of the company is placed at
from 100000 TO 100000 1t is empow-
cred to acquire not TO exceed 5000
acres of land in the cities of Newport
News and Williamsburg and the coun-
ties of Warwick. York, James City and
Hcnrco. If the franchise is granted
three water companies will be author
lied TO do business here.