The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-06
varv respectfully,
JAMES SELDOM COWDON.
EVERYONE SMILES.

EVERYONE SIN LES.
The most cursory glance at these COM
n,unications will sho" that the claim
Department of Tr. Cowdon is In fine
working order and Is even running slight
X ahead of scheduled time In fact. he
is not unlike Captain Johnnie Wise. who,
according to the old countryran. the
Hon. John Goode. quoted here few days
since Is accustomed to start his tongue
running and go away and leave 1t. The
only tiling about the claims of the con
testant" that seems to be wrong is an
absence of even the shadow of basis.
However. that is small matter under
some circumstances.
No one knew this new attack on Mr.
Class had been made until copies OF the
letters given above were placed on the
desk in the executive document room Of
the House. There they lay exposed to the
View of the public. with none to cover
them up. Those who saw them handled
them kindly. smiled indulgently. muttered
How long. Oh, Lord?" and passed on
One Lou;sianan newspaper man asked If
this Mr. Cowdon were not the brother OF
the man who had lots of river land in
Mississippi which he had been trying
FOR several years to have the government
reclaim. He was told they were probably
of the same family, and he sighed and
passed on.
Mr.. Glass himself was asked If he had
seen the communication. "Oh. yes" he
said, and looked unutterably weary. He
had no further remark to make except
to ask if his questioner had read the let
tiers. Given an Affirmative answer he
smiled and resumed work on the desk
full Of mail that lay before him. The
other members Of the Virginia delega ton
were questioned also. They all laughed
too The smile spread over to the Repub-
l!can side of the House when the news
reached the members seated there. No
body would discuss it.
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION.
The ONLY possible explanation of the
move on the part Of the Contestant"
came from a member who has served for
several wears on elections committees.
..There is an allowance of two thousand
cellars made to every contestant or con-
testee in case of this sort" he said.
THAT was the only comment that could
he gotten after a determined effort. No
action has been taken on the matter.
1t may be said for the information OF
those Who are not familiar with the re-
cent election in the Sixth District that
HJr. Glass received all the votes cast with
tha execution Of less than thousand.
THESE were divided among three cand1-
cales-a Prohipitionist, Socialist and an
INDEPENDENT Although Mr. CoWdon does
not state in his letters what platform ne
stood on, it is thought he is and was an
independent. He has previously run for
Congress in two other Virginia districts
Judge Rhea introduced In the House
today a bill for the relief at the Shelly
. lodge. No. l6l, A F. and A. NJ. of Bris-
FOL for property destroyed by the Union
troops in 1868. An epprop. iation of
$3.50 is asked.
The CLERK OF the Court Of Claims trans
mitted to the House to-day a report stat
I.;rstaat co3t5It rad In; nd in favor of
the trustees of Trinity Episcopal Church.
of Portsmouth, Va. after hearing their
case against the government Tor claims
"a the amount of $1,000 for accupatIon
hv Federal troops during the war.
The findings of the court are that the
nronerty OF the church was damaged and
that no payment has been made for the
damage done.