The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-27
MANY WILL COM
HERR TOMORROW.
Prominent virglnians Of Both
Parties Arc interested.
THE sHAFER BUILDING SITE.
THE SHAFER BUILDING SITE.
Agent Moncurs Writes to Washington
in Reference to Condemnation Pro,
ceedings-Judge Lewis and tho
District Aftorneyship.
Especial Dispatch 70 Tn. T1mes.)


Especial Dispatch 70 The Times.)
WASHINGTON. D. c.. November o.
According to Virginians who have been
In Washington during the past few days
there Will be an immense attendance
upon the session OF the Federal court at
Richmond on Friday, when the cases to
test tho validity Of the new Constitution
are called
Not only from Richmond will the crowd
be drawn. but from all parts of the State.
number of men who are interested in
politics will be on hand for the drst
clash.
Until recently very little attention has
beer. given to the mater. and it has been
hard to get the average Yirgtnlan. Re
puIlcan or Democltt. to take serious
view of the case. The majority have
simply smiled and declared. some directly
and some by intimation, that it was
merely another scheme to get tat fees on,
Of the negroes, and that nothing WOULD
come of 1t.
The latest move on the part OF wise
and Hayes, counsel for the negroes, the
sendiAg out OF The suit blanks to be dis
trihuted among the negroes. has aroused
q great deal of interest in the case, now
ever, and from now on the proceedings
VIII be watched eagerly. Virgin!ans IN
Washington are as keenly Interested as
are those living in the State. A promt-
rent Virginia Republican,. a man high
in the councils of the machine, passed
through Washington to-day, and whlie
standing in the Sixth Street station
awaiting an outgoing train. expressed mis-
opinion Of this new departure o. Sne
Wise-iayes combination:
Il think it will undoubtedly hurt the
case against the Constitution, ne ssllu;
"I1 is calculated to disgust people and
make them change their feelings. I af : e
heard one member of the Constitutional
Convention, a Democrat. too, say that
h, wouldn't mind so much seeing the
CONSTITUTION broken. but he did hate to
see. it done through negro politics. IN
nv opinion, this distribution or the s u.
blanks will probably be a boomerang 4 :!
Several members OF the Il hep r.pi
Colonel S. Brown Allen. who was mere
a few DAYS ago, declared It his INTENTION n,il
10 he present, and State Chairman fa a,
Arnew' and Committeeman. joseph =
csnnnar viii leave for Richmond To-
morrow night.
Judge Lewis Chances.
Erort has been made to confirm the
-anor. that Judge L. l. Lewis has neeli.
attarsd the United States AttorneEshlp
for Tho Eastern District but Nllhoul
success. ~.
The attitude OF the officials at the De
of Justice. however, mas
=, haned il the minds OF those in-
!, ere.t.a in the case the belief that the
ranor, Is true, When asked for con-
armation. Mr.. Long. the private sfa. secre-
tarv TO the Acknowledgement. who gives
out al. such statements for his cnie Ell
said. Il cannot talk to You upon that
- s-4s !. +.x1 #..1y r CO.. II
talk at all.
This, taken with Judge Lewis refusal
to deny the report. is taken to mean that
the Richmond judge is UP for the posi-
ton.
The possibility of Judge Lewis hecom-
Ing District Attorney raises the question.
as to whether or not he could continue
his connection with the case against the
after he became a Federal
officer.
The regulations of the Department OF
Justice are that a District Attorney Is
subject to the order of his superior Of
ficer. the Attorney-General. and there
fore Judge Lewis could take no part un-
less ordered to do so by Gen. Knox
Should the Attorney General direct him
to assist the Wise-Hayes combination. II
would be taken to mean that the admin
istration was taking a hand in the mat
ter. which is not likely to be the case
4 Otherwise Judge Lewis would have to
retire from the ranks of the attacking
forces and assume an attitude Of neu-
trality.
Postoffice Site.
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury H.
A. Taylor received letter to-day from
Mr.. iames a. NJ ,ncurc. agent for the
Shafer property. asking further inforn,a-
ton in regard to the condemnation pro-
ceedings authorized by Congress. The
public buildings bill carries an appro-
priation of $1,000 for the purchase of this
property as q site for a new postof1ice.
and provides further that, in case the
property cannot be had for that amount.
condemnation proceedings were to be in
stituted to acquire the property at a cost
not to exceed $4,000.
Some time ago the Treasury Depart
ment wrote to Mr.. Moncure and asked
him to name a price for which the
Shafer building could be purchased. This
he has not done, nor does his letter re-
ceived to-day throw any light upon the
subject.
Mr.. Taylor authorized the sending of
a letter to Mr.. Moncure making clear the
provisions of the congressional bill as
set for the above, and reiterating the re-
quest Of the government as to the price
the agents of the Shafer property would
accept Mr.. Moncure has never told the
department he would not take $4,000, SO,
Of course no steps toward condemnation
can be taken until the department has
some definite information to go on.
The probabilities are that. if condem-
nation proceedings are finally instituted.
and the Shafer building should be ap-
praised at more than s175.0Oo. as it has
been said it will be. the Treasury Depart
ment will recommend to Congress to
cease consideration of this location and
look elsewhere for a site.
yuFJcFI ARRESTFD