The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-08-12
lHt GAG RULE USED
This Defeats Mashburn For Solicitor
And dominates Mark Brown.
CHARM McsAMeE POUNDS With APlANK
republicans In Wild Disorder While M .shburn
Nominated Later for Judge Has Not Yet
Said He Would Accept the
Nomination.
Especial to News and Observer

Marshall \. c., Aug. 9.-The RepubIi-
can Judicial Convention of the Fifteenth
District, held here yesterday, was a
rlotous, disorderly and bowling affair.
The delegates were noisy and bowling,
the chairman pounded frantically for or
der, which did not come. and there was !
a howl of disappointment from the de-
feated. There was a regular circus Of
confusion, discord and disagreement.
As a result Mark Brown, of Asheville,
has been nominated for solicitor and has
accepted, while c. B. Mashburn, of
Madison, whom it is claimed was worked
out of the nomination for solicitor, was
nominated for Judge, but has not yet de-
cided whether or not he will accept. He
was in the lead for solicitor until the
gag rule gave Brown the entire Bun
combe votes.
Charles McNamee, the manager of Van
derbllts Biltmore estate, presided, or at
tempted to preside, over the confusion. It
was his first dive into the political flood
of the district and he was about swampcd.
He started in with a good big gavel to
preserve order, wore it out, threw it
away and added to the pandemonium by
pounding with a section of a pine plank
on the table. He complimented the Re
puDllcans and the candidates on starting
in but failed to tell how he felt when
the boisterous event was over.
The opening events showed that the
Mark Brown forces had it IN for the
Mashburn supporters and that the deal
was TO choke Mashburn off from the
solicitorship race and give the consola-
ton prize of the iudgeship nomination
to a Madison county man. Col. Lusk
placed Jchn Hendricks in nomination. He
is from Madison and LuSk wanted him
nominated as this would squash Mash
burn, who is from Madison also. Then
Mark Browns name was presented for
judge and there was wild laughter as
this counter move was seen to be to get
rid Of Buncombe's candidate for solicitor.
Hendricks pulled down his own name as
he did not feel like being Brown s cats
paw after the chestnut.
At this stage Thomas s. Rollins named
ex-Congressman Thomas Settle for judge.
but Lusk said Settle could not serve, did
not have time to canvass as he was
golng to do some speaking for Pritchard.
Then there was noise and confusion OF
all kinds. Chairman McNamee pounded,
until finally out of the chaos it was de-
tormined to lay aside the judgeship nom
; nation and try q Whack at the solicitor.
Lusk nominated Mark Brown, OF Ashc-
! Vile, and declared lis nomination would
} mean a gain of 800 votes in Buncombe
| ard give Pritchard three votes for Uni
ted States Senator. Rollins nominated
Mashburn and said he was so strong
that Madison county would give him l.
200 majority. d.. l.. English was also
nominated.
TIn,, thnro ~ n untn amidst jnnrnac c
ing confusion. Buncombe gave Brown
four votes. while for Mashburn tere
came two each from Madison and Tran
sylvania. The confusion kept increasing
as several Madison and Buncombe dele
gates protested loudly against Bun
combe's solid vote going to Brown. Bun
combe had used the gag rule and dis
franchised one-third of it's delegation
and this kicked, but to no avail. A poll
of the Buncombe delegation was ordered.
About this time a Pennsylvania delegate
| announced that it would give one vote
to Brown, one to Mashburn, making
the ballot 5 for Brown, 3 for Mash
burn. The casting Of Buncombc's vote
as a unit was again challenged and the
poll began. The disfranchised third of
B~uncombe's delegates loft the hall, while
a spasm of pandemonium ragged. Mash
burn withdrew his name and brown was
declared the nominee.
Then Rollins moved to nominate Mash
burn for Judge and this was done while
the shouts heraldcd the news. Marx
Brown addressed the riotOuS assemblage
and accepted the nomination for solicitor.
Mashburn spoke and told the delegates
that he did not want the nomination
for judge. He was disguised and showed
it. At no time did he accept the noml-
nation and he has not yet decided Whcth-
or or not he will accet it.
This was the most disordcrly conven-
tion ever held here. The Madison con-
tingent, aided by the Buncombe DIS
franchiscd, made the convention one huge
howl that woke the echoes.