Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-18
THINGS WERE RED HOT.
Two Conventions Held In
Prince Georges.
MUD LED HIS FORCES
RECoUNTED BALLOTS IN SEVERAL
OF THE DISTRICTS.
McComas Faction Nominated Legisla-
tive and County Tickets and De-
nounced Mudd Roundly.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
EVANSVILLE, Md, August 18.-The re-
publicans of Prince Georges county held
two conventions at Upper Marlboro yes
terday, the Mudd adherents. lead by the
representative in person, holding their ses-
sion in the old Catholic hall, at the extreme
upper end of the town, while the McComas
faction, headed by Richard N. Ryon, county
treasurer, convened in the town hall. sew
erai blocks away from the Mudd meeting.
The staid old village Of Marlboro never
saw a larger or more interesting political
gathering.
Beside the delegations from each Of the
sixteen election districts practically every
district sending both a Mudd and McComas
delegation), the old war horses of either
party from all over the county were pres
ent and helped swell the crowd and increase
the excitement.
The hour for the assembling Of the con-
vention IL o'clock, came and went, and not
the slightest indication Of a convention was
apparent. 1t was said that the delay was
caused by the efforts Of the factions TO
come together, consummat1on OF the dlI-
ficulty which many hoped for and conf
IDENTIFY expected.
Recruiting the Ballots.
The nrSt move on the part VI tIc Vuuuo
element was to recount the ballots in sew
eral of the districts in which there were con-
tests James B. Belt. chairman of the state
central committee for Prince Georges
county, secured the ballot boxes from the
disputed districts and began the recount In
the office of the county commissioners In
the presence of a large gathering.
Messrs. r. N. Ryon and w. T. 8. Rollins.
the McComas and minority members Of the
q
ballots from two of these districts had
been counted.
The districts in which the count was dis
puted, and which were recounted. were Not
tingham, SurrattS Oxon Hill, Queen Anne
and Marlboro.
The result of the recount In the first four
districts was in favor of the Mudd contin-
gent, while in Marlboro district the Nc
Comas faction won by majority This was
the district where the judges of the primary
election refused to proceed with the count
and the ballot box was locked up until
Monday
Two Mudd Tickets Thrown Out.
The counting of the ballots from this dis
trict was conducted in secret, the only per-
sons present being Chairman James B. Belt,
Committeeman r. N. Ryon, George B. Mer-
rick and several newspaper men. Two
"puddin' " tickets, one containing two and
the other three ballots, were discovered.
and by mutual agreement they were thrown
out. They were Mudd tickets
Thirteen ballots, rejected by the judges
at the primary, and which were cast for
McComas. were not counted While this
recount was proceeding the McComas fol-
lowers. including Major M. B. Hamlet of
the United States custom house. DR.. N. A.
Ryon, deputy collector; Edward E. Perkins
of the internal revenue service and several
others. were holding a caucus in the MARI
bOro' House
Resolutions, afterward adopted by the
McComas convention, were drafted in this
caucus, as were also notices Of contest to
be presented at the state convention.
While the McComas people were holding
their caucus the Mudd element congregated
In the county commissioners office. just
across the street, and selected complete
slate to be presented at their convention.
There to Protect Mudd.
While all this was going on considerable
interest was attached to the presence of
two robust individuals. who were alleged
to have been imported from Baltimore to
protect Representative Mudd in case of
emergency.
Others contended that they were there to
attend" to E. T. Benton, jr., who had
caused the Mudd people considerable an
noyance in the state convention in Balti-
more.
After the caucuses of the two factions
had adjourned the Mudd people congre-
gated in the old Catholic Hall, where ad-
mission by ticket only was allowed. 1t was
exactly $40 o'clock when this convention
met. nearly five hours after the time set for
the convention. Everything was harmoni-
Gus, and the slate agreed upon in caucus
went through without hitch.
The convention was made up of delegates
from the twelve districts carried by the
Mudd people at the primaries Saturday, the
other four districts carried by the McComas
faction not being represented
1t Is claimed by the Ryon people that
they presented themselves with proper Gre
dentials at the door of the Mudd conven-
ton, but were refused admission while the
Mudd people assert that tickets were given
the McComas people. but they declined to
accept them. saying that they had right
to enter the hall without tickets.
Belt Read the Call.
James B. Belt, chairman of the state
central committee, read the call, and JOS
A. Blundon of Bladensburg and r. H.
Hughes of Evansville were chosen chairman
and secretary of the convention respec-
lively.
The following state central committee
was then selected: James B. Belt, John T.
Fisher Joseph A. Blundon, Clarence Haw-
kins and Samuel r. Jennings.
Ten delegates were elected to the state
convention as follows: George b. Merrick
George A. Dale. Charles Holiday, Frank
B. Metzerott, Francis S. Carmody, F. W.
Hill, George H. Hatton Robert H. Key
B. Frank Duvall and John Robert Brooks.
The following county ticket was nomi-
mated For clerk of the court, John T.
Fisher. Oxon Hill district; county treas
urer, Charles F. Shaffer, jr Laurel dis
trict; sheriff. r. H. Vincent, BIadensburg
district; states attorney, William Meyer
Levin present incumbenD. Hyattsville
district; county commissioner John w.
Bowie, Queen Anne district. For Judges
of the OrphapS' 7 no1o