The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-19
LAND GIR||.AB
Bills UP
Spirited Argument Before the.
House Committee.
COAL &, NJ LANDS !, \ \ IS INVOLVED 7 'E1.
Strong Appeals Made on Behalf Of
Buchanan cit!zsrs. Whose Homes
Are involved Goes Until
To-Day

\ The Courts Of Justice Committee OF the
House partially considered tho bill yes
terday afternoon. offered by request by
Mr.. Cardwell. to amend the land grab
bers' act SO as TOT allow proceedings
hereunder for tracts Of land OF $1,000
acres and over. to be- brought In tho Cir
cult Court Of the city. Of Richmond and
continued the hearing until 0 O'clock
this morning. Tho bill lis understood to
have been offered to meet the famous
delinquent land case in Buchanan coun-
ty, involving 200, 900 acres OF coal lands,
formerly owned BY BENJAMIN II Butler.
and for which application has been made
by Mr.. G. w. Tebault, Of Norfolk,
through his attorney, Messrs. LAwless
and Jeffrics. The latter gentlemen were
on hand to represent. their clients and the
people Of Buchanan, whose homes are
Involved, were represented by Senators
Bruce and Hartman, Delegate Fulton, OF
Wise, and Hon. w. e. Burns, of Russell.
The contention Of Messrs Lawless and
Jeffries was that they could not get q
fair trial OF the case in Buchanan coun-t
yty for their clients, and produced a let
ter from the clerk Of the courts adyis-
3ing them that It might not be safe for
them to come to Grundy on account OF
the high pitch to which the citizens had
been wrought up. Aff1davits were pro-
duced by Mr.. Burns from citizens ae na,
Ing that there was any spirit Of laWless.
ness d broad there, and setting forth that
the community was an orderly one.
8 JEFFRIES OPENS. .s4
II The onening statement. which was Q
very strong one, was made IN favor or
the bill BY Mr.. Jeffries. and Mr.. Burns
followed In very able effort against II
and on behalf OF tho people of Buchanan
The contention Of Mr. Jeffries was that
he and Mr.. $Lawless had a right to peace
ably file the claim Of their client for the
alleged delinquent land In the clerks
Office Of the county court Of Buchanan.
but they had been notified by the clerk
that It would not be safe for them to
attempt to do SO. n; q ~ $i5 j
Senator Bruce followed In a&powerful
speech against the bill, and he denied
that there was any danger IN the law.
yers attempting to prosecute their claim.
He declared that It was case Of the
wicked fleeing when no man pursueth-.
He was followed by Senator Harmon.
who said he would not deal In the Blble,
but she had thought Of quoting Shakes
peare when he had said THUS conscience
doth make towards Of us all"
CAUSED "a LAUGH
This caused quite a laugh, IN which
Messrs Lawless and Jeffress Joined, and
the preacher-statesmai offered, as had
Senator Bruce and Mr.. Burns, to accom-
pany the attorneys and to SEQ that they
were done no bodily harm. He ridculed
this Idea Of 5lawlessness among the people
OF Buchanan, and declared that 1t was
a Islander upon their good name to thus
assal them. In closing; Senator Harmon
said he left the matter with the commit
tee with the utmost confidence that this
fraud would not be perpetrated upon
his people.
Mr.. Fulton, the representative of Buc-
anan in the House, made a strong speech
against the bill in which he character
lied 1t as one OF the most Sunwarranted,
high-handed and revolutionary methods
ever attempted in the Legislature, by
which 1t was sought to GUST honest cIti-
zens from their homes. He said his
people should be met on their own ground
in a constitutional manner, and not
dragged four hundred miles without any
reason for such extraordinary proceed
Ings.
The committee, at the conclusion OF Mr.
Fulton's address. arose until 0 o'clock
to-day, when Mr.. Jeffries win complete
the argument in favor OF the measure.