Newport weekly independent., 1903-11-13
APPOINTED NEGRO
 JUSTICE OF PEACE.
Governor Denies Falling Off Train On Way to New York But Says He Takes a Drink Whenever He Wants To-Wood Declares
 Evans Statement
 Correct.

Eureka Springs, Nov. 5.-The atten- tion of all Eureka Springs was con- centrated in the Wood Vandeventer- Davis debate held here today.
 Mir. Vandeventer opened at II o'clock to fair-sized audience, and was attentively listened to until noon, when a recess was taken until o'clock. His denunciation of the gov ernor was extremely scathing, and many thought him vitriolic, but it had the appreciation of a portion of the audience, who applauded the bitterest denunciatioEs.
 The crowd which reassembled after dinner filled the largest hall in town. Judge Wood made characteristic speech, holding the attention of the audience and eliciting liberal applause from those in sympathy with his ar guments. His entire attention was directed to merciless criticism of the governor and his record. Judge Wood explained the appointment by him of negroes as jury commissioners in his own county while circuit judge as being for reasons of political ex- pediency and for the purpose of re- deeming the county from Republican rule.
 Judge Wood said he had today re- ceived the following telegram:
 ''Jeff Davis appointed two negro justices of the peace for Chicot coun- ty this year. (Signed) T. D. CRAw- FORD, reporter supreme court"
 Turning upon the governor he asked ''Is that true?" and received nega tive answer. Later Gov. Davis said he had never knowingly appointed negro to any office; that it was his custom to have the clerk of a county to certify that an applicant was white, a Democrat and for Jeff Davis, and that if any negro had stepped into office during his administration it was an inadvertence.
 Judge Wood said that the governors intense desire for third term was a part of plan to succeed Senator Berry and concluded by singing a stanza oft'sWhen Gabriel Blows His Trumpet in the Morning. making the application that at that epoch in hu man affairs Davis would still be try ing to succeed somebody in the United States senate. Judge Wood laid par for -the- church, norman -true-to his wife" statement charged to Governor Davis.
 During his speech the governor turned to Judge Wood and asked him to answer like man, "Did you hear me in my speech at Ozark say I am not true to my wife; no man is?" to which Judge Wood shook his head negatively.
 The incident created a sensation and when the governor was discussing the matter Judge Wood arose and said: "You are misrepresenting me and will not stand it. I understood you to say at Ozark just what Judge Evans said you said in the latter part of his letter to the Commercial App peal, and as 1 understand it it means practically the same thing the others said you said"
 Gov. Davis charged Mir. Vandeven- ter with having taken home with him on the adjournment of the legislature of 1899 the chair in which he sat as speaker of the house. The latter in his rejoinder admitted the charge, but said it was not a valuable chair.
 Referring to the charge that while enroute to New York he had gotten drunk and fallen off the train the gov ernor attempted to refute the charge by witnesses, whereupon voice in- quired, "But were you not drunk?"
 ''l take drink whenever l want it," retorted the chief executive.
 Then turning to Judge Wood he asked, 'Did you ever take drink?" Receiving no response he said to the audience, "Let the men here who de- cline to say they never took a drink vote for me and Judge Wood can have the rest"
 Gov. Davis drove to Beaver, six miles north of here, and spoke there tonight, but the other two candidates did not go.