The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-17
Trouble Began il 1901, Wllers y '1EEe'115
Democrats Made q Deal 3$
With Republicans.
RAISE ASSESSMENT TO ~
PERMIT REGIS TRATl ON
Some Figures From Il Tie he's County. :''1.l';Y,.
Records. Which Show zi. a 1;'l' Bad }a
State Of Affairs, to Say the tie |
l.east-Property Is the tile
Same, Bit Taxes Il; u
Increased.
r,ccInl Il rho rlmcs- Dispat tch

Especial to 'rl,o Times D ispatcl s$3
81 NGRFOLK ~ A..$ jan. l6.--As the pos IL
5liticnl situation III, Norfolk county llaa sfsSs
now become Il matter of state INTEREST,"
I have undertaken TO ascertain the mai 2 ~
facts ana herewith give the result of my s ssss
IL I; NE y $ss $!s
Tho trouble began In 1891 when " dsSS;
Democrats made deal with tile Republis NJ
cans under8which the county offices Werc cs5S N
10 be divided between the two pa rties.$
At that timo tho Republicans # vel 4 lg S7
SrulI CONTROL having q large ma lty loeSSs eSs
tho votes, a nd their rulo was most obs
jectlonablo to tho whites, cspecla u yESna ss3
there were sevcrnl negroes in ofticc no -ss
$tubly# ono 4Nsbury, who held tho posi- lotl84
Of Commo,lwealth's Attorney. But ,lll l-f5 sss3
der sithe ncw!S;lrrangement just referred a$s
to Capt. n. G. Marshall was elected Com AZ
monwealtl's Attorney. and some othe1 B
offices were conceded to tho; Democrat t54
This arrangement was genernlly - appro v-ss
ed by the Democrats Of tho county, BIZ III
two years later some iof tic Democrats aa
leaders had grown tired Of fusion, and sss
commended that there was II Q q ongcrs5 y;i
occasion for IT.: us the " lton law was
in effect and the election chincrY Sss as ss
n@tlie hands Of thegt Democrat IS. And dFss
there was good gro,nd;3for their con ten
tlon for with the Walton Inv and the
election machinery all things were possl-9g
BILE to tho Democrats. But tlat5s Is tiin-sTSa
other part Of tho story. N iSss
THE srRAIGHTO UTs, \ CHAR 6 IL. |S
{ 1T turned out however, that the elec7ss5SS
tion machinery was not inS tho hands onf n VI
tho Democrats as the 5straig htouts thus n
explained in a locent circular: \ /, 3S
IN tho spring OF 1899 a. duly and regl--s
Ilarly called Democratic convention rom-t BIS
mated DR.. H.. S. Etheredge for clerk nf "
the county Court. Pr. .EtheredEe WAS = : III Il
Martin. now leader Of the F!lsionists: liz
that election a. c. Cromwell and IT, c.
Humphries. who were appointed on the
official position to secure the appoint-
ment -s election officials favorable to 8
Martin the Ren,,bIIsetp ~ lIs candida te and
nntngonsn e. pp idhe9redgT the resa,
means tllwarted tho will of t tho DENTS
cratic party as expressed BY: its con SsS
tlon. and by. means of the election offs .ts
Gals and the negroes eIefted ib Mn y
held control of the Electoral Board. 81. 'rhs sSg
Electoral Boards have, appointed as elec,
partisan Repubica MS. and corrupt Fusion
fohceholders whose highest recommendat-sfIss II Il
ton was their ability and willinEness. to
mannaqe haqts rheso vofa
returned as elected TO- the Ileglslatur ES
men. who while claiming to be pemo-15s
Martin. These Alvah Martin members
4 of the Legislature have In turn secure 8 AZ
tho appointment of other Alvah MARTINI;
Electoral Boards. and thus the infamY IA
has been con tinued. a 5y 5sl fSSg
From that day until now there has Sbeel1j 4i
bitter war between the straightont5 anu ss
tho Fusonists, each. side claiming to be ig3
the true and only Norfolk county Dc mo I I8
icracy. TO show that the election ms -SEss IN
schnery was in tho hands of the sl'usinn-lsS
lists, the Straightouts in 1901 issued a eli 3s5s
cular III, which they gave tho names Sof $i
the Judges of clection. showing that all IA;
such Judges were either Fusion Demo-iSAA
Gratis or Republicans, aud that several lot fs89
them were negroes. Tho s'traishtoutssS H
also charged that at tho election held i5s
last fall the election machinery was asai ssl
In the hands Of the IFusionists, and that Il
there were tho srossesti frauds and III
aregularItes. OF this latter charge s
know nothing except from hearsay. hut VI
the Straightolts allege that at pra ctl.a5
cully every voting precinct where there "
were Democratic judge and Demos A
cratic clerk tho Strghtouts obtained n q S9
majority of tho votes cast In short. tho n
Straightouts charge that tho Fusion Denl.i i5s
ccrats are hand -n-gove with tile Res
.publcans, and that they combined with
the Republicans In the last election to de-s&$
feat regularly chosen Democratic scantll- ifSs
dates, and to elect Fusion and Republl-
can candidates g;sSal AZ H III
LOOKING BACllNv.ARD,S 81
But let ,s retruce our steps a bit. lnS8
June, 1903 when the contest between tia sg
two factions came up for final dectsioilsTs
before the State Central Committee. tho S{
Fl,slonists addressed u circular letter 70 isSS