The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-22
GENERAL FIGHT
IN MEETING
Continued From First Page,)

L . . II /. VI . ,
CONTINUED From First Page)
noon. The Southampton county Execu-
tive Committee two weeks ago called
magisterial district meetings In each of
the districts in the county to select deo-
gates from the county to the State con-
vention. The county chairman, Mr.. j.
Peter Holland, at once began u personal
house to house canvass for election from
this, Franklin, district as q delegate
According to the rule heretofore pre-
vailing in this district, 1t was probable
that the delegates would be divided ~
tween the country part.of the district
and the town, and that only one would
be elected from the town. Mr.. j. {.
Parker had some time before stated that
he would like to go to the state Con-
vention, and as soon as lie found that
Mr.. Holland was canvasslng for the
honor, he announced his candidacy.
Since that time the fight has been hot,
though for some time 1t has been ap-
parent that Mr.. Parker would easily win.
To-day a large crowd of voters assem-
bled to select the delegates. 1t has al
ways in such meetings been the preroga-
tive Of the chairman Of the Magsterial
District Committee to call the meeting
to order and organize 1t.
To-day Colonel Edwards, the district
prcrogative Of tho secretary Of the Dis
trlct Committee Captain r. Il. IL. Wat
kns, to call the meeting to order, but
when the hour to call the meeting ar
rived, Mr.. Holland, the county chairman,
and candidate before the mass meeting
without the authority Of the District
Committee or Of any one else. assumed
the authority to call tho meeting to order
and called for nominations for secretary,
and against the vehement protests of the
meeting, declared Mr.. T. 0. Barrett elect
cd to that position.
Captain Watkins, secretary OF the Dis
trict Committee, denied his right to do
this, and the large majority of the Vot-.
ers protested against 1t, and captain
Watkins proceeded to call the meeting
to order and asked for nominations for
chairman of the meeting. DR.. J. F.
Bryant was nominated and elected and
took the chair Mr., Holland continued to
try to preside over the meeting without
the semhlancc of being elected as chair
man and finally somebody got Into
fight and general row was precipl-
tated, which for time looked as II II
would be very serious, but the row was
finally Quoted and Captain Watkins in
order to have everything perfectly regu-
lar, again called for nominations for
chairman of the meeting.
Tho meeting tho supporters OF Parker
placed DR.. J. r. Bryant In nomination
and the supporters of Mr.. Holland placed
Mr.. r. Henry Cobb in nomination, and
vote was taken. AS Parkcr's supports
ers voted for DIR. Bryant and Ir. llol-
lands supporters voted for Mr. Cobb,
Dr. Bryant was elected by an overwhelm-
ing majority and while no division was
called for by the defeated side, and
hence no count was made 1t Is very con-
servative to say that tho Parker men
| outnumbercd the Holland BY at least
| four to one and many put It as high as
| six or seven to one.
| After that vote many of the Holland
men left the meeting, and it is not known
| that Mr.. Holland himself, though county
| chairman, took any further part In the
! meeting. The Holland men made no
further fight. and Messrs. j. G., Parker,
W. ". ELLIS and J.. Il. Gillette We're
elected delegates. and Messrs. j. ".
Boone, r. T. Darden, Jr,. and l.. l..
Scott were elected alternates, The vote
for them was unanimous and was cast
by ut least three-fourths OF the voters
OF the district.
A resolution was unanimously adopted
instructIng the delegation to endeavor to
secure the election of Mr.. j. G. Parker
as a delegate fromthis congressional dis
trict to the national convention.
The attempt at usurpation OF authority
by Mr.. Holland was the most outrageous
ever attempted here and Is overwhelm-
ingly resented by the Democrats here,
and even some of his supporters condemn
his course as revolutionary in the ex-
IRENE.
Your correspondent hears that some of
his people claim that they elected am
other set of delegates, but II they went
through any such form 1t was unknown
to the meeting and totally without SEM
90 milf ~
said that another nlagisterlal district Sc
lected him to-day as one of It's delegates.
1t is not known whether he will at
tempt to exercise any rights by virtue
OF such selection or not. 1t is presumed.
however, that after having. been so over
whelmingly defeated N ms own masls-
terial district he will not make such
attempt. Am e
w. III. STROUD, Secretary,