The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-06
GREAT FIGHT FOR
A NEW JUDGESHlP
Caucus Called to Determine Con
test in Twenty-ninth Circuit
Thursday Night.
FOUR SEEM uNcoNTEsTED
Gordon's Friends Claim He ]
Safc-Otler Candidates De
cline to Conccde Contention.

The passage OF the bill through both
houses OF the Legislature Yesterday,
creating five new judicial circuits, brings
OF, at least one hot contest, and u JOINT
caucus has been called to meet In the
hall of the House Thursday night at .
o'clock to nominate candidates for the
new positions.
1t looks now ms II the following gen
tlomeu will Ire chosen without opposition
In thoir respective counties:
Rockingham Circuit. Mr.. L. N. Hans.
Isle of Wight Circuit, Hon. H. y. Lee
Boykn.
Russell Circuit, Hon. William Il. Burns.
Ioudoun Circuit, Mr.. r.. S. Turner.
But when the new rwenty-ninth Circuit,
composed of the counties of Amherst,
Nelson, F'luvarnn and buckingham, is
called. the trouble will start. There are
at least four canddates-onc from each
oovnty--and there may be moro.
Those now avowedly in the race. all
of whose friends are hard at work are
Hon. Bennett Taylor Gordon, of Nelson;
Hon. Edmund w. Hubbard, of Bucking-
ham,; Mr.. LAndon C. Scott, of Amherst.
Mr.. Paul Petit, OF F'luvanna. Others
whose names are mentioned are Judge
John X. Moss, of Buckingham. and Mr..
Irving z. Whitehead, of Amherst.
Gordon's Friends Confident.
The friends Of Mr.. Gordon are very
active. and have been for several days.
They claim that they will land the
Nelson county man for the honor with
case, but the claim Is not conceded by
the friends of tho other contestants.
Inc supporters of Mr.. Petit said last
night that they were hopeful of the
prospects of victory for their leader. and
that they we're quite sure from the can.
vass they had made that no asplrant for
the honor could count enough pledges
to nominate at this time.
representative of Hon. r., NJ. Hubbard
declared he was confident of Mr. Hubard's
nomination by the caucus on Thursday
night: that he believed he is the best
equipped man in the district for the po-
siton.
Mr.. HUBBARD" he continued served
number of terms in the General AS
senbly of Virginia as Representative and
state Senator. and was member of the
Constitutional Convention
He has been Commonwealth's attorney
for his county for the past twenty-five
years, and has filed the position with
conspicuous ability
For Mr.. L. c. Scott.
Mr.. Stickley Tucker. of Amherst. when
asked who was the choice OF the Am
herst bar for judge of the new judicial
terday. known as the twenty-ninth cir
cult and composed of Amherst Nelson
buckingham and Fluvanna counties. re-
piled that Mr.. l.. c. Scott was undoubt-
edly their choice and that majority
of them had signed a petition asking for
his election.
Continuing, Mr.. Tucker, said: "Tie peo
pie of Amherst ana Nelson counties did
not ask for new circuit, nor did they
ntt.In .s.,.
prise TO them. They were satisfied with
the present arrangement. However, when
the circuit was proposed they naturally
thought that, as Amherst is tile largest
county In the proposed circuit. that Mr.
G. l.. Scott was the logical candidate for
the pol!tion. Mr.. Scott Is the senior
member of the Amherst bar. a LAWYER of
recognized ability, and for many years
has enjoyed a large and lucrative prac-
tfec Mt the Amherst bar. Seven out tof
the eleven members of the Amherst bar
are endorsing him, a large majority of
those of the Lynchburg bar who are en-
dorslng any candidate have endorsed Mr.
Scott. He showed me Il petition asking
for his appointment, signed by fifteen
1.ynchburg lawyers
As to Nelson County.
In addition to this. he has the en-
dorsement of three of the six lawyers in
tN''H'u NohliiH, -tIt noIls county H.
b. T. Gordon. With such a backing as
this from the bar Of the district. the
friends of Mr.. Scott tDink that he is cnti-
tied to the judgeship. But in addition to
this endorsement Of the bar. Mr.. Scotts
friends claim for him that he is the
strongest of the candidates among the
members of the Legislature from the new
circuit and certainly the wishes of the
bar and the delegation from the district
should be consulted when it comes TO
electing the judge"
Legislation necessary 10 put the new
ooarts into operation was started in the
Senate yesterday, when companion bills
were passed providing that the Lcgisla-
ture shall have the authority to elect the
judges. This was necessary, owing to
the fact that the emergency clause was
stricken from the bill, leaving 1t lneffect-
I've until ninety days after adjournment.
The Governor will Mt once appoint these
Judges chosen by the Legislature.