The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-09
H|GDON NOMINATED BY MASS MEETING Jefferson County Voters Take
 Action Last Night SEVERAL SPEECHES MADE Certificate of Nomination Will Be Filed Today In the Name of Dem
 ocratie and conserva-
 tive Party.
SEVERAL SPEECHES MADE

At a mass meeting of citizens at Gei- ders' hall last night Col. E. L. Higdon was nominated as a candidate for sheriff of Jefferson county.
 The hall was filled and it is estimated that something like seven or eight hun dred people were in attcndence The crowd represented. f is claimed. every section of the county Much enthusiasm was shown and the several speakers were loudly applauded.
 The meeting was presided over by Fred NJ, Jackson. John T. Evans was made secretary
 Hinds Peevey offered a resolution that the assembly resolve itself into the Democratic and Conservative party This was unanimously adopted
 Colonel Higdon's name was put in rom- nation and was confirmed by acclama- ton.
 Resolution Adopted.
 The following resolution introduced by W. F. Carter was adopted
 Whereas, In the democratic primary, held on September r, Col. E. L. Hgdon received majority of all the votes cast. and was, on September 1s declared by the democratic executive committee of the county to be the nominee of the party for the office of sheriff; and
 Whereas, A contest, seeking to deprive Colonel Higdon of said nomination, Was filed by Judge J. P. Stiles; and
 Whereas. Colonel Higdon, through his attorneys, expressed a willingness to en- ter into the merits of said contest before any fair and impartial trbunal-although it had not been filed as the law directs and
 Whereas, partisan committee refused by it's vote to conduct said contest tas provided by law" but established rules of its own, which were contrary to law, and which made 1t impossible for Colonel Higdon to rebut the evidence offered by Judge Stiles, or to get hearing on. or secure an investigation of any Illegal votes cast for Judge Stiles, thereby fore ing him to withdraw and appeal to a fair and impartial tribunal-the people; there fore, be 1t
 Resolved, That a committee of loo dem- ocratic voters of Jefferson county be ap- pointed to conduct Colonel Higdon's cam paign.
 Several Speeches.
 A. O. Lane was introduced and re- viewed the history of the Stiles contest before the new county democratic execu- tive committee. He referred to the rulings and conduct of the committee as unfair and partial
 J. P. O'Brien made an address in which he criticized the "court house ring" and commended Higdon. the candidate of ''the democratic conservative party for sheriff.
 P. G. Bowman was next introduced. He explained he was q member of the com mlttee that had called on Samuel D. Greene, probate judge, and had secured his promise that the name of E. l.. Hig- don would be placed on the official bal lot, provided he was nominated in a mass meeting of voters. MT. Bowman also stat ed that the circuit clerk and the sheriff had made the same promise, and that no difficulty would be experienced in this direction. The speaker referred to Judge Greene in the most complimentary terms and he was heartily cheered by the audi ence
 Referring to the action of the commit tee in declaring Willard Ellard of East Lake an illegal voter, the speaker stated that Mir. Ellard had his poll tax receipt In his pocket, and as an innocent man had been branded criminal by the dem ocratic executive committee of Jeffer- son county.
 R. Dupont Thompson reviewed his con- tentlon as leader of the minority in the Stiles contest before the executive com mittee. He described the method used by the subcommittee in substituting its own rules of procedure for the rules laid down by law as advocated in the minority report of that subcommittee
 MT. Thompson asserted that the evil dence on which several ballots were thrown out as illegal was furnished by two men who had money on the result of the election E. C. Winston made a speech In which he stated that he had supported Judge Stiles in the two prl- maries but was now for E. l.. Higdon for the reason that he believed Colonel Higdon had received unfair treatment at the hands of the committee.
 M. M. Ullman made an address in which he criticised the action of the committee He heartily indorsed the candidacy of Colonel Higdon.