The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-30

they were not allowed to express choice. and therefore they left the regular con- vention that they might order a primary.
 The state committee had only to ascer- tain that the county convention was reg ularly called and held, in accordance with usages well known unopposed No con- test was filed in the county convention by the objectors and they pulled out prior to organization and before allowing objec- tions to be considered. This being shown, the state committee held that no matter what the strength of opposing factions the regular organza- tion must be recognized. w. B. Merrill. chairman of the county committee, created consternation in the meeting by asking witness, H. w. But Ter of Edwardsville, if it had not been necessary to buy him at every election held in the county for ten years He was sharply reprimanded by Chairman Mallory, and apologized to the commit tee.
 Committee Session.
 The committee met at noon today in the City Council chamber with Chairman II. S. D. Mallory i1 the chair. John C.. Pugh of Birmingham. secretary, was pres- ent.
 The first roll call showed no quorum. and a short recess was taken. After the wait the roll call showed the following members on hand:
 Chairman H. S. D. Mallory, Dallas.
 First district, w. A. Carter, Clarke; J. J. King. Marengo.
 Second district, G. w. Jones. Mont gomery; J. R. Porterfield' Butler; w. H. Sanford. Pike.
 Third district, R. II. Arlington, Coffee; A. H. Merrill, Barbour.
 Fourth district H. D. Merrill Calhoun; Tpton Mullins, Clifton; c. c. Whitson, Talladega.
 Fifth district M. B. Abercrombie, Tus- kegee; G. F. Sedberry, Fillmore; D. M. White, Coosa.
 Sixth district, R. A. O'Rear, Walker; G. A. Searcy, Tuscaloosa; A. P. Smith, Greene.
 Seventh district, Leon McCord, Mar shall
 Eighth district, E. B. Almon, Colbert.
 Ninth district, J. B. Christian, Perry.
 Ascertaining that a quorum was pres ent the chairman asked the secretary to read the call for the meeting, which was to the effect that there being two com mittees in Cleburne county claiming to be the authentic democratic committee of the county, one headed by W. B. Merrill of Heflin. and the other by Judge A. A. Hurst of Edwardsville.
 The claims of the Merrill committee were presented in a report of the meet ing of the county convention at Hefin on April 16. last, in which 1t was shown that the convention nominated full list of officers and selected a county commit- tee. after which the committee so selected chose w. B. Merrill as chairman.
 The Hurst Protest.
 It was then shown by the reply of Judge A. A. Hurst that he and his friends pulled out of the convention and organ ized a convention. the charge being made that the other crowd had the whole thing cut and dried. It was also contended that the Hurst crowd had majority of the legally selected delegates to the county convention. It was also shown thae an executive committee was selected by the Hurst crowd Hurst was elected chair man. and a meeting of the committee was called to arrange for primary for selec- tion of the county officers.
 It was then claimed that many of the Hurst delegates were not elected by dem ocrats, and that the choice of the dem- ocrats was expressed prior to that time.
 w. H. Sanford. Pike. wanted to know what had become of Beats thirteen and fourteen. He was informed that there was no organization In either of them.
 Two Not Voting.
 c. c. Whitson said he believed that the question before the committee grows largely out of the court house controversy in Cleburne, and as he was an attorney in litigation concerning 1t he asked to be excused from voting For this reason, and also because he was a brother of w. B. Merrill. II. D. Merrill of Calhoun asked to be relieved from participating
 The chair announced that the commit- tee was ready to proceed. An hour was allowed each side for presentation of evi- dence and argument.
 Hurst presented evidence of beat meet ings in Beats and 3, also s. K. Clayton credentials, and much other testimony on his side of the controversy.
 Several of the members of the commit tee having stepped out while Judge Hurst