The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-29
CONTROVERSY
 IN CLEBURNE
 s'e Stats, Committee to De- ss eide It Today.
DEMOCRATS ARE ASSEMBLING
Will Meet in Council Chamber
 at Noon.
Only Four Members of Committee Were in Montgomery Last Night And There Is Some Doubt As
 To Quorum.

The controversy of opposing factions iE Cleburne county over the leadership or the County Democratic Executive Committee and the control of the local organization will be settled at the meeting of the State Executive Com mittee of the Democratic Party called at the Council Chamber in this city at noon today.
 At this meeting the Committee will decide upon the merits of the claims ad- vanced by W. B. Merrill of Heflin and Judge A. Hurst of Edwardsville, each or whom asserts himself to be the chairman of the County Executive Committee. representing the expressed opinion of majority or the citizens Of Cleburne.. Mir Merrill was elected to the position by a convention of dele- gates called by the old executive com mittee of the county. The Edwards vile man lays claim to the position from an election held by delegates who left the called convention and held an opposition convention.
 It was for the purpose of making an amicable settlement of the differences of the two parties to the dispute, and of reuniting the Democratic Party in lory of the State Executive Committee has called the special meeting for to- day.
 Details of Controversy.
 The controversy which the State Committee is called upon to settle. first assumed definite form in C1eburne county at the county convention held April 10. Previous to this. howev- CT, there had been causes of dispute which did not come to a head until the general meeting of delegates in com vention
 On March 24 the old county executive committee met and passed upon the nF AAf tN,nr Af-.. primary in the county. the vote favor ing the former being to 5. April 14 was the date set for beat meetings to elect delegates to the convention. which the committee decided should be held April is.
 From the thirteen beats in the county, which have Democratic organize tions. 113 delegates are elected to the county convention. Tn two of the beats seven and eight, the election Of deieEa tAs, 1 was contested. Judge 4. A. Hurst. who favored the primary idea and W. D. Merrill the other claimant to the leadership of the present executive committee, each claiming the delegates elected in support of their representa- tion in the convention, Beat seven Is entitled to seven delegates, and Beat eight to eleven delgats.
 When the convention was called. Judgst Hurst declared that a major ity of the delegates were in favor of the county primary. His claim was not recognized by the chairman. and the Edwardsville judge, together with those delegates siding with him. iYiciud- ing eighteen contested delegates or-. ganized another convention at which he was elected chairman of a county executive committee with J. D. Heffer~ man and J. H. Johnson, secretaries. After the revolt from the convention, the remaining members. including the | other eighteen delegates, proceeded with the meeting, selecting a second county executive committee of which W B. Merrill was selected chairman and ". G. Porter secretary. Another phase of the contention of the two factions in Cleburne is the proposal to remove the court house | from Edwardsville to Hefln. The Hurst contingent has made this feat ure of the county quarrel a prominent one. while the following led by Mer- rell have endeavored to minimize it's | importance claiming that it has had nothing to do with the origin of the | trouble.
 Merrill or Hurst.
 It Is upon the legality of the respec- tive conventions that the State Exec utive Committee will have to decide today. The eighteen delegates from Beats seven and eight, whose seats Tn the convention have been contested
 
 number, Judge Hurst would have 57 votes which would be a majority of the delegates in the convention. With out these votes the majority would be with w. B. Merrill, who claims that the Hurst following had but thirty nine legally elected delegates in the convention before the revolt.
 At a late hour last night there was some doubt expressed as to whether the meeting of the State Executive Committee this morning would have quorum sufficient to transact business. Comparatively few of the members had put in an appearance at the diff ferent hotels of the city. Chairman Mallory was among those who had not reached Montgomery. He is expected On the morning train from 5elma.
 The State Executive Committee Is made up of the following members;
 First District-Howard Douglass, d. J. King. w. A. Carter and T. o' ste- Veus. -
 second District-GeorEe W. Jones, w. H. Sanford. R. A. Coker and J. K. Porterfield ,,, E. H Glenn.
 Fourth District-H. $. D, Mallory Tlpton Mullins, Hugh D. Merrill C'
 Fifth District--George F. sedberry' n M. White, Judge Milo B. Aber- frcmrie and Judge A. J. Driver. sixth District--J'idge A r. smith, Rufus ORear. George A. searcy and G. W. Wimberly.
 seventh Dlstrict--R. F. Mitchell, Leon McCord. James H. Herring ana George H. Parker.
 Eighth District W. H. Givens, John c. Eyster, Judge E. B. Almon and John F. PrcsIor.
 Ninth Distrlct-Robert H. Thach' Jones G. Moore. J. B. Christian and B' F. Roden.
 Messrs. Whitson, Carter, White and Dr Mimberiey were the only members of the Comrnittne in the city last night
 At the meeting this morning, the claims of the contending chairmen VIII be presented by themselves, Judge Hurst having arrived in Montgomery early yesterday. while w. E. Merrill reached the city last evening.
 In addition to these interested par ties, number of politicians from va rious parts of the State have been drawn to the Capital City through in- terest in the action which the state