The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-31
land Camp and Broke Up Meet
ing Yesterday.
CASE GOES 10 COURTS TO-DAY
Title to Property Vested III An.
other-Betk Criticized BY
Mayor.

Answering the accusation OF counsel
tor ]. F. Ragland that the Grace
Street preperty-owners were not acting
In the opesl. Colonel Eugene c. Nassie
threw into the Ragland camp a, tho
meeting Of the Board of Safety yester-
day afternoon a bomb which brought
the session TO q sudden end and re.
suited In unanimous decision sustain
Ing Building Inspector Beck. who had
refused on two occasions to grant q
permit for the erection Of six stores on
North Fifth Street. at Grace.
This property on which Mr.. Rag
land desires to build" said Colonel
Massie. In rather dramatic fashion,
stands in the name of Taylor. trustee,
conveyed with two other pieces for the
sum OF $3.50. And yet they come
ilere and say that we arc not fighting
in the open.n
The statement created a sensation.
DO You mean to say asked Mayor
Mccarthy. chairman Of the board. that
we are asked to issue a permit to Mr..
Fagland. when he Is not the fee simple
owner? II that is true, I am prepared
right now to reject It,
Can Improve 1t, Says Nelson.
Y, The property owners, highly elatea,
and showing" It with smiles. prepared
!. TO leave the room. Mr.. Roscoe C. Mel.
son. Of Nelson s; Nelson. Mr.. Rasland's
attorneys. explained that Mr.. Ragland
owned the property. that he had given
mortgage on it, and that ii was al.
ssurd for lawyer to say that under
The circumstances he could not i'm.
prove It. we confess that the tiSe
stands In the name Of II. Seldom Tay.i
Z lor," he said. but Colonel Massie can.
!, not say that In giving this deed OF
D trust we are denied the right OF i'm.
proving it
Well; so far as i. am concerned,"
said the Mayor. u want this applica-
Sstion in the name OF the party owning
: the property In other words, l won't
Z grant permit to Ragland to be en-
:; rrcised by Taylor. trustee
]. Attempting to pin the Mayor down
s on the other questions involved. Mr..
< Nelson asked II he would state that az
J his reason in sustaining Mr.. Beck
II am not here to be questioned by
:, yor.'' replied the Mayor
After an executive session the secre.
tary of the board was directed to In.
:: form Mr.. Ragland that ''thc board.
:. after hearing evidence. and on con-
8 sideration OF all the circumstances In
I the case, sustained the act of the
Building Inspector in refusing the
!. permit
81 That is all the far ii went. without
:. satisfying Mr., Nelson on the particu-
lar point in which he was interested.
Saved Climax for End.
q Had Colonel Massie made the state
ment as 70 Taylor, trustee, at the be-
ginning OF the session when MAYOR
Mccarthy called for new facts and
3 not oratory. the thing would have been
Il settled in five minutes AS " was, y
dragged for two hours, the same
: ground being covered second time IN
the speeches. even unto the idealistic
and saltru!stis features. The speeches e%-
tended over every possible range from
& human and divine law to the race
problem and the dissertations OF MI
Z. Doo!ey. At timesla great deal OF plt.
\ terncss was Injected into The proceed
E ings Mr.. 3. 3. Munford heins. par
Z, ticularly cauttic in saying that so long
a. the law was within reach the
citizens OF Grace Street would object
8 10 the erection OF those miserable little
phacks, as he designated the Ragland
stores, Mr.. y. II. Berry was likewise
vigorousIn his assaults. for he said that
AZ was a species Of hlackmail. inasmuch
rs the stores would depreciato the value
OF nearby properts. and force other
, owners TO- buy from Itasland or sell
MIN what they possessed.
When the plans were rejected before,
.he ordinance lad not been complied with
q 20 fire VIA u.s. although this We-t cor
sected Ia the revised specifications.
Mr. Munford, however, inquired into
the system OF healing and was Inform
"a BY Mr.. Beckfthat Mr.. Ragland had
t~lA him that he would have one fpr-