The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-29
Sharp Talk Between Noel
and Phlegar Feature
Of Opening Session.
BUJLLITT HERE
AGAINST REIEA
Committee Will Hear First.
Testimony This Morning.
Senate, by Party Vote,
Refuses to Ask Gov
ernor for Core l
spondence.

- Z
ernor for Core sS
spondence.
After listening for more than an hour
to an acrimonious debate between op-
posing counsel the General Assen,bIy,a
Joint Committee on Confirmation III. !.
vestigating charges preferred a by Sens
ator Noel against Judge w. r. Rhea,
nominated by Governor Swanson for
membership on the State Corporation
| Commission, adojourned yesterday after
| non TO sit again In the Senate cham
| yher Mt 10 o'clock this morning when
1.-THE first testimony will be heard.
Immediately upon adjournment tho
committee went into executive session
In the clerks office OF the Senate to
consider mode os procedure. No
burst Q fapplause from syrnpathizers Of
lefinite conclusions were reached on
I will be formed at a n1eettr 8 to be held
at $3.50 O'clock this morning.
| Ely strict party vote the Senate
had previously rejected the resolution
OF Mr.. Noel calling on the Governor
for all correspondence on tho subject
Big Crowd There.
The Senate chamber and the gal.
leries were crowded when Chairman
est called the committee to order
shortly after 3 O'Clock. eand hardly a.
single personleft until the proceedings
! of the day We're over. There was con- B
stant sparring for position between the
| opposing lawyers. and the cross.frinR
was at times SO sharp that 1t tprovoxed
bursts OF applause from fympa thizers OF
| the respective sides. The COMMITTEES
| finally grew weary OF this. and at the
instance Of Senator Echolsi and Judge
lgWickham threatened to cle-r the hall
| If such demonstrations were repeated
On prominent seats. almost directly
li,, front of the rostrun occupied by
1.-The committee we're Judge Rhea with
his LAWYERS, Judge "A. A. Phlegar. OF
Bristol: Hon. r. Tate Irvine. sof Big
Stone Gap. and former Senator 3.
Buchanan. of Marion. all of whom ~
Twas stated appeared as friends ana no1N
las paid attorneys. NJ Ss y
Senator Noel occupied seat to thu
lgrigft on the Repub b1ican side. and back
'Inf him was Captain j. F.s Bulntt.s OF
Big stone Gap. who a fterward came
Into the case as counsel for the spross
/ lecution. sS5 1ts5 r .s ~ sss
somc sharp Words.
The sha.rpest PASSAGES Of the ses-s5
sion were between Judge Phlegar and
/ Senator Noel. and at times their refer I
ences to each other fairly brfstled With
/ Isinvectivc. d. .a ass
Judge Ph!egar was attempting To-
limit the scope Of the INQUIRY to mai
ters specifically charged By the otner:
side. when the Senator from Lee g o.
clared that he looked upon y q as s q q mosss
| outrageous proposition to ask conrI
to pass upon the relevancy of evtde enee
before 1t is submitted. Judge Phl"gas
Ilretorted rather5 warmly that the "co ur-;
i tesy,' OF the Senator was the feature
of his reply. and that i ma tters " tl ere
gone into at random and WI thout any
!. reference to the rules OF evidence g
great hardship might result to some o.
4 the members representing the oppo-s
i site party in the presenrS General AS
4 semby. +
All the members Of the committee
/ were present, and after Senate CleEk
NJ. 3. Booker had called the roll. 80
Il read the charges OF Senator Noel. which
have heretofore been printed.
The names Of the witnesses sum-
noned by both sides were then called
i at the instance Of Senat tor Noel. ana
perhaps not more than half responds 9.
IN answer to an inquiry from tn
cha;r as to whether the respective
sides would be represented by couns sel.
i Senator Noel said In view Of the tact
4 that Judge Rhea ha d secured able law
i 5yers he had arran ged wi Ca ptaln Js3
4 r Bullitt to represent lin under &c ~.
lltafn conditions. Here the Senator az ad4
Y Lbe followfns letter addressed to him
4 yesterday BY Cap ptnir Fuli eH *
/ Ing the alters pos stion:
4, 1tyyith rel ference to olsrenrescntinEs sna
J. at tcrncy before. the committee the 1D-t
J position to the apnointlnenta OF JudSs
y Tshcr. beg to 'srsr that while naSSS
& no doubt In my own mind ;ns 70. nis
J. lu,ttitncss. for the high positir n to which
!. he he's been nominated, vet would mot
I,vnut 10 ftrlSe mart in the iuvertigntinn3
), EunIe.n,s = rftcr ite-rins your side OF the
s case fully md tnllStnG to such Of avo4Rs
!, yyftncxscs ms nreG willing to i all x"asl "
A.. tistlcd that there was N good nr0n.-'s5
ability of proving the charges nasSo5
4 Just arrived here, pnd h"He b''d ON onlSs
/; n brief tnlIS with you nnl NO E0nO0rtu--sS
4 -InltyS Mt all to Interview the Witnesses
I ~ hove. therefore, that the commit
& tee viii give further time for coGAAlrS
u tntion, investigation. nn,i isconaideration.As
Wanted More 'Timc. ss8 r.; Ssg
n This letter was made the basis OF
g mn appeal FOR further time ] inaSWht tchS
III prosecution mig + prepar re It's gcase.l
II IJudEe Rhea's lawyers argued that tha
& other side had full notice and Y shou AID
:. be ready. Senator Noel proceed e.
read letter from 9 n. Routn e;oi'.-
! lImonwealth's attorney OF Russells rectt-,
! Ing things ALLEGED to have ,appened IN
: ore OF Judge Rrea's contests for Con-
i sress, ard giving the m mes OF g WI
> nasses Hs,s was; cut short hs' r, Coo ksts;
& of the committee. VIII q dec Jared that
thc Senator should furnish his list q3
{ WI 'treases without giving b ts8S reasons
!, for wanting them. ~ s
Judge Prlegar5 here opposed any da- les,
i, laS. and DECLARED tha hs ard his aHso-
+ ciates actin IS as friends Of .5ud gA Hhsa
we're ready and that Senator Noel shaA
!. had annie timo TO- prepare h1s case ~
& Elika mann er NJ sss. In
i fudge Syvtckham moved that he eani-
u I'm. ttseiarise until 3 o'clock this n safter-
! moon, and Mr.. Irvine. az 4 !. sounssl tof
!, Judge Rhea. q ske a that the hour 3 2
: ma IA 10 o'clock A. NJ. inHtt ad,
eve want a fun and fatr tpyestiEaA- NJ
J. t!on," said the Wise scour' 81 lhwyesrs
',and No y SIX that IN 9 doors be thrcyE's
Continued on Third Rass,