The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-25
CCOMPAN1ED to the end by
N scenes that promise to besas
~ fiery and Spectacular as those
( y characterizing its beginning;

TX N characterizing its beginning
many weeks ago. the Rhes
Investigation will close tonight in the
Joint Assembly with tho confirmation
of the appointment of the Bristol law
L yer to succeed Hon. Henry G. Stuart
| of Russell. as a member of the State
Corporation Commission. He will take
| the oath of office and assume his new
duties Tomorrow.
| AS heretofore set out in The Times
Dispatch. there will be two reports.
and they will be discussed and acted
upon in open session. Though there
is In the resolution adopted on Satur-
day no affirmative clause providing
specifically that the meeting of the
two bodies shall not be behind closed
doors yet the practical effect is the
same. as the provision declaring for
| "a ban of secrecy" which heretofore
has been contained in all such resolu-
4 tlons, was stricken out. and attention
was distinctly called to this fact on
the floor. Every member then voted
j for adoption. The resolution went to-
the Senate and was unanimously con-
Cured in by that body without discus
Sion or objection.
There is a fixed form OF resolution
which is used In all cases of this char
acter. and which was the basis. If not
practically an exact copy, of that used
by Judge Martin Williams In the
House on Saturday and accepted by
both branches for the government2of
to-night's session.
| The matter Is still in the hands of tho
i Joint Assembly, which may do what 1t
/ pleases. as. Indeed, it might. have done
4 had the resolution declared directly for
an open session. But the present sta
tus Of the resolution will not be dis
I turbed, as Judge Rhea, the members OF
4 the Legislature and all other parties
concerned wish the public to know
what goes on in the meeting. many
of them, when asked concerning the
! matter. declaring emphatically that
they have nothing to conceal.
Whnt Reports Contain.
Both reports have been signed and
are ready for presentation tonight.
Tho division Is as follows: Majority-
NIessrs. Thomas s.. West, Bedford
(chairman); s. II. Wilson, Pittsy lvania:
J Alexander stuart, washington county;
Y Merritt II. Cooke. Norfolk city; Edward 4
Echols. Staunton; John A. Lesner. Nor
: folk county; Tyson Janney. Prince VIII
liam; William Hodges Mann, Nottoway.
and George 7. Rison, Pittsylvania-9.
i lMinority-Senator T. Ashby Wlckham,
/ EIenrico-1.
Though Indications arc that the re-
lport confirming the nomination of Judge
Rhea will be adopted by an overwhelm-
ling ma jority, fierce and bitter debate
is expected before vote Is reached
4 There will be some sensational ut-
lterances, and II good deal of feeling
will be ergendered at the end of the {
lung -drawn-out controversy. That
much is positively known. Though no
J member or official in any way con
nected with the joint Committee on
COMBINATION has ever been Induced to-
;. discuss the subject In even the vaguest9
/ manner for publicat tion. 1t is pretty
we'll understood that the main work on
5 1.-THE majority report was done by Judge
: IWillial,l Hodges Mann. of Nottoway,
t and that he will present this paper to !.
. the Joint Assembly tonight. The
, minority report of Judge Wfckham
& will, of course, be Offered as a substi-&
tute. and then the issue on which the I
debate will occur Will be complete.
Acquitted on All. e3s
The report of the majority is
voluminous document. 1T takes mp
every phase OF the evidence, and treats
it with considerable detail.
Dealing with each charge separately
1t absolutely acuuits Judge Rhea on
|every specification. concluding with a
resolution that hfs nomination. nlada
! by tho Governor toward tie end sEoG
! January. DO confirmed. 81
!, 1t Is understood that the minority re-
port, which was drawn by Judge Wick
ham and which will be presented BY
him, Is a brief document and ii rather
mild In It's tone. AS stated yesterday
II sets out that We're tho sgner sitting
on jury in criminal case. he would
feel that the evidence would noN, war
ranta conviction, on the ground that
j tho charges have not been proven bA,3
4 lyond such a reasonable doubt az Is con-s
Il templated In law, under the strict
rules of evidence. But. the Iienrico SEM
i ator is understood to take the further
A position that he feels that tho evidences
Is sufficient Ia cast a susnicion upon
the accused nominee OF the Governor. ofs
sucha nature and TO such an extent
az might tend to weaken his inflaenca:
on tho commission and incidently affect
!. the efficiency; Of the body itself, III
! Judge Mann to Open,
The debate Tonight Will prohahly hq
opened hy Judge Mann for the fnAtnrsS
4 lity yeport, and he may be follow ed by