The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-27

almost unanimously yesterday
evening TO remove Judge j. w. @.
Blackstone. of the Eleventh Judicial
Circuit. from the bench. the causes nj
legged being immortality and gross
neglect Of official duty"
Though the deposed jurist declines to
make any statement for publication
pending the final adjournment of the
General Assembly, 1t is believed that
he will take the matter to the Supreme
Court on a writ of quo warranto. after
his successor has been elected and
qualified. A new Judge Will be chosen
to-day. and the Legislature will a5-
journ sine die this afternoon.
The members of the two branches
were almost unanimous on the ques-
tion of removal, and the debate. which
consumed two long sessions. was over
the method of procedure. Though
there were a number of speeches
against the course finally followed.
there was only one vote in each branch
in opposition to removal. These We're
cast by Mr.. Carter (Dem.), OF Kappa
hammock, in the Senate. and Mr.. Suther-
land (Rep.),, of Dickinson. in the
House. The division was as follows:
senate-Ayes. "a; noes. 1; absent CT
not voting, 5. House-Ayes. IS; noes.
The result was what every one ex
pected finally. though it came much
earlier than was anticipated in view of
the sharp division In the conference
OF the two Committees for Courts Ct
Justice.
Both Houses met at noon and sat
until 2 p NJ. A recess was taken until
o'clock, and the debate. which had
animated the two branches at the pre-
vious session, was renewed. The final
vote occurred in the House at $3.50 P.
removal resolution was concurred in by
the Senate.
Judge Was Present.
During the House debate Judge
Blackstone occupied a seat on the front
proceedings with apparent interest.
There were two clear-cut and dis
tinct views expressed by members OF
the Committee for Courts in the two
houses, and after resolutions had been
presented. calling for removal and
substitutes therefor providing for refer
ence to the committees for further tes-
timony, flood Of oratory broke loose
which lasted for many hours.
The fight for immediate removal was
led In the House by Colonel Eugene
Senate by Judge Mann and Senator's
Strobe and Halsey.
Messrs. Withers and Page were the
leading speakers for the substitute in
the House, and it was offered by Judge
Sims in the Senate, and advocated by
himself and Senators Holland, Carter
and others.
Senator Noel, OF Lee county. the Re-
publican floor leader Of the upper
Il oh, 1,(e (n S,fe o1,o N$o
ization OF the procedure adopted by
the majority of the committee.
He intimated that 1t was proposed
to throw Judge Blackstone out for po-
litical effect, and because he had dared
to criticize the Governor of the State.
Many OF the leaders of the two
branches entered the Capitol yester-
day morning with the determination to
bring the already long drawn out
They were satisfied that the procedure
adopted was constitutional and they
saw In continued delay the danger OF
wearing out the extended session
without accomplishing what was the
evident will OF the General Assembly.
NIassie In the Lead.
Colonel Massie was the first speaker
in the House for the. report Of the
committee. He was ably supported
by Messrs. Martin, Williams and Thrift
and Speaker Byrd. The effort Of the
latter was exceptionally strong and
clear, and was the only speech OF the
day on the House side which provoked
applause. Although he did not dis.
cuss the evidence in the case, the
Speaker said: 1.-THE people OF this State
believe that judge who has done that
which this Judge has done Is not I'll
to wear the judicial ermine, and thai
1t should be taken from his shoulders
at once"
He warned the House that tho an.
swer OF Judge Blackstone was that OF
a learned lawyer, and was made In the
simple form OF a plea in bar In order
to put the Legislature into a situation
which might result In no action upor
his case, and that in this event hi
would remain on the bench for two
years more when 1t was the wish ane
purpose of the body to remove him.
Messrs. Wlthers, Page and Caton rep
resented the minority view in TIL,
4 (Continued on Third Page.l