The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-31
RHEA INQUIRY is
..RETARDING R / B [ WORK
All Important Committee
Hearings Have to Be
Postponed.
eau Gus FIGHT
DRAWS CROWD
Bill to Place Replica Of Houdon
Statue Of Washington in Ma
tional Capital Passed by
Senate Several Minor
Measures Also Adopt
ed Yesterday.
ny LEWIS II. MAcHES.

u LCSNAS7 Its sNAS1ENs4
Again yesterday the administrative
work OF the General Assembly over
shadowed the legislative. The Roanoke
judgeship contest In the Democratic
caucus at night. resulting In the nOnii-
nation OF Walter r.. Staples over Roy
q. Smith, and the hearing OF the Rhea
matter, in the afternoon and evening.
In large measure. engrosscd the atten-
8 ton Of the lnw-makers.
The Senate. however,, passed the bill
for the purchase OF replica OF the
Houdony statue OF Washington. to be
placed In Statuary Hall at the national
capital: the bill for the increase OF the
convict road force. and q few local and
minor measures. The House was en-.
gagged almost wholly in the passage OF
local bills.
During the continuance OF the Rhea
Investigation the work OF the COM
n,ittees Is crippled, and the considera-
ton OF bills. as to which there is mucn
contention, Ia being postponed.
Lively Caucus.
In the caucus two hours and halt
We're occupied In making the nomina.
Ion. All Of this time but ten minutes
was taken up In talk. The speeches
We're good. though somewhat nnmer-
aus: some OF them were long. and two
OR three were warm In their ternis and
quite personal In character. Yet they
were ell within parliamentary bounds,
8 aBc were by no means as acrimonious,
az might have been expected from the
nature OF the literature on the sub.
ject (which had been circulated.
the division of sentiment anon 2
The bar and the citizens OF Roanoke
was. the subject OF much discussion, and
nnally lett the caucus. as one member
said I'm his speech. with less fnforHia- :
lion than the members had. at the ba-
ginning. 1t appeared that both the
senator and the Delegate from Rna-
nokn had pledged themselves to vote
Tor the candidate having the suppol.
OF majority OF the bar. OF that city,
but the bar split mp in such way, and
ion as TO who were the real members
OF the bar and whom they really want
ed for. judge, that the situation be-
canic Ambiguous and resulted In the
Senator's supporting Mr.. Smith and the
Delegate. air. Staples. There were
strenuous efforts on both sides to show
that each of the ospirants had the
preponderance OF the support. but the
closest guess that bystander could
make was that there was stand,
Oft. Htgh eulogtss. no doubt highly
deserved, were passed upon the char,
ncters and abilities of the two gentle,
mon, which. II they had been only hall
as complimentary, would have demon.
strated that both We're fully qualifle,
for the position.
This was the only judges,lp con.
test before this General Assembly. ani
"A it is a relief to every one to lave Il
over. In past sessions there have usual.
~ been several which were often pro.
sductiye of unfortunately bitter feel
ing
Rl,ca InvcntiEntion.
The taking OF testimony In the Rhco
Investigation began in the afternoon
and WAS continued until late hour Al
might, with an adjournment for din
ner.
Much of the testimony sought to b
introduced was ruled out blythe com
rittee. as being barred by. the lega
rules of evidence. but enough went II
tothrow considerable light upon srecen
political contests In tho Ninth District
The celebrated Scott county ballo
was exhibited. and Its workings were
elaborately explained. AS means o.
1nystifying and misleading the average
voter 1t was pronounced a decided sue
nothing SO much as chaos put to con
fusion. The fact that it contained /
number OF very distinguished namrs !.
the only thing that saves it, from uttcl
contemplation.
There was evidence, too. OF 1nucl
fals1fying sofsreturns and alteration o
certificates. hut none Of the witnesses
appeared g BILE to connect Judge Rhes
directly wi tn any of these irresulari
& ties circumstances were given tending
to ftnnpllcatc some OF his close friends
but no ictpationS nor "a approva wi q
brought home to him. Sont fountlstio,
was y aid for simpe achment. and till
line ts ollowed up some ultra inter
esting Information may be forthco.n
4 ing. @
The practice upon the part OF th
prosecu tton.s as 1t has been styled 4,
noting exceptions to the rulings Of tn
sconrnl toe, gave rise to some discus
sion as to what use was to be made =
them, and 1t was clearly indicated ths,
In case OF "a report in favor OF Jud <
Rhea. a vigorous appeal will be mad
to the joint Assembly to reverse til
comrnlttee's findings, Z e
AT night the testimony for the III,
Tense was be gun, and further evtdenc
unon both sides will be heard TO-DAY
Tho committee will sit In the morning
afternoon and nj e ht. and the hcarin
will SS then be concluded. Unless thes
plans are changed It Is probable thn
the@committee will be- ready With Il
report tomorrow or the day after.sI
is therefore likely that a joint meetin.
OF the two houses O the Legislature
will be held &tn8aAf few days to dlspos
II OF the matter finally,
SESSIONS OFSTWO HOUSES
Ipvttation ExterIe- to Hor., w. j
$ Bryan to a ddresA 4 sscmbly.
393 I'm III ha House of Delegates the Rev