The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-09-22
REPUBLICAN
MASS MEETING
City Committee Reorsanized--Del'
eeateS Elected To District
Convention.
TWO SETS OF RESOLUTIONS OFFERED
One Endorsing National Administra-
ton and State Chairman Slemp
Adopted Some Spicy Incidents. Etc.

ton and State Chairman Slemp
Adopted II Some Spicy Incidents. Etc.
About 90 Republicans, white and col
ored, gathered in mass meeting on the
call of Chairman Henry Warden at the
courthouse here Monday night.
The object of the meeting was to
elect a city chairman, city executive
committee and delegates TO the Con-
gressional convention, which meets
here on Tuesday, Sept. q.
From the start it looked as if the
meeting was Warden Carter issner
combination, as Mr.. Carter did most of
the nominating and MIR. Wissner the
seconding. while Mr.. Warden held the
reins in the chair.
Chairman Warden called the meeting
to order and explained its object. Mr..
Carter nominated Mr.. Warden tempo
rary chairman. which was seconded by
Mr.. Wissner and Mr.. Warden was
elected.
Mr.. Wissner nominated Mr.. Geo. A.
| Walker as temporary secretary, sec
onded by Mr.. Carter. MIR. Walker
was unanimously elected. Then on mo-
tion of Mr.. Carter, seconded by Mr..
Wssner, the temporary organization
was made permanent
Mr.. Carter nominated Mr.. Warden
as chairman of executive committee,
seconded by Mr.. Wissner. On motion
Of Mr.. Carter, seconded by Mr.. Wiss-
ner. Mr.. Warden was elected by ac-
clamatiOn.
Mr.. Wissner nominated for city eX-
ecutve committee Messrs. w. ID. Car
ter and w. II. Peden for Upper Ward,
and J. w. Thomas and Geo. A.
Walker for Lower Ward.
The first gun from the opposition was
fired at this point, when Postmaster
John NJ. Griffin arose and nominated
Mr.. w. w. Butzner as a member of
the executive committee from Lower
Ward. Mr. Butzner was on his feet in
moment with an emphatic decllnation
of the use of his name. Then Mr.. w.
II. Richards, Jr., was nominated and
he declined. Peter Alexander, colored,
nominated Mr.. Geo. NJ. Hunt, Jr.
This met with no second On motion
of Mr.. Wissner, seconded by Mr.. Car
ter, the election was made by acclama-
ton.
Mr.. Carter, seconded by Mr.. Wissner,
moved that Is delegates be elected to
the Congressional convention, which
meets in Fredericksburg on Tuesday
Sept. p. Chairman Warden explained
| that the city was entitled 10 delegates
but he thought Is was proper number
10 select. giving each delegate half q
vote.
Mr.. Wissner then drew out paper,
typewriter on which were the names
of Henry Warden, Frank Beckwith,
Nelson c. Decker, Duff Green, Robert
j. Mcdonnell. J. c. Rowe. James w
Thomas, Geo. A. Walker, W. J.
McCalley, W. d. Carter, Geo. NJ. Hunt,
Jr., Henry Walters, +. X. Tyler
Spottswood c. Foster, Henry G. Ches
ley and L. c. Payne and moved that
they be elected delegates to the conven
ton, seconded by Mr.. Carter.
Mr.. w. w. Butzner nominated Post
master John NJ. Griffin, who promptly
declined.
Hunt. Sr.
Then Chairman Warden appointed
Messrs. w. S. Chesley and James w
Mcdonnell tellers.
There was at this point flashed in the
meeting printed ballots with the names
Of the Is delegates to be voted for. Up
to this point there had been no outbursi
of the real feeling which exists be
tween the two factions, intensified by
the reappointment Of Postmaster Crit
fin.
Ii burst forth when Mr.. 0. ID. Foster
arose and in an excited manner said,
This is crooked; here are printed ballots
circulated before nomination of dele
gates are made. The whole thing is cut
and dried. Nothing like it was evel
done in any previous Republican meet
ing" Mr.. Carter said, Amy statement
that the ballots were circulated before
Nominations were made is untrue.
Mr.. Foster said he did not mean that
| the ballots were circulated before nom.
nations were made, but that they were
here printed ready for circulation.
Chairman Warden injected There
is nothing unusual in the proceedings.
Mr.. Griffin-"Have there ever beer
printed ballots prepared and used be-
fore?"
Mr.. Warden-"They have been pre-
pared before, but never used. y
Joe Walker. u. S. mail carrier and
one of the colored brethren, in the
corner arose and said " | dc
not see any improperly in the print
ed ballots. A voter can strike out any
name he wants and substitute others.
Mr.. w. S. Chesley and Mr.. James W.
Mcdonnell were appointed tellers by
Chairman Warden.
Mr.. w. w. Butzner did not get one
of the printed ballots and he called
loudly for one saying, "Mr. Chairman,
have you any extra ballots for us?
Who he meant by us was not explained
"We have none over this way. 1t looks
as if not enough have been printed to
go around
Mr. Griffin stopped the distribution
of ballots temporarily by addressing
Chairman Warden and saying Mr..
Chairman, is it not customary for Re-
publicans to vote for the candidates OF
the Republican party, especially when
they participate in Republican meet
ings?" eyes, replied Mr.. Warden.
Mr.. Griffin-"Well, sir. you appoint
ed Mr.. w. S. Chesley Republican judge
of election last fall and he deliberately
voted against the Republican candidate
for governor and for Mann, the Demo
cratic candidate for governor. This
Mr.. Chesley, who is standing before
ne now, acknowledges.
Mr.. Warden-'I did not appoint MIR.
Chesley Judge. His was one of the
names sent into the electoral board fol
appointment and he was appointed by
that body. If Mr.. Chesley pledges
himself to support the nominees he has
a right to participate in this meeting.
He asked Mr.. Chesley if he intended tt
support the nominees this fall and Mr.