The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-16
State Body Decides to As
sumo Original Jurisdic-
ton in Appeal
Mr.. ELLYSON SAYS
IT'S WAR MEASURED
Each Side Presents Argu-
ments and Investigation.
to Start at Once,
Decided On

| Unanimously agreeing TO assume
original Jurisdiction in the Norfolk
county Primary election case contest,
the State Democratic Committee, In
an adjourned meeting held last night
in Murphys hotel put itself on second
as being unaIterably opposed to fusion
/ ism IN Norfolk county, or anywhere
| else In the State.
/ The result of tine meeting was a
tt3ee.,ied- victory for the contestants Ii,
the now celebrated case and Judging
/ from the enthusiastic demonstration OF
the large crowd present the decision
reached by the committee was very
popular one.
| There was no question about the
genuineness of the committees action
and when chairman Ellyson asked for
moments indulgence and stated that
he was In favor of the committee as
Stunning original Jurisdiction as q war
measure, the declaration was granted
by storm of applause all over the
! house
/ Promptly at $50 o'clock, chairman
Eiiyson called the meeting to order
and secretary Brenamau called the
ron. only - names were responded
| to and a look or disappointment could
! be seen on tbs faces of many present.
+ The chair announced a recess OF five
Z
/ straeted 10 ascertain II any other
members were present.
| Quorum is Present.
| On the second roll call a quorum
was found to be present, as follows
/ From the First District, NJ. Curtis,
/ J. Boyd Sears, K. l.. Ailwnrd, K. d,
/ Cole.
/ Second Distriot--C. T. Day. w. w.
! Third District-E. l.. G. Scott, clyde
| w. Saunders, DIR. J. b. Fisher, Manly
! IL. Barnes. Simon solomon.
Fourth Distriet~-Rohert Gillian. RI.
/ F. Hutchinson.
Fifth District--R. A Jones. D. A.
Nicholson.
Sixth District-H. C. HUMPHREYS,
George NJ, Muse. c. c. Barksdale.
| Seventh District--R. r. w. Duke.
/ Eighth Distriet---R. c. l.. Moncure,
Gardner l.. Boothe.
/ Ninth Dstrtct-T A. Lynch
| Tenth Observation-Disclosures Echols, + p.
| Whitehead. w. r. Allen. VIM. NJ Nc
| Allister.
| Immediately upon the announces
| ment that quorum was present then
vas retising hand eiapp4ng, and
/ chairman Ellyson remarked you are
not half as glad as | am"
Argument Limited to One Hour.
/ Mr.. Booth. OF the Eighth District.
moved that each side of the contest
/ be allowed half an hour to present its
| case.
| Mr.. Hin Carter. Of counsel for the
1 contestants asked that more time be
allowed and ON motion of Judge Duke
It Was agreed to give the attorneys
! on each side one hour.
MIR j. L. Heard made detailed
statement of the contestants side Of tina
case, claiming that fusionism obtain
ed. in Norfolk county the, cailusion be-
Z - III
( sion Democrats lie said that while
the style OF the case was Coleman
and others against Wilson and others.
| 1t was in reality Coleman and others
against Alvah Fl. Martin and others,
| the attorney asserting that Mr. Martin,
Republican National Committeeman,
dominated the elections in the county,
which was largely Democratic. and
| held one Of the most lucrative Offices
| In the State.
| Republican in Office.
| Mr.. Heard also claimed that Mr..
| Martin, his brother-in law and other
Republicans had held this best offices
| In the county, for the past twenty five
years.
| Mr. Heard stated that the fact that
| the Norfalk county committee was
4 made up of men interested in the
| fusion movement that 1t was against
| all law and custom for the eompIain-
/ ants 10 LhNt llltiE bStSC pSlClG knc tO~
| cal committee. He also cited several
! instances as precedents when the
State committee had assumed orig
/ inal jurisdiction.
/ Ha also quoted from the party or-
| ganization az follows
/ The State committee thus constitute
| ed rs charged with the affairs Of
/ the party. and shah have power to
/ perfect it's organization and to direct
| its conduct In obedience TO the dec
| larations and policy of the party, az
| the same shall be set forth by the
/ State conventions 1t may decide
| all questions at issue which may arise
/ in election districts calculated to at
! feet the harmony and the interests
/ of the party. and may, In It's dis
/ erection. settle all disputes within the
/ party relating 10 organization or
! nominations which cannot be settled
/ by county or city committees Of the
| respective localities affected.
| Affect Harmony OF Party.
| He claimed that the fusion condi-
/ lions in Norfolk couny We're certainly
/ calculated to affect the harmony and
/ the interest OF the party.
| For the opposition John W. Happen
| and George Pitcher argued that Il
/ would he q bad precedent for tho
/ committee to set and Mr.. Happen
j made the assertion tnat there was
no fusion in Norfolk county.
/ Both attorneys expressed the
| opinion that the complainants could
| get perfect satisfaction by taking the
| case before the Norfolk county COM
mittee.
| Hin Carter In closing for tho
"straightouts.' said 1t was eminently
unfair for the case to be considered
by a committee every member OF
whom was interested In the alleged
fusion and asked the committee to
| assume original Jurisdiction which II
had perfect right to do.
He asserted with great vehemencs
that It was charged In the contestanta' 4.
kContinued on EtxtA HanAl %