The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-20
REPUBLICANS HAVE
 4 SPLIT IN CH|LTON
Judge Reynolds Victorious Is Denounced at Second
 Meeting of Opponents

l Clanton, August 19.-(Special)- )-The cli- max of the bitter factional fight among Chiffon republicans was reached today in the county mass meeting at Thorsoy. The opposing forces have been marshaling their men for the final conflict.
 The Dudley Middleton Smith faction, who were ardent admirers of Mir. Barker, left here this morning 65 strong. confident Of victory in the mass meeting. They were met at the depot in Thorsby by small sprinkling of the Reynolds fac ton, who were the friends of Thompson in his fight against the national commit teeman. At first 1t looked as if the anti Reynolds crowd would be complete mas ters of the situation, but soon the oppos- ing forces from the northern end of the county began to arrive.
 The Middleton-Smith faction came from almost every section of the county. while those who favored Reynolds were largely from the northern end of the county. " here Reynolds once resided.
 The convention assembled, MT. w. H. Conway was elected temporary chairman by a decisive vote over Ralph Galloway, postmaster at Maplesville, who was the choice of the Barker contingent.
 Resolutions commenting the adminlstra- tion of President Taft were introduced, as were also resolutions, though notice ably brief, commendatory of Pope NJ. Long and P. D. Barker. The Smith Middleton faction introduced ringing :eso- lutions, which were immediately voted down by the Reynolds faction Heretofore 50 delegates was considered a large gath ering while on this occasion there were 1S4 in the convention hall.
 The temporary mastery of ex-Probate Judge Reynolds does not carry with 1t the usual flush of victory, because of the fact that the large proportion of his delegates hailed from one end of the county while the opposition delegates came from almost every quarter. Nev- ertheless. MT. Reynolds seems to have used his powers for organization to good effect.
 Mir. Middleton, an ex-member of the legislature and the chairman of the county republican committee, together with A. c. Smith, a local attorney of prominence, and F. A. Dudley, Clan tons postmaster, did yoeman work in their efforts to encompass the defeat of Judge Reynolds, but thinking that 50 or 50 delegates would be sufficient to accomplish their purpose they per iAc lb COIne DdCh lHlO control of the party machinery by bringing more than a hundred of his followers to the convention.
 This, the opposition declares, Is not n- dicative of the strength of the leader, for. they claim. he allied almost his entire strength at the convention, while the opposition has many followers in reserv . who will have to be reckoned with in the days to come.
  will take now is problematical but it is certain that wounds were made at today q convention which will remain sore foc many months to come.
 Late news from the Thorsby con- vention, which came after Postmaster Dudley left the town, has it that those who were adherents of the cause rep resented by Smith, Middleton and him held an afternoon convention. presided over by A. J. Glasscock, at which timt another set of delegates to the state and district conventions were nomi- mated. and Reynolds and his forces de.
 nounced.
 1 The convention claims to be regular
 on the ground that Reynolds had 2 l humber of men present and voting fol
 him and his resolutions who are no | qualified voters. It is stated tha
 Judge Reynolds employed two auto
 mobiles during the day to make hurrie. l trips between the convention town ant 1 his home town for the purpose of bring l ing recruits.