The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-02
NORFOLK CONTEST
NOT ACTED ON YET
State Democratic Committee
Again Fails to Round
Up Quorum.
TO MEET HERE ON AUG. is
Not Likely That Question Will
Be Settled Until After
Primary.
TO MEET HERE ON AUG. is

| All efforts to secure a quorum of tbe
membership of the State Democratic
committee having proved futile. the
twenty men VINO answered to their
names at last nights meeting adj
journed to meet in this city on Tues.
day night, August Is, at O'clock 4
motion TO meet in Roanoke instead Of
Rtchmond was defeated. although as
surances were give ma doubling mem
Der that the Magic City" is not a dry
| town.
There was naturally some dsappoint-
ment on the part OF the "Straightout"
contestants from Norfolk county over
| the failure of their efforts to present
| their petition to have the State Com
mittee take up the contest and decide
| It, But they took the matter philo-
sophically. Three of the counsel for
the ''Straightouts' stated after nd-
journment that they were satisfied that
the failure to get quorum was simply
an unfortunate happening. Only one
was inclined to be rebellous.
Not Political Matter.
| To those of the contestants who
seemed to think that the State Com
| mittee did not desire TO face the ques-
ton. for reasons bearing upon the
contest for United States Senators, II
was pointed out by members of the
committee that the friends of Repre-.
sentative William a. Jones could have
made meeting possible BY their pres
ence. Only one friend of the Firsr
District Congressman. apparently. was
present.. NJ. Curtis. of Newport
News. T. j. Downing. of Lancaster, Is
! campaigning for Mr.. Jones in the
Southwest. while j. Boyd Sears OF Ma
thews, is reported i'll. r. L. Ailworth.
of Northampton. was likewise absent
as was Henry p Adams. of Lynchburg.
regarded as Mr.. GLASS; friend on the
committee.
At all events. 1t is now regarded az
settled that no decision in the Nor
folk matter need be anticipated until
after the primary of September I.
| Whether or not the Norfolk county
committee shall have disposed OF the
! contest by August Is. when the State
Committee meets again, IL is not be-
lieved that the latter will hold third
meeting until It gathers a week or
two after the primary TO canvass the
returns of that election. Should an
appeal be the nature of the proceed
ings on August Is. the appointment
of a subcommittee would probably be
the course pursued.
Don't Expect Decision.
"Stralghtout" attorneys were dubious
of getting a settlement from the coun-
ty authorities One of them said that
even ii one witness were put on the
stand for his side. the contestees would
probably s-eXamine him for three
or four days, SO as to delay matters
and prevent an appeal.
When last nights meeting was called
to order II was found that former Lieu.
tenant Governor Edward Echols. OF
stanton: Gardner l. Boothe of Alex
IA hl Il
arrived On the other hand. the fol-
lowing had left since the previous
night: DR.. F. 5. Hope. OF Portsmouth,;
DR. J. 3. Fisher. of Chesterfeld Manly
H. Barnes. of New Kent; Judge r. T.
w. Duke. OF Charlottesville: Z. w.
Carpenter. of Rockingham: r. c. l..
| Moncure of Stafford. and W. r. Allen.
of Allegheny.
Judge Duke informed Chairman Ell
tyson over the telephone that it would
be Impossible for him to return. T. j.
| Arvin of Lunenburg, replied that he
was Ill. while the telegram TO X. "A.
James of Danville, was returned un-
| delivered.
When the absence Of any possible
! quorum became evident. Z. l.. c. scott
of Hanover, moved an adjournment to
| August Is. HUI Carter of counsel Tor
/ the contestants, expressed some doubt
as to his ability to give the matter his
| attention at that time, evidently be-
! cause of his connection with the Beat
tie murder case.
Opinions Volunteered.
w. NJ McAllister. of Bath. expressed
| the opinion that the committee had
no right to take original jurisd ction
in the case at issue. Robert Gillian,
of Petersburg, speaking along tbs
same line, thought that if the matter
had come up on appeal, a quorum
would have been present. the members
thinking they had no right to act on
an original proposition. Chairman
Ellyson however, terminated this line
or argument by saying that in the
absence of a quorum 1t could not be
assumed that the committee would
would have done.
The failure to attend. in the opinion
of irving p. Whitehead, OF Amherst,
was because of the distance and the
heat He thought quorum could be
better secured elsewhere. He there
| fore moved to amend the Scott mo.
ton by a provision that the meeting
! of August Is should be held in Roa-
noke.
Mr.. McAnister. after inuuiring as to
the sale of ardent spirits in Roanoke.
said that If the county committee
would act first. the State Committee
could meet anywhere and get quo
rum.
The Whitehead amendment was
overwhelmingly defeated. and the
Scott resolution was carried, thus cre-
ating an adjournment