The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-17
Fri en- DIS Of J ohn B.
Minor Declare Cover
nor Was Spiteful.
QUOTE RECORD TO
PROV E CHARG E
Nonpayment of Bar Association
Dues and Darlington Matter
Alleged to Have Actuated
Ultimatum to Bar-Mon-
cure Named on Sec
ond Ballot.

i = .tAts OF Jonu 3. Minor were elF
/ phatic yesterday in the ststsment
I that Governor Manns message to the
/ Richmond bar practically meant that
/ the Endorsement OF Mr. Minor for
! Judge OF the Chancery Court would
not be approved. and that he would
not b. appointed as Judge Daniel
/ CRIMINALS successor. 1t has been the
! invarlable custom heretofore for the
/ Governor TO appoint the lawyer who
was agreed upon by the bar There
/ We're three ballots. Under the rule.
/ Thomas c. Gordons name was dropped
/ after the first ballot. and on the Sec
/ ond William y. Moncure was nominal
ed. subsequently. the action OF the
caucus was made unanimous.
Ia ma the charge that Governor
Mann was opposed TO Mr. Minor.
friends Of the latter were equally en-
/ phatic in commanding Mr. Moncure.
and there was absolutely no reflec-
ton upon him in the midst OF adverse
comment which was caused by the
! message. transmitted verbally 10 the
caucus by Richard Evelyn Byrd, Speak
| er OF the House OF Delegates
The Governors MessnGc.
Before the caucus had entered upon
it swork. Mr.. Byrd arose and delivered
the message from Governor Mann. Mr.
! Byrd said.
IL am requested by the Governor of
virginia to make statement to this
nsscmbinEe, which il this; While the
Governor of Nirginin hns the highest
| regard for the opinion and wishes of
the bar of Richmond city, aud while
the choice OF the bnr of Richmond city
VIII be hiGhl! persuasive with the
| Governor, he does not wish IL under
stood TINT he gives up nnk of his con-
stitutionnI preroEntives In the seIec-
ton of ii Judge for the Chnnccry Court
OF the city of Richmond,
Inasmuch as no similar notice had
ever been served on the bar in caucus
the statement made by Mr. Byrd Great
ed something akin TO 4 sensation. with
the hope. however, OF averting a dis
cussion. with its attendant bitter
ness. Charles V. Meredith quickly Of
fercd the following resolution:
"RcsolNed. That IL Is the sole Intent
OF this meeting TO submit TO the Gov
crnor the recommendation of the bnr
of Richmond TO the selection OF n
Judge for the Chunccry Court, and not
AS an. attempt 10 Interfere with his
prcrogutIVc."
Before the caucus could get into a
discussion MIR. Meredith's resolution
was adopted.
Claim lie Was Hostile.
Later In the day tho alleged motive
behind the Governors message was
being freely commented upon by law
wers. Friends OF Mr. Minor were par
ticularly bitter. and they brought forth
alleged reasons which they declared
We're responsible for the threat"
In support OF their contention that
Governor Mann was hostile to Mr.
Minor his friends called attention to
the fact that on February /. 1905. the
! Governor. who was then n racticing
attorney. had been dropped by the
state Bar Association for nonpayment
o: dues. After his nomination. he
went 10 the annual meeting at Hot
kf vNh
announced to Mr.. Minor. the secretary,
that he desired to register and pay
The charges standing against his
name. Mr.. Minor Informed Judge
Mann that he had been dropped by ord
or Of the executive committee. and
that he could only be reinstated by lis
order. The secretary's book which
carried opposite the name OF William
Hodges Mann in rcd ink the state
ment dropped" shows that he was
later reinstated. 1t Is claimed that the
Governor and MIR. Minor had quite a
war Of words at Hot Springs over the
incident which led to some feeling
The back dues We're paid before the
executive committee instructed tho
secretary to restore the name
Darlington Incident Next
Another matter which is said 10 have
aroused the Governors feeling against
Mr.. Minor was the suit entered bv DR.
! Charles V. Darlington. the SURGEON.
who was dismissed by the penitentiary
directors, TO make Il place for pr Her
bert Mann. the Governors nephew rr
Darlington issued a number of state.
mcnts TO the press in which he bitter
" assailed the Governor 1t was
claimed at the time, and so understood
at the Capitol, that Thomson & Min
or. DR.. Carr'ngton's attorneys had
edited and approved the attacks before
they were printed In the proceedings
, subsequently instituted by DR. Caring
ton for back salary he was represent
ed BY Thomson & Minor and Major
Miles NJ Martin Speaker Byrd repre-
scented the State In that lit cation. a
recent editorial IN the Southern Plant
ter having openly charged that Speak
er Byrd received $3.50 for his legal
rervices While not a lawyer pr. Car
rington had been electioneerins for
Mr. Minor
cite suII Another
Another incident was recalled BY
Mi Minors friends in support OF their
contention that the Governor was hos
tile TO him It was stated that acting
under law passed in 1910. the State
l Supreme Court had prepared list
containing the names OF twenty i've
lawyers from which the Governor was
to select nvc TO serve as an examining
hoard. It was openly asserted yes.
terday that while the name OF John 3
Minor was tho hrst on the list. he was
not appointed by Governor Mann
Lawyers agreed that had the Gov
crnor ignored the action or the bar.
he could not have persuaded yner1-
her OF the bar to accept the appoint
mont and serve on the bench under
such circumstances.
vote In the Caucus.
Tho caucus was brief Mr. Moncuro
was nominated by Speaker Byrd: Mr.
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