The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-05
City Democrat c Committee
Rescinds Action Naming
July 10 as Date
CITY EMPLOYEES MAY
BY ALL RULED OUT
z. c. Hicks Directed to Garry
Before Next Grand Jury
Alleged Irregularities
in Jefferson

After nearly two hours OF argu-
ment. criticism and facetious re-
Joinder. with now and then a sharp
and angry retort, the City Democratic
Committee on a substitute motion Of
fered by j. NJ. Purcell. passed a reso-
luton resembling the action OF the
committee IN adopting the date of the
district committee. July 10th. for the
city primary to elect members OF the
Administration Board, and decided
upon Tuesday, September 10th. Us the
date to be set.
Acting upon the alleged irregulari-
ties reported I'm the Second PRECINCT
of jefferson ward in the primary last
tuesday. when torn ballot was dis
yvered In the hands of voter the
,mmittea early in its session decide 4
4. direct E. c. Hicks. superintendent
.ef jefferson ward, to appear before
the May term of the grand jury and
lay before IL all the facts within mis-
knowledge concerning the alleged
Irregularities
The motion was offered by p. r..
Florence, and as adopted Is as fol-
lows:
at IN moved that f. C. Hicks. su.".-
9.ntendent OF jefferson ward. DC dire -
the May term OF the Hastings Court
OF Richmond. and Icy before me said
grand jury the facts within his KNOW
edge concerning the Irregularities re-
ported as having occurred at the Sec
ond precinct In Jefferson watd."
viii Surely Appear.
A member wanted 10 know II Mr.,
Hicks could be forced to appear be-
fore the grand jury.
tin. chairman. The motion was pass
ed unanimously. II was explained that
none or the members OF the committee
believed that there had been any via
lation OF law In the Jtfferson ward sec
ond precinct. bur that. az the mat
fer had been <f4daIr asstated- In tina
newspapers lid had -aSe.ted much
comment generally. II WAS thought
wise to have the rumor OF violation
allayed through probe by "a grand
Jury. This matter Then passed with
out further Incident.
Agitation as to the proposed change
In the primary OF the city committee
was started by e. w. Evans. who said
that there had been some doubt as 10
whether date had he~n fixed by the
committee Chairman Martin ex-
planned that the Byrd law was nor an
emergency act and that 1t does not
go into effect until June 18th. But In
April the City Democratic Commiti
had fixed the time for the city pri-
mary as that upon which the district
committees date fell. which was
July 18TH He said that under the
Byrd law candidate must deposit
with the city treasurer 5 per cent
of the first years salary sixty days
before the holding of the primary.
which would make a difference OF six
teen days If the law became Ell
fective on May 18th. But on May 10th
- the Byrd law liz not r. LAW and II Is
es IL there were no such law on the
statute book. He was asked II pri-
mary could be held In June. before
the Byrd law goes into effect. and re-
pfts,s that ). c.,nid be done.
Cannot Print List in Time.
Mr. Martin said that he had frdufr-
ed Of Isaac Held. deputy city treas
urer. and learned thet II would be I'M
yssssshse so, &c. the Meting list. printed
time n ssss. 10 tsss sasas. afssiu sss .
ALI the opportunity to vote. The treas
,irer has SO days IN which TO make the
l,sr but he would be unable TO pre-
pare IL within that time. But the
fvitv Democratic Committee had de-
ciaed upon July 18th as the date for
the primary.
But" he said. 1.-The possibilities
may be this: ANY candidate voter or
any other one so Inclined might en-
so,r us from holding that primary un.
Ill the. candidate has had time under
I rnty Yssrsi isse go days3e sss which ta
make the deposit required by that law.
and we may become entangled IN
suit" He said that he thought 1t
better to hold a direct primary after
1uiv 18th. and to meet on that date
and determine when the primary
should Re held.
Not Necessary to Rush.
Captain w. NJ. Myers. Of the coIa-
nittee. said that II was not necessary
20 rush the Urinary. The ~'"mber, Ct
che Adrninistra ton Board not take
their seats until January or February.
ger the primary was postponed the
better of the citizens would be, and
thought 1t very unwise to force the
primary OH the people at this time
when there was no necessity or de-
nand for Il. He offered a motion that
the actor Of the committee in Its for
mer meeting be repealed.
Saunders and carrinoton Argue.
There was n,.ich arSmaent from
Clyde W. Saunders and DIR. G.. v.
Carrington ar to how the committee
could Undo It's former seton. The
chair ruled that II could he done by
UNANIMOUS consent !. NJ M. AHen'
who objected to most everything else
strchuo,isiv objected to q change in
date. limiting vaguely that there was
some wicked motive IN trying to have
the date changed. There was more
argument. and several motions. which
die not come to a vote, and then w,
b, Jenhinvs said that he thought a
mere change in date should not be a
stumbling block 20 long a. direct pri-
Yr,rv wps hold. and held in the. best
irtereats AZ the city.
q. RI. HODGES desired no delay. but
thou~ht too many rrimarie~ would nos
! ~ conducive to voters coming out
Chairman Ma~tin said that II had come
10 isis knowiedged that the district
cnnsnlt&ee would chance its date II
the city primary was held on July 18th
p. h. Florence said that Il would
~ proper 70 repeal the whole action