The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-17
|SCHEREROPPOSED
| BY SENATOR HAIR I
Thought Directors Occupation
as Officer Makes Him Not
Desirable.
UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED
Distinguished Witnesses Appear
to Testify to Schcrer's Good
Character.
UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED

was odduccd yesterday before the sen
ate Committee on Nominations against
tho confirmation OF the appointment by
Il member of the board OF directors OF
the State Pcnitentary. DIR. Caring ton
stated on Saturday that he would APP
| pear and contest the confirmation of
Mr.. Scherer and T.. Gerald Stratton. but
IT was found later that MIR. Stratton had
, been confirmed by the last Legislature Q.
An effort WAS made by DR.. earring on
yesterday to have Chairman Feather
ston summon him. but the latter re-
fused
Many persons crowded tho little COM
mittcc room. most OF them witnesses
4 to testify TO the good character and 1T
ness of MIR. Scherer. His list OF wit
nesscs present was as follows: r. a.
Saunders. w. T. Dabney. Samuel w.
Williams. John F. Jncobs, II. G. Buch-
| nnan, w. +. Rhca. Warner Moore. jog
cph Button, Pcyton Crimes. T. S. Armi-
stead, w. 6. Forbes. Henry Hotchkiss.
james d. Patton. Sam Cohen. w. j
Parrish, w. Is. Bradley, H. NJ. Smith.
Jr.. Charles Antrim. a. B. Guigon. Cor
don Wallace and Edward Smith. In
addition Mr. Scherer had letters from
senator Thomas S. Martin. Senator
/ Claude y. Swanson. Representative IL
u. Flood and Or. George Ecn john
ston. tcstifyinE To his fitness for the
Official position he holds.
DIR. CnrrlDEton's Piper.
Major Miles NJ. Martin, OF counsel for
Or. Darlington, presented the following
paper.
For the purpose of correcting any
| mlsapprchension that this committee or
the public may be under. growing out
OF the recent publications in ncwspa-
| pers, DR.. Darlington desircs to state
mat 1T Is not his wish or intention 10
appear befoe this committee for the
purpose of opposing the connrma ton
OF members OF the board OF directors
OF the penitcntlary. Naturally DR.. Car
rlnSton thinks that some OF these mem
1 bers are not proper persons to be on
this board Of directors. His reasons
nave been fully given to the board it,
SELF and have appeared III the papers
| IN his recent controversy with the
board.
DR.. CarrinSto toms leading thought and
purpose has been to call the attention
| Vi inc Legislature and the public to
the maiiSn influence of any prison CON
tract system. This end seems TO have
oeen attained as II is apparent that
the prison contract system in Virginia
Is doomed. His further purpose In this
controversy was to clearly show TO the
public that the reasons given BY the
board for their failure TO re-elect him
as surgeon OF the penItentiary were
not based upon any dereliction of duty,
| incapacity or failure to perform the
! duties Of the office OF surgeon. This
has been clearly shown for in the
proceedings. both in the courts and be-
| lore the board Of prison directors. not
! one word has ever been said rejecting
on DIR. Carrington's conduct Is surgeon
OF INC pcnitentlary. nor has any one
| onered any evidence so rejecting on
his conduct or capacity"
Protest by Hart.
senator Hart said he desired 10 enter
protest He knew nothing OF any
controversy between the board and Or.
darlington, and cared nothing for IL
! indeed, he was sorry that II had oc
Cured. since his objection was indie
pendent, although it might look 10 be-
| syhlpathetic. He thought II unwise
Tor the Governor TO name Mr.. Scherer.
and did not believe he would have done
so If his attention had peen called TO
me TACT that the appointecs was en-
ployed In chasing down criminals and
putting them behind the bars. He
had nothing to say whatever as 10 Nr.
scherer's honesty or ability or as to
MS illness. aside from his profession.
Sut he did not think 1t n fair deal to
prisoners to put man whose mind was
naturally biased against such classes.
by mere force of his daily business, TO
SIT In judgment over their parole par
dons. Attorneys for the Common
wealth. he pointed out. after years OF
such occupation. get In the same mem
tai condition toward criminals
Speaker Byrd. counsel for Mr.. Scher-
or. said that the objection Of Senator
Hart was unjust, inasmuch as ii sought
10 prevent the confirmation by mere
personal opinion. without adducinR anv
evidence to show unftness He said
MI. Scherer was a man of high charac-
ter and perfect honesty and very great
ability--uscful and important in any
position In life In which he may be
placed
Asks Specifications.
The committee. said the Spenkor.
would not be justified in refusing Ia
confirm an appointment by the Cover
f, nor without evidence. upon the mere
opinion OF an Individual. Fairness. be
argued. required specifications
senator Hart said briefly in reply
that he had heard from different sec.
tions expressions of opinion similar
to his own.
Mr. scherer told the committee that
ne had left the employment of ". ID
| Baldwin four years ago and haa si,co
neen general claim agent for the Ches.
apeakc and Ohio Railway. AS such
the men who ore In the prosecuting
department report to him, alt Tough he
never sees the criminals himself or
| assists In running them down. He had
retused fec In the Beattie case which
no took at tho request Of Ben F. owen
and other friends. He recalled only
one railroad case which has come up
on application for parole since he has
| heen On the board. and then he refused
| 10 vote.
The committee went into executive
session. and In few moments reported
for confirmation by unanimous vote.
Sydnor s. iIundIcy Meeting.
L Stockhulders Of The Svdnnr q YI...aIa..