The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-18
Retirement of r. B. Davis
Narrows Fight to Four.
Southwest Must Eliminate
One of its Candidates to
Have Chance Against Judge
West. Representing Tide
water and Southern Virginia,
and Judge Sims.

Between this time and Wednesday
night there viii he a number of con-
ferences In connection with the Su-
preme court tudgeship.
That will be necessary in order that
the candidates will know what TO do,
what to expect, where to throw their
strength for strtegical advantage. TO
get the man best suited 10 their sec
tons
The call for the caucus has been
signed by a large number Of members
Of both branches. and instead of the
circuit, city and other tudges being
named at that time the call has been
enlarged and made TO include the
highest position in the judiciary
There is already one retirement
from the contest, that of Captain X.
B. Davis, Of Petersburg. and 1t is ex-
pected that others will follow In the
next day or two. One man IS to he
chosen for the position for which
there are some ten aspirants.
The Fight Narrows.
General talk is that the flsht will
narrow TO these five msn--Jrdgc
Jesse f. West, for the Eastern section
OF the State; Judge f. W. Sims,
and either Judge Joseph +. kel~
ley, Judge W. f. Burns or Judge
r.. b. Hutton for the great Southwest
Which OF the three latter viii develop
the strength TO place him at the
head OF the lis, for that section is the
one question which is now agitating
the solons. the friends Of the candi-
dates and causing some anxiety amopg
the candidates themselves.
II Is a fact that the belief is thai
--ludze Kelly Miu be the man On Mhou
the Southwest will center. Ii is mo-
thought that Judge Walter r Staple!
hAs fnr har
he 10 not considered far enough ives
to be In the running.
The contest has been and is clean
cut In every way. There is no mud
singing. and the man who begins sucf
q thing viii live to rue the day tina
he undertakes to attack either OF thu
men who are in the race. They arr
men OF excellent habits many Of then
have had experience on the bench
they are trained lawyers. They have
s.een subjected to close scrutiny to se'
IL there liz an afffliation with inter
ests' or anything that would militat'
against them. Nothing Of the sort ha'
been inumated or suggested.
The fact that the notice of thu
caucus was published In each hoyse O.
fne legislature today set the support
ers to work in earnest They begal
To appeal to the members, to urge TIT
consideration Of the sections. to Elk
natiate at length on the merits OF thei
choice and did their best to exac
promises
There win be no nomination on tn.
FIRST ballot, Il IL believed. The contes
viii b drawn out 70 some four bal
Z lots The matter OF second and thirt
choice h, therefore. one Of the thing'
which In receiving attention. The
ynsmbeeS are being urged to tak'
poAlt1on A. far as the third ballot, tn
first not being of nearly so much i'm
portAnce AZ the second and third anS
the fourth. There Is where the f1gh
Will come--when the elimination o
aspirants begins
As to Judge Iawless.
An unusual situation has developed
In Norfolk county, where a successo
to Judge Joseph T. Lawless will hav,
TO be chosen and the new Judge swori
In and ready for. business as OF Febru
AIRY 1st when the term OF Judge Law
less expires, Judge Lawless has not
man to place his name before the leg
isiature, according TO Senator $. r
Montague, OF that county. Senate
Montague further declares that Their
liz not q member of the Legislature
from the entire Second congressiona
district who will either name or vot'
for Judge Lawless
There Is a powerful delegation here