Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-01-21
SIMS is CHOSEN
FOR JUDGESHIP
Named as Successor to
Judge Keith by Demo-
cratic Caucus
fakes TWO BALLOTS
fakes TWO BALLOTS
His Nomination, However. Was Made
Unanimous Before Second Vote Was
Announced.

Richmond. Jan. 2l-Frederick Will
mer Sims. of Louisa, former judge and
State Senator, and for twenty-five
wears distinguished member of the
bar was last night nominated by the
Joint Democratic caucus of the Gene
raj Assembly to the vacancy on the
bench of the Supreme Court OF Ap-
peals of Virginia, which will be Great
cd on February /, 1917, by the re-
tirement of Judge James Keith.
The nomination took place on the
second ballot, Judge Sims polling
sixty one votes to the fifty-one votes
received by his opponent, Professor
William Minor Lille, dean of the law
department of the University of Vir-
ginia. Upon the motion OF Senator
Saxon W. Holt, of Newport News, the
nomination of Judge Sins was made
unanimous before the vote was All
nounced. He will be formally elected
to the high office Of judge of the Su
preme Court of Appeals later in the
present session, and will serve for Il
term OF twelve years. beginning Feb
ruary /, 1917.
Only one other candidate was nom
inated-Judge Edward S, Turner, OF
Warrcnton. The first ballot was taken
with ali three asplrants in the race
the vote resulting as follows: Lille. ~;
Sims 80. and Turner II. Under the
rules of caucus, the name OF Judge
Turner was then dropped, and the
contest on the next and last ballot
narrowed down to Judge Sims and
Professor Lille.
Judge Sims is native Of Louisa
county, where he was born on July
%, 1862, the son of DR.. Frederick II.
and Maria Louisa kimbrough Sims.
His legal education was obtained at
the University of Virginia. He was
admitted to the bar in 1855, begin
ming his active practice at Louisa.
On January l, 1891, he was elected
Judge of the county court of Louisa
county. an office which he filed until
it was abolished by the new Constitu'
ton on February /, 1904. In Novem-
ber. 1905. he was elected to the State
Senate from the Thirteenth District.
He served on the Committees on Pri-
vilcgcs and Elections, Courts of JUS
ticc, Roads and Internal Navigation,
and Enrolled Bill. In 1888 Judge Sims
married Miss Lucy Payne Winston,
daughter of the late Colonel William
A. Winston, of Louisa.
While the Democratic members OF
the two houses went into caucus under
a current prediction that Judge Sims
would be nominated before the ever-
ing was over, there was sufficient
element of doubt to make even the
stanchest supporter of the Louisa man
apnrehensive of a last-minute realign-'
ment. Not the least factor that con-
tributed to this feeling of insecurity
was the strength of a third faction
which championed the cause of Judge
Turner 1t was recognized that the
Turner men held the balance of pow
ar and that the manner in which
they would split. up after their can
didate was dropped would determine
the election.
State wide interest in the contest
among lawyers and laymen alike
hacked the gallery and lower floor Of
the hall of the House of Delegates
with demonstrative crowd. Long be-
fore Chairman Jordan, of the joint
caucus. called the body to order the
gallery was filed to overfiowing. The
assemblage included former members
of the Legislature and prominent
members of the bar and judiciary.
from Richmond and many sections of
the State. A number of women were
interested spectators, all of them TAX
ing a keen interest in the proceedings.