The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-26
Tells Why He Took Up
Defense of Officers who
Figured in Tragedy.
BIG MASS MEETING
Candidates for Legisla-
ture Address Crowd of
Citizens of Southside-
In Fulton Tonight.

Everybody In Richmond knows
my position on the question OF pro-
hibiti0n. The records will show
that was one Of three who voted
against an amendment to the bill
that prohibited the wife Of a farmer
making blackberry wine for her
own use. There were otter features
of the measure that did not meet
with my approval. But when the
legislature passed the hill and 1t
became n law. II WAS up to me. rs
IL WINS to every good citizen. to see
that the law il observed. and to do
everything in my power to assist In
Its enforcement.
my position in the matter of the
Woodstock tragedy has been mis-
taken by some Of nay friends and
has heen distorted by my political
enemies. I have been told that some
Of them will vote against me he
cause I am counsel for the officers
of the law, who In protecting the
interests Of the state, In carrying
out the law, were forced to shoot
and kill two men caught in the act
of breaking the law. These oHt-
GERS did exactly what any man
rested the boofleKEerS. having
caught them In the act, and in their
effort to escape one Of the men
drew n revolver and mred at the
officer, the bullet going through
his overcoat. and was about 10 FIRE
nrain, when the OFFICER. In seif-de-
Tense, shot hack. One Of the off-
GERS was struck over the head by
one Of the bootIeEger~. II was
purely a case Of self-defense.
.Tt I had mot gone to the defense
Of these men. would have been \
political coward. even though ! felt
that nay position might have been
r,stsunder~tood. when any cittsen
opposes amy law, he In undermining
the government. Every law should
he uphelA and enforced By every
a good cttlnen. r
~whem the Legislature franses 4
law. II In the duty Of all good. law
abiding cftiaens to see that II n oh
served
state Senator L. o. wendenburr
nj the meeting In South Richmond
last night in his speech to the
voters Of TINT section. made this
statement. 1T was the first oppor-
tanity he had of making the state
ment, and he injected Ii In his re-
marks on his claims to recognition
ny the voters 81 the city a. candle
date to succeed himself in the state
senate.
The mass meeting, under the auspices
Il the South Richmond Citizens asso-
iaeion, of which Augustine Royall Is
resident. and Ben p Owen, vice presi-
lent. was one of the most successful
sver held in the city The court room
vas filled and many people crowded
round the windows being unable 10
yet breathing space inside.
All the candidates with the excep tion
Il Senator James e Cannon. were
present. The absence of the senator was
Explained by Graham e Hohson as due
O illness.
The speeches were limited to five
minutes each. on motion of Mr.. Owen
md most OF them took advantage o,
his time limit. while others declared
hey could get through in less than
hat. One or two declared they could
Tot make political speech which
would do themselves justice in the
race of time. and 1t was suggested
hat whenever one of the candidates
Wished it. the time might be ex-
ended on vote OF the club. The ap-
'lause throughout was liberal. and
here was no display of Partially. al
hough two Of the candidates are ma
ives Of the Southside.
SUITS Are There.
A pleasing incident to the meeting
vas the participation in the speech
making by Miss l4yiele Clark. OF this
:ity, and Mrs. John II. Lewis. OF
hrst vice-president of the
'irginian Equal Suffrage league. Mr..
Owen introduced Miss Clark. who
n turn presented Mrs. Lewis. The
hort speeches Of both ladies brought
ut much applause from the audience,
vhich, however, had previously ex-
'ressed itself as being against woman
uffrage.
The people of South Richmond
re hospitable ami patriotic" Presi-
lent Royal had said in hts opening
emarks And the cordial reception
iven all the visitors bore out the
tatement.
Among the interested spectators
vere a number of local notables. in
luding Councilman John W. Moore.
alderman Joseph E. Powers. Council
nan Harvey e. Atkinson and Labor
John Hirschberg.
1t was said that the latter had his
ar to the ground in hope Of hearing
he sound Of something along the
yas taken up by the candidates d.
ectly interested in the coming prim-
~ OF August 5th.
OLD WAR HORSES.
Most Of the candidates are old war
lorses. They knew how to get next
0 the people. They were not what
night be termed pell-binders. but
hey were on to the game.
There were two. however, who de-
vered their maiden speeches.
One of them. J. T. Bethel, started
he ball rolling. and the other,
george L. Wilcox. wound up the meet
ng. Both made good impressions.
Bethel was up against 1t some, for he
ras placed In the position Of the act
n vaudeville bill. being the
opener" The vaudeville bill. il 1t is
cticed, usually opens with jugEler.
musical act. an acrobatic act. a
or some similar turn.
Ind the last act 10 usually called the
chaser" That, too, Il. al a rule. one
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