Delegates Elected

Judge Waddill attempts to block John Mitchell’s bid appear at the Republican convention.

The precinct meetings held in Henrico Co. resulted in complete victory for the Lamb forces.
In Tuckahoe township a divided delegation was the result, as was also the case in Varina. But in Brookland township ten solid Lamb men were elected and ten more in Fairfield township. But in the last named place because he was not placed on the delegation sent from there declining to be pledged to support Mitchell, J.W. Donley refused to sign the credentials of the delegation.
SCANDALOUS PROCEEDINGS.
This was done too in the face of the fact that he participated in the meeting and did not withdraw. When it adjourned there were but three men with him and he had to take men off the other ticket and then the list was incomplete.
The county convention met Monday, March 23rd, at Henrico Co., C. H. A seething mass of humanity tilled the court-yard and street. It was overwhelmingly in favor of Col. William Lamb.
DOORS LOCKED.
The court-house door was kept locked. Democratic constables guarded the front and rear and threatened to arrest the delegates who were in favor of Col. Lamb, if they attempted to secure admission. There was a unanimity in favor of Mitchell for the National Republican Convention, which astounded even his opponents. Chairman Southward, the leader of the Waddill forces, admitted that the Fairfield delegation were plainly entitled to their seats and yet they were locked out of the convention.
MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT COMMITEE DEBARRED.
Alderman John Mitchell, Jr., secretary of the Third Congressional District Committee was denied admission by the Democratic constable upon orders from Waddill’s henchmen.
Randall Burrell was elected temporary chairman, and this vote was subsequently changed and Albert Carter placed in the chair. His unprincipled and scandalous action was a disgrace to civilization.
It was openly asserted that the Lamb delegates would be frozen out, and that no quarter would be shown them. Squire H. F. Jonathan, Alexander Gaines, Alderman James Bahen, Wm Custalo, W. S. Selden, Wilson Nash, Lawyer S. C. Scott, W. G. Singleton, E. A. Washington and the fighting Lawyer Pollard headed the Lamb forces and contended for the right be heard in the county convention. "
Mitchell! Mitchell!" was the cry.
TO BE FROZEN OUT.
The Dispatch reporter came to Alderman Mitchell, having just left ex-Judge Waddill and said; "You'll be frozen out." "We'll see about that.” was the reply.
They had determined to admit only enough for them to carry out their nefarious plans and to lock out all who were not in accord with them.
Alderman Mitchell held a consultation and the course to be pursued mapped out. It was determined elect delegates inside of the court room although Waddill's plan was force the Lamb forces to elect them elsewhere.
BY A LARGE MAJORITY.
The result of the vote disclosed fact that Col. Lamb's followers had 27 out of the 40 delegates. No sooner was this ascertained than a system of jugglery began. Judge Waddill openly paid the delegates money to endeavor to get them to change. He was jeered by the seething multitude.
Finally after barring out the legally elected Fairfield delegation during temporary organization, the committee on credentials reported in favor of seating that delegation and ousting the legal ten delegates from Brookland township.
The prima-facie delegated nor the contestants from the Lamb side were not admitted, Lawyer S. C. Scott, the precinct chairman and a delegate being denied admission.
NO DISCUSSION ENTERTAINED.
No discussion was listened to and gag-rule of the most pronounced sort resorted to. It was then that Lawyer Poilard entered his protest, and W. U. Singleton's stentorian voice was heard declaring that as they could not get justice from this chairman, he would have it from another.
Edward Mitchell from Woodville had been denied the right to be heard on the report of the committee on credentials and he was adding his voice to the bedlam of appeals. Suddenly they ceased.
Editor Mitchell, who had secured admission from the rear in company with Squire H. F. Jonathan to the surprise of the Waddill forces stood in the doorway.
DELEGATES ELECTED.
This accounted for the quietude. In an instant Edward Mitchell was made permanent chairman, and E. A. Washington, secretary. A motion was made specifying W. U. Singleton, L. H. Dickerson, Edward Mitchell, E. A. Washington, John James, Jr., S. C. Scott, John L. Gaines, Daniel Liggans, Henry Hossier, J. R. Pollard, Robert D. Brown, H. Crutchfield. Alternates - Walthall James, William Murray, Charles Brown, J. S. Evans, Charles Washington, Robert L. Brown as delegates to the state and district conventions. It was seconded and carried.
A motion endorsing Col. William Lamb as state chairman was put and carried and a similar one endorsing John Mitchell, Jr., as delegate to the National Convention.
WHEN THE MEETING ADJOURNED.
The meeting then adjourned. Albert Carter, who had so unceremoniously ridden over the rights of the majority was astounded, as were others of Waddill's henchmen.
A meeting had been held before their eyes, they helping to swell the attendance and the delegates to the mate and district conventions elected before they were able to regain their wits.
When Mitchell's forces attempted to leave the court-room, they found that they had been locked in by this un-republican crew in order for them to swell the minority in a manner as to say that a majority was present when the delegates were elected.
THROUGH THE WINDOWS.
In this they were unsuccessful. Windows were raised and the people on the outside were astounded to see the Mitchell delegates leaping there from to the ground below.
The court-house looked deserted inside and the gaps left gave it an appearance as though dynamite had been exploded in the midst of those assembled. In a room below resolutions denouncing the action of the Waddill faction and discountenancing their illegal action were drawn up, signed, and sworn to before a magistrate by 27 of the 40 delegates to the convention.
It was not long before the Waddill crew, beaten and out done withdrew and the court-house was deserted. The fight had lasted from 12 o'clock until 7 p. m.

“Delegates Elected,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 19, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1667.