The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-25 00:00:00

WEST SOUTHWARK.

The polling for the election of a member of Parlia-
ment for this division, in place of Mr. Arthur Cohen,
Q.C., who has retired, took place on Friday of last
week, and caused a great deal of interest, as it was
expected that the contest would be a very close one.
Mr. R. K. Causton, member of the firm of Sir Joseph,
Causton and Sons, and formerly M.P. for Colchester
was the Gladstonian Liberal candidate; and Mr. A.
Beddall, Barrister-at-law, who twice unsuccessfully
contested the borough against Mr. Cohen, Q.C. re-
presented the Conservative and Unionist cause. Mr.
Roderick, high bailiff of Southwark, acted as
returning officer, and through the arrange-
ments made under his dircctions for the
reception of votes, the polling was carried on from
eight in the morning until eight at night without
hitch or inconvenience. Both candidates were well
prepared, many carriages being lent by leading men in
their respective parties, although as the borough is
very compact the, use of vehicles could hardly be
called a necessity. There were four polling districts,
with stations in Holland-street, Marlborough-street,
Relvedere-place, and the Vestry Hall, divided into ten
polling places. All the vehicles engaged were
deem at with the colours of the respective candi-
dates—orange for the Conservatives, and blue and
green for the Liberals. As the great mass of the con-
stituency are working men, most of the voting took
place during meal hours and after five o'clock in the
aftern)on. Everything, however, was conducted
quietly and orderly-. It was . seen during the
day that the poll would be much heavier
than last year's, and it was also observable
that the organization on the Liberal side was
more complete than on the Conservative. But up to
the last the leaders of the latter were of opinion that
they had made a very good fight, if they had not
actually won. The result was, therefore, all the more
surprising. Shortly after eight o'clock the ballot boxes
were c.onveyed to the Vestry Hall in the Borough-road,
when the counting took place. It was not finished
until eleven o'clock. In the meantime a great crOwd
had assembled in the Borough-road, wait-
ing to learn the result. By half-past ten between
3000 and 4000 people had gathered, who amused
themselves with burning red (as the nearest approach
to orange available), green, andblue lights at intervals,
according as their political prepossessions dictated.
For a time a detachment of the Southwark Branch of
the Social-Democratic Federation, headed by a drum-
and-fife band playing the " Marseillaise," paraded the
streets in the neighbourhood, and later on another
band appeared carrying in their fore-front a large
white banner, with the words in blue letters, "Re-
member Mitchelstown," inscribed upon it. The crowd
became so dense that in order to regulate the traffic
the services of a considerable number of constables
from Blackman-street Station were brought into re-
quisition. At eleven o'clock the result was declared,
the band striking up immediately afterwards, "See
the conquering hero comes." The figures are as
follows:

Mr. Causton (G.L.)
Mr. Beddall (C)
Majority 1194
At the last election Mr. Cohen polled 2566 and Mr.
Beddall 2453. The Conservatives, therefore, polled
nine less than on the previous occasion, while the
Liberals have increased their strength by no less than
1072. Both Liberals and Conservatives were sur-
prised, the latter especially. Mr. Causton moved a
vote of thinks to Mr. Roderick, the returning officer,
which Mr. 13eddall seconded, remarking that the high
bailiff had done his work in an admirable nianner.
Mr. Roderick briefly returned thanks, saying that he
only sought to carry out the Act of Parliament, and
in carrying out Ms duties he kneiv no politics.