The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-08-30
Democratic County Convention.

The grand sachems of the Elk
County Democracy met in solemn
conclave, at II NJ. on the 2Sth inst,
| to place candidate in nomination for
the office of sheriff.
J. c. M'Callister of Horton was
chosen chairman, and G. G. Brandon
and E. j. Miller secretaries.
On the call Of townships, a full rep
resentation was reported present, and
no seats contested, all of which be-
tokened harmony, and when the con-
vention adjourned for dinner,it seemed
as though the lion and the lamb had
taken the same bed, and that united
Democracy was once more to "hold
the fort" in Elk county.
Alas, how vain are human eXpecta-
tions as the sequel will show. AT 2
o'clock the meeting was resumed, and
the nomination for Sheriff proceeded
with. First, u resolution was offered
and carried by a vote of to II COM
pelling all candidates to sign an agree
ment to support the nominee of the
convention. John Kline, of Ridgway;
Y. j. Burke, of st. Mary's, and James
Phalen, of Fox were then placed in
nomination, and the nominations de-
clared closed. Upon the request of
the chairman for the candidates to
sign the agreement Mr.. Kline re-
spOnded with alaerity, and Mr.. Burke,
after the second or third invitation
also put down his fist" Mr.. Phalen
however, in telling speech, declined
to sign any paper in order to be II cam
didate before any convention, which
speech WAS applauded to the echo.
The balloting proceeded, resulting
on the first ballot in Kline receiving
ten votes, Burke ten votes, and
Phalcn two. The chair voted for Mr..
Kline, and at once declared Mr.. Kline
the nominee. a good deal of "chin
music" was INDUCED in when it was
decided that eleven is not a majority
of twenty three, and that throwing
cut candidate, does not of necessity
throw out his delegates. The ballot
ing proceeded, resulting, with one or
two exceptions, in Kline ten, Burke
ten, and Phalen three, until the fifth
ballot when Phalen withdrew his
name (which was in reality not before
the convention, all votes for him being
considered as blanks) and his delegates
from Horton, being instructed for
Kline, second choice, one of them
voted for Kline on the sixth ballot
and one refused to vote, the other
Phalen delegate from Fox voted for
Burke, making the ballot stand Kline
| eleven; Burke eleven; blank zone.
On the seventh ballot the vote stood,
Kline eleven, Burke eleven, when
the chairman voted for Kline, giving
Mr.. Kline the nomination by one ma
jority. When the nomination of Mr..
Kline was announced by the chaI
VIII Dickinson, delegate from Ridg-
way, moved to make the nomination
unanimous, whereupon motion after
motion was hurled at the chair, in
total disregard to parliamentary and
all other rules, until confusion reigned
supreme, threatening to break up the
meeting in disorder; the main bone
of contention lying in the fact that
Mr.. Madigan, delegate from Horton
declined to vote on one ballot, and the
Burke men endeavored to get motion
passed disqualifying Mr.. Madigan
from voting, and all this after the
chair had decided the result of the bal
| lot.
The only real ground we could see
for the commOtion being that Kline
received twelve, and Burke only
eleven votes, had the result been re-
versed no doubt peace would have
spread her pinions over a united
brotherhood or words to that effect
As it is it is not our funeral, but il
looks now as though the mourners
might be many.
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