The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1878-08-29

n wouldn't sell it to him, and that's the
cause of thin chargesl" MIR. Houston
folded his arms, and looking steadily
ut the accused delegate, remarked qui-
etlv, 4" Mr.. Chairman, the gentleman
/ is q linr 7" This was the sigma for gen
,eral confusion. and cries of question:!
'sPut 'em outl" arose from al parts OF
the hall. In the midst of the uproar
Gov. r.. G. Wickliffe mounted a chair,
and in voice which could have been
heard above the roar of mnsketry de
clared that while the resolution should
be adopted if the accused delegates were
guilty, the convention would be guilty OF
a great wrong if itcondemned them with
ont hearing. He therefore moved Tor
a committee to investigate the charges,
which was at on e appointed, the chair
man of the convention announcing that
| it would meet in the same hail. for the
| investigation. immediately after the adj
| inurnment of the convention. and re-
unesting the accused delegates, and all
witnesses, to he present ut the investi
CATION The convention then adjourned
until Iext day.
The nextmorning (Tnesdmy) the com
mittee of investigation reported the
charges against the fonr delegates from
the tenth ward of Orleans fully sns-
tuined, and on the adoption of the re-
port there were loud cries of Put 'em
out!" A voice from the tenth ward
delegation WIS heard, They're all out
side Fearing criminal arrest and
prosecution for bribery, the guilty del
egates had gone down the river the
night before. On motion of the Calca
sien delegate the remaining eight dele
gates from the tenth ward of Orleans
were allowed to cast the full vote of that
ward III the convention.
After a recess till noon, the commit
tee on platform and resolutions male
their report. taiready publisheD and
then nominations were made fer State
Treasurer D. C. Moncnre, of Caddo,
Robert Richardson. of Onuchita, aud
E. A. Burke, of Orleans. were put in
nomination, and until eleven o'clock at
night the convention was engaged In
probably the most remarkable contest
ever witnessed in State convention.
The first ballot stood, Moncnre 1874 3,
Burke 1872. Richardson 931s For eleven
CONSECUTIVE ltbllto--"lbuouuE FNGh
cess for dinner or supper--the friends
If each candidate, with unimporthuJ
variations, maintained the sincerity of
their first choice. Moncure never went
above 1877, and except on two ballots
Richardson never went 'above95, and
Burke never went above 157. Towards
midnight the two secretaries who alter
natey called the roll Of parishes became
so exhausted that on the suggestion of
the chairman, after the 45th ballo, the
fol call was discontinued and the sec
rotary WAS instructed to wait five min.
ntes, during which time auy delegates
were allowed to announce any change
they desired to make in balloting, and
then to announce the ballot last taken,
or as changed by any announcements
by the delegates. Six ballots were Ehus
announced ut intervals Of five minutes
each, showing no change in the doth
billot. After the ODD ballot DIR. Taylor
of St. Landry, was pntIin nomination;
the ballots then were-53d, Moncnre
1866, Burke 145 Richardson n. TAYLOR
30 54th. Moncure 1866 Burke l45, Rich
ardson II, TAYLOR 30; Both Moncure
l54, Burke las Richardson n, Taylor
Al. Many delegates were asleep, and
had to he walked up. Several motions
to adjourn till next morning were made
by Richardson's friends, and We're al
ways met with yells of No! Mo- from the
Moucure men. Frequently the yeas
and NAYS, and call forttl,e roll of par
ishes were demanded on these motions
to adionrn, and then some sleepy dele
gate, walked up to answer yea or nay,
would make a mistake, from the force
Of habit, and growl out "Moncnre,' or
.'Richardson." eeliciting roars OF laugh
ter. AT last the city delegation voted
solidly Withthe Richardson men in favor
of adjournment. and at III p NJ, the
convention was adjourned till 8 A. M.
next day, tCalcasieu having voted ON
every ballot for Msmcure.
At the opening of the convention.next
morning "Wednesday, Aug 7th) Mr..
Sinclair, of Lafonrche, presented a re-
solution, which was thereupon advoca-
ted on behalf of Burke, Richardson and
Moncnre. providing for an infor.aa test
ballot between the three highest candi-
dates IN the following order: LIST, Burke aud
Richardson, I'd, Burke ami Mo cure, I'D, Mon.
cure and h harrison; each ward and Parish
cast its full vote on each .,allot; DO new yno,nin
ftions tv be made; the candidate rece wing the
lowest agg egate yott to be dropped, and a i
nal iegular b ,illt 10 be taken between the re
naming TIVE candidates. On the fret ties bal
lot. between Bake and Richardson, 70 lca-ieu
voted blank, out being reminded that the reso
LUTON required eacn parish TO cast its iiul s,te
on each test ballot voted FIR ri ID ,riisan. Mr.
MOncnre at the q ,ne moment made q atement