The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-09-15
THE VOTE FROM LUZERNE.

A correspondent of the Press, wri-
ting from llazleton on the 8th inst,
says "Mr Buckalew's defeat was
agreed on before the conference met.
Col. Robert Klotz, the present member
from the district, could not openly be a
candidate, as he has held the office two
terms. However he considered him.
self a promising dark horse, and
throughout the contest his anxiety was
something of the proportions OF his
natural form, and as little concealed.
/. The manner in which John
A. German handled the conferees from
Luze ne surprised even gray headed old
wire-pullers. In the first place these
conferees were conceded to Sam
uel b. Price. very respectable coal
operator at Upper Lehigh, and 1t was
understood that no opposition would
be made to him. Older politicians
than Mr.. Price warned him to beware
of Mr.. German who has always acted
for Col Klotz, but Mr.. Price was
guileless enough to believe all the
Hazleton politicians told him, and
when the Convention met he was very
much surprised to find Mr.. German the
candidate of lower Luzerne. One of
the three conferees was DIR. S. w.
Trimmer of White Haven, Mr.. Cor
mans arrangement with DIR. Trimmer,
Judging from some emphatic remarks
of the Doctor after the Convention
Conference was, that his conferees
should be thrown for Mr.. Buckalew at
the proper time. Col. Klotz never had
any idea of allowing Mr. German to do
any such thing, and the lower Luzerne
conferees did not vote for the ex-Sen-
ator This was Mr.. Germans sur
prise number two
Thus far the correspondent of the
Press, who has apparently obtained
an inkling of the facts from well in
formed sources 1t is perfectly true
that German was pledged to DIR.
Trimmer and to others, before he car
ried the Hazleton Convention against
Price, that his conferees should vote
with Columbia county in Conference
whenever his own name vas with
drawn or dropped. And it is true also
that he secured by this means the
votes necessary to his success in that
Convention. So also Mr.. Hart, one of
his conferees, at the time he was
chosen declared his choice, after Cor
man, would be Mr. Buckalew. Several
of our citizens who were present at
Hazleton, can, in addition to DIR.
Trimmer, testify to the position and
pledges of German, and to the fact
that it was by virtue of those pledges
that he carried vote of % to 20 in
Convention against Price.
But Gorman was speedily captured
by Klotz. and the Conference ecord
shows that when his name was with.
drawn on the last ballot the votes OF
his two conferees who were subject to
his control, were transferred to Storm.
His pledge was not kept but was
treacherously broken, and bis confer
ee votes, which controlled the result,
were therefore false yotes.
We would gladly stop at this point
anu ylciu w Ohoiioy tuO uSio Va co'J
ure to find an excuse or palliation for
faithless conduct. But we must add
the mention of circumstances, which
forbid the field to charity and exclude
silence w zen no: ination for Miles,
upon consideration of $1,000, was
proposed to his principal conferee, it
was with Gorman that the go-between
openly consulted. Nothing however
came of that negotiation, for Montour
was not in the market to buy or to be
sold. Again, soon after the adjourn
ment of the conference it was the same
impecunious candidate who was seen
with considerable roll of money in
hand, and somewhat elevated with
drink, engaged in discourse or contro-
versy with one of his conferees, in a
recess from the sidewalk, adjoining
the American Hotel This statement
is made upon the sufficient authority of
Mr.. F. L. Miles, reputable conferee
from the county of Montour.