Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-11
DISTURBANCE IN THE KEN
TUCKY LEGISLATURE.
Terrible Scene at the Election of a Lady
Librarian,

Librarian.
frankfort Letter Feb. q to Louisville EUeniag
Post
The candidates for Librarian were
placed IN nomination. Five ladies' names
We're presented, as follows: Mrs. Mamie
h. Fish of Jessamine county, by Senator
Cox; Mrs. L. c. Read of Louisville, by
Representative Russell; Miss Nannetta
Daisy of Louisville, by Senator Robbins /;
Mrs. Annie B. Cook (present incumbent
of Henderson, by Senator Hallan; and
Mrs. Roger B. Hanson Of Mount Sterling,
by Representative Triplett. Senator L.
T. Moore created a good deal of merri-
ment by nominating Mr.. Charles McCon-
nell, of Boyd county. The gentleman-it
being indicated by the tallies that he stood
no show against his lady OppOnents-Was
withdrawn after the second ballot.
During the balloting the most distract
ing confusion prevailed in the hall, and it
was only by the constant rapping and
supplicatiOn that the vote could proceed
at all Besides the large number of ladies
on the floor, such number of other people
had gained admittance that it was verv
difficult for a man to move about. The
legislators had been crowded out of their
seats into the aisles, and the space in
front OF and at the sides of the Speakers
desk, and the clerks were compelled to fight
for elbow room when calling the roll. A
motion or remark from one part of the
room was almost wholly inaudible a few
feet of, and owing to this the taking of
the first five ballots was very tedious and
uninteresting.
There was not apparent any great inter-
est in either of the candidates, and the
bitter feelings which were afterward so
suddenly aroused were not suspected
On the third ballot Mrs. Read emily re-
On the fourth Miss Daisy, although she
had exhibited unlocked for strength, fell
two votes under Mrs. Fish and was re-
tired. On this ballot Mrs. Hanson and
Mrs. Cook, the two final contestants, were
very close together. On the next, the
fifth, they preserved their relative
strength, and each receiving more than
Mrs. Fish, she was dropped. This left the
vote between Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Han
son, with deal Of uncertainty about the
result.
The roll call began, and the contest be-
tween the two worthy women became the
closest ever known. Right from the be-
ginning they were either tied or only one
or two votes apart. The crowd, who had
waited patiently through the hours of dull
ness preceding, were aroused, and a gen.
uine enthusiasm excited. just before the
end the votes stood IS to IS. The next
Il
sounding cheer went up. The next name
responded Hanson, and the throats of her
friends again poured out cyclone of
sound. The Hanson members of the eau
Gus cried: ''She's got it." ''You can't
beat her."
The faces of Offutt, Julian and other
partisans of Mrs. Cook looked dOwncast.
Unless some votes were changed their
candidate seemed to be beaten. There
were some members who had not voted,
and if their ballots were cast it might
change the current. The last ballot
though was cast and showed Mrs. Hanson
in the lead. Reason here gave way to i'm
pulse, and the body, from a collection of
dignited gentlemen, became a lot of
maniacs. The Hanson people were shout
ing, Announce the VOTE" ''Let us hear
the ballot" "Hurrah for Mrs. Hansonw
etc. But tide of sympathy had turned
IN favor of Mrs. Cook. Speaker Robbins,
who had not voted at all, cast his vote for
her, others changed, and it appeared for
an instant as if she had the battle won,
when the Hanson hopes were aroused by
Senator Bruce, who stood upon his chair
and said that he had voted the proxy of
Gov. Meriweather all the time for Mrs
Cook, but had been instructed by
that gentleman that if certain contin-
gency arose he should change it. That
was, If it would at any time elect Mrs.
Hanson, the vote should be cast for her,
and he thought her time had arrived.
During the making of that speech such a
storm of discord and passion swept the
crowd as can scarcely be imagined. The
Cook men insisted that the proxy would
not elect Mrs. Hanson, and consequently
1t could not be cast for her. The Hanson
men came to the support of Bruce, and
shneklng, gesticulatory partisans of either
woman mingled in mad confusion. Rep
resentative Radcliffe was foremost
among the champions of Mrs. Cook, Isaac
Palmer Caldwell in the midst of the
struggle for Mrs. Hanson. What word
was uttered could not be heard, but in
tWinkling Radcliffe, with his eyes afame
and lips quiyering. sprang like a mailman
at Caldwell. 1t was time of terrible
portent. Men were irresponsible, and
only lightning-like move could prevent
a fray which would have been marked by
awful blOOdshed.
Sergeant-at-AIms Bart Jenkins was be-
tween Radcliffe and Caldwell before they
could come together. Although pressed
in on every hand he managed by gigan-
tic effort to force Radcliffe back. The
Speaker yainly beat the desk and called,
Bring in the police" Nothing but a
miracle could have caused a sudden calm
in that furious ocean. The CLEAN of the
KNIFE or the crack OF the pistol was mo-
mentarily imminent while the crisis
lasted. In few moments Radcliffe re-
gained control of himself and the danger
was over. One or two Representatives
now changed their votes from Mrs. Cook
to Mrs. Hanson. This again placed the
latter lady in the lead, and Representative
Radcliffe, who had in measure regained
his compOsure, made a short speech apollo
giving for his own conduct, and moving
that the nomination of Mrs. Hanson be
made unanimous. A seething assembly
thUndered "aye," and the work of the
evening was done.
Mrs. Hanson is probably the last lady
who will be elected State Librarian.
Numbers Of the members said last night
they did not want any more scenes like
that, and that the best way would be to
elect a man hereafter.