Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-06-18
The Democratic Convention.

in this town last Monday afternoon, at l
O'clock, and after delay, were called To
order by Chairman David Marshall, who, after
securing order, announced that the election OF
q President for the convention was the hrst
thing in order. Capt. James Martin was nom
mated by the friends of Judge Bredln, and
John Roth, Esq, by the friends of McQuis-
ton, for the position, and a motion to call the
ayes and nays on the question, carried. Mar
shall appointed Messrs. A. Bowers and George
Walter temporary secretaries, and the districts
were called over for :he purpose of securing a
list of the delegates present a vote was then
taken for President and Capt Martin secured
secured the position by n vote of 60 to Al, the
delegates from every district, l05 in all, being
present and voting. Mr.. Martin mounted the
platform and made a little speech, saying,
among other things, that he had been Demo-
crat for 40 years. and was one during the war,
when it was necessary for Democrat to carry
cold steel in order to protect himself. Messrs.
A. P. Stewart, E. FL. Anderson and August
Bowers were then elected Secretaries. mo-
ton was made, seconded and carried that all
persons in the room, excepting delegates, men,
bers of the press, and some gentlemen from
Lawrence county, be requested TO leave 1t.
This was carried, but the outsiders refused to
leave, and it took half hour to persuade them
to do so. Jim Gribben was the last to surren-
der. He was hidden among the delegates, but
a heartless delegate pointed him out to the
face were passed through the door, amid
general hand-clapping. a motion TO endorse
the candidacy of John McMichael, was made,
and Mr. McConahay, former District Attor-
ney of Lawrence county, was invited TO make
few remarks Nee, said that Mem was
credit to the Democratic party and an honor to
the district, asked only justice to him and
don't complain of the treatment he received
ten years ago. He was here to ask from But
Ter county that cordial support his ability and
character demanded. Lawrence county was
entitled to one of the Judges, and the Demo
Gratis of Lawrence county would support the
Butler county nominee The motion endors
ing McMichaei was carried unanimously.
1t was then moved and carried that any
who bolted their instructions on First Ballot re-
ceive the censure of the convention.
A motion to proceed to the nomination OF
Judge, then prevailed. 1t meant the hight OF
the day and the convention was anxious to
have done with it. Esq. Mckee nominated
James Bredin Thos. Mcmillan nominated Lev.
McOuistion, and Dan Wallet nominated L. Il.
MITCHELL but somebody withdrew MitchelFs
name The roll was then called and the dele
gates voted by districts, generally calling two
for one or the other candidate, and occasionally
one for each. A dozen or more persons kept
the tally, when the last district was called and
it was known that Bredin had received the
most votes a dozen of McQuistion's friends
were on their feet denouncing the delegates
from PetrolIa for boiling their Instructions.
Delegate Foote of Petrolia of Petrolia charac-
terized their assertions as falsehoods, and was
called upon to show his instructions, which he.
did, but as he had no tally sheet, this was called
for, and confusion reigned supreme dozen
delegates talking and shouting at the same
time. Roth and Marshall did the most of the
speaking in the McQuistion interest and
Mechling and Mckee for Bredin. The vote
of Connoquenessing South which had voted one
for each, was called III question and delegate
Kaltenbaugh came forward and said that he
had made mistake and should have voted for
Bredin instead of McQuistion. A new ballot
was called for but the motion was lost by
rising vote and motion to make Bredin'S
nomination unanimous, brought on another
bear garden scene. More speeches were made
for Justice fairness, etc., those by }. Nj. Mar
shall beginning" Friends Democrats and Fellow
citizens" being particularly eloquent and con-
vincing-or at least they might have been
had anybody heard them. Amid the general
confusion, one of the clerks got the attention
if the convention and stated that los instead of
LOG votes had been cast and there would have
to be another ballot, and new motion to that
effect carried. The clerk was called upon to
read the first ballot, which originally stood 90
to SO, but after being corrected stood Sc TO 81
in Bredin's favor. A new ballot was then taken
which resulted in Bredin's nomination by
vote of 54 to 80. Again was the vote of some
districts called in question and again the whole
convention wanted to talk at the same time
and succeeded in doing so. A motion to make
Bredin's nomination unanimous brought out
cheers and yeas, and also some noes.
McQ's friends felt sore over his defeat, and there
was some talk that evening of his being an in
dependent candidate, but we understand that he
has given that up. Some of McQuistion's
friends think that he was brought out by
Forquer, only to tickle his vanity and kill him
off politically, as he (Forquer) is really for
Greer, and intended to help defeat McQuistion
at the fall election if nominated.
After such fuss it took some time to quiet
the convention, when Frank Eastman, Esq,
was unanimously nominated for Congress.
George 4. White, j. E. Bard, George Ii.
Graham and VIM. Ill. Hoffman We're nominated
for State Senate. Grahams name was with
drawn, and Hoffman was nominated on first
ballot, receiving 56 votes to Bard's 80 and
Whites 13.
For Assembly, Jacob Zeigler and ]. B.
McNair were nominated by acclamation.
For Sheriff Bull, was nominated on first bal
lot, receiving 81 votes to Keasy's 3S, Graham's
II, and Wards g. and his nomination was
made unanimous. Ward had released his del
egates before the convention met.
For Prothonotary, Brown was nominated on
first ballot receiving 81 votes to Cornelius 40,
and his nomination was made unanimous.
For Register and Recorder, Aggas was nom
mated first ballot, receiving 63 votes to
Bedillon's 80, and McKearns' IS, and his NOM
ination made unanimous.
For Treasurer, McElhany was nominated on
first ballot receiving 80 votes to McKissick's 81,
and his nomination was made unanimous.
For Clerk of Courts, N. Allen was nomi-
mated on first ballot, receiving 20 votes to
Books Sc.
For County Commissioner, Kelly was nom-
mated on second ballot, and Collins on fourth.
Esq. Pringle says that fraud and deception
were practiced in the convention and an
nounces himself as an Independent candidate.
J. L. Hindman and Andrew Harper were
nominated for Auditors, and Theo. Kersting
for Coroner.
No committee on resolutions was appointed
and consequently the convention had none to
act upon, but they passed resolution to here
after hold their primaries by the Crawford
county system
James Britain, Esq, was elected Chairman
ct the County Committee, and John Roth, ESD,
State Committeeman.