The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-07
BEFORE THE CAUCUS.
Apparently Has a Strong Lead
in the Speakership Contest.
The Friends Of Nearly All the Candidates for
Minor Offices Confident-The Devel-
Opments of a Day.

eral aspect of the spirited contest for the Gen
eral Assembly appointments, was the absolute
uncertainty Of the result Of the kaleidoscope
prospects of the leading candidates for the diff
ferent positions. From all appearances, the
probable result of the fight for Speaker of the
House seemed TO be indicated the most clearly,
but there are likely to be changes before the
caucus tonight which may entirely reverse the
situation. The most pronounced boom last night
was for Jewett, and the indications were all de-
cidedly favorable to his receiving the caucus
nomination. His failure to arrive in the city
until late Monday night, it was feared by some
of his friends, had given Gooding an advantage
which it would be hard for ''the young man
from Floyd" to overcome. The delay in Jewetts
coming. it is said, however, was in
territorial. He wanted the Gooding men
to fire off all their ammunition in the be-
ginning of the fight, so that he would
have an opportunity to counterfeit its effect be-
fore the holding of the caucus. 1t seems to have
proved a more polite move than it at first ap-
peared. The charges which had been made
against him were vigorously contradicted, and
where they were urged at all by his opponents
last night, it was apparently with little effect.
While the Jewett men seemed to be about as
hard to find on Monday as Jewett
himself, they were formidably numerous
yesterday. 1t seemed very much as if "the
woods was full of 'em, I" for they came in during
the day from all directions. 1t is said that their
delay in coming, as well as the absence of Jewett
himself, was preconcerted, theGintention being to
spring the full force of his ''boom" at the time
when his opponents believed that they had about
gained the victory. Tn changes during the day
were nearly all favorable to the young man,
and last night the friends of Gooding
were less s~anguine than they had found
cause to be in the seemingly assuring pros
poets from the situation in the morning. Al
though his supporters were active and allowed
few opportunities for gaining an advantage to
pass unavailed, they worked less effectively than
during the preceding day, while Jewetts friends,
most of whom came in fresh yesterday morning,
made a boom" of their support. During the
STSernoon the Marion county representatives
announced that they would give him their solid
support, which was wholly unexpected to the
Gooding men, and McMullen's withdrawal
from the contest in Jewetts favor brought the
young man another accession of strength which.
it was generally supposed, would be more likely
to go to Gooding. A vote will probably be
gained by one of the candidates by the with
drawal Of Browning, of Brown county, who had
rashly imagined himself a candidate until
yesterday afternoon. A report came from the
Jewett headquarters last night to the
ASN ehaO lao 0A INANO w u
favor of 1.-The young MAJ" in consideration of his
being rewarded with prominent recognition in
the appointment of the committees. A Journal
reporter asked Mr.. Williams if the report was
true.
at is not" he replied. 81 have twelve or six
teen votes pledged to me, and l shall 60 into the
canvass with them. / am not making any fight
against either Gooding or Jewett, but / will hold
the balance of power in the caucus, and l have
no intentions of withdrawing from the contest
GO0dinp claims that ha hoe thiptv-fo,1n untoc
pledged to him, but a politician who was shown
the LIST of names says that six of them have
promised to support Jewett, and that some Of
the others cannot be relied upon, because they
are men who are seeking committee appoint
ments, and will desert him if they have any
fears of his defeat.
II MINOR OFFICES.
The combinations and Changes on the candi
dates for clerk and doorkeeper of the House
night very uncertain. The Marion county
representatives promised their support to
Darnall for clerk and Neal for door-keeper, but
as both are from the same congressional district,
and O vigorous howl was made by all the other
candidates, they were forced to weaken on
Darnall last night. The changes during the day
were favorable to Armstrong for clerk, and his
friends last night were quite confident
that he would be the caucus nominee. If
the combinations which were formed
result in Armstrong being elected, Neal viii
certainly be door keeper, because the support Of
the two will come from the same source. It is
claimed, however, that Frye cannot be defeated
for door-keeper, because if either Darnall or Arm
strong gets the clerkship, the representa-
tiyes from the northern part of the
State will demand his election, because it
is the only position left for them. Max Dem
bufsky cl4ims that the contest for the clerkship
lies between Armstrong and himself, and he
says that they are friendly to each other. Dem
bufSky claims that he has twenty votes, and if
he finds that there is no chance for his election
it is quite probable that he will try to give Arra-
strong the benefit of hs support. The ''slate'
which seemed to be regarded last night as the
one most likely to be named in the caucus, was:
For Speaker-Charles L. Jewett, of Floyd county.
For Clerk. D.. Armstrong, Of Spencer county.
For Doorkeeper-Wm. Neal, of johnson county.
For Assistant Doorkeeper-J. 7. Tanning, of Mar
rion county.
The Indications are quite as favorable to Frye
for door-keeper as to Neal, but the combination
includes the latter. Frye is very sanguine of
his election. They may make any kind of a
combination, !" he said to a Journal reporter last
night; 'but they can't beat me. I have more
pledged to me than are needed to
elect me-" Thompson, of Bartholomew, it
was reported last night, had decided
to Withdraw. He will probably be given a SUBJ
ordinate position. Fanning's election as assist
ant clerk seems certain; but there was some
threatening talk last night from the friends of
the candidates who were suffering from the
open support which the Marion county Repre-
sentatives were giving Neal and Darnall.
1t looked very much last night as if Bert"
Kelley, of Terre Haute, would be the nominee
for secretary of the Senate. BY
active and adroit work he has succeeded
in gaining advantages which viii probably re-
suit in the defeat of Joe Riley. Notwithstanding
the claims of the latter. 1t is said that
Riley has been too modest, and has refrained
from requiring the aid from his friends which
he is entitled to-that he has relied too much on
his rights to the place without pressing his
claims. Kelley has been claiming that
his election was desired by Sena-
tor VOORHEES,. Yesterday afternoon Senator
Smith, of Bartholomew, sent a telegram to
Voorhees,, inquiring if there was any authority
for the assertion that he was personally interest
ed in Kelley's election. A reply was received
last night, saying; TT is wholly unauthorized"
If Kelley gets all the votes that are said to have