Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-22
A BOGUS DELEGATE.
How a Savannah Drummer Played
Good Joke on n Florida Convention.

How Savannah Drummer Played
Good Joke on Florida Convention.
APALACHICoLA, FLA, April IA rich
joke was played upon the delegates of the
Franklin County Convention, hald at lola,
April 6. The convention was held to select
a delegate to the constitutional conven-
ton to he held at Tallahassee. Franklin
and Calhoun counties form Senatorial
district; so the two counties We're to meet
at lola to select a delegate to represent
the two counties at the convention.
The Franklin county delegates had ar
rived at lola, and were waiting patiently
for the Calhoun delegation, when Mark +.
Strauss, representing Joseph Rosen-
helm & Co., of Savannah. arrived, and
walking up to MIR. George ii. Patton, Tax
Collector of Franklin county, who in
formed Mr.. Strauss what they were wait
ing for, when Mr.. Strauss and Mr.. Patton
made a compact to fool the balance of the
delegation, and pass Strauss off as a dele
gate from Calhoun. So Mr.. Patton took
Strauss and introduced him to the balance
of the delegation as Mr.. Jennings, of
Boardhead, delegate from Calhoun county.
They were glad to meet Mr.. Jennings.
One of the delegates from Franklin took
the bogus Jennings off to one side, treated
when the following conversation took
place:
Franklin County Delegate-Well, Mr..
Jennings, has your county selected man
for you to send to Tallahassee?
Mr.. Jennings-No, sir; we have come
uninstructed.
Franklin County Delegate Well, how
does Mr.. Ormond, of Apalachicola, suit
you?
Mr.. Jennings-Not at all, sir. We ex-
pect to vote for Judge Pickett, of Apa-
lachicOla, but rather than to create any
discord between the Franklin and Calhoun
county Democracy we will probably
vote for Mr.. Ormond rather than see you
90 home without making nomination.
Franklin County Delegate-That is
all we can ask, Mr.. Jennings.
Up to this time the Calhoun delegation
had not arrived, and it was getting late,
so the Franklin county delegation held a
caucus and decided that Mr.. Jennings
should have the power to cast the vote of
| Calhoun county, as the rest of the Cal
houn delegation had not arrived and the
| Franklin delegation wanted to get
! through and return home. Up to this
time only three of the Franklin delegation
knew that Mr.. Jennings, Of BOardhead,
was drummer, so, to pass away the
| time, they kept up the joke, and they
went into the convention. Mr.. Il. c..
! Blocker, of Carabelle. who was in the
Joke, nominated Mr.. Jennings as chair
man of the convention, and Mr.. Ormond,
who was also aware of Mr.. jennings
true name and occupation, seconded. The
motion was carried unanimously, and
Mr.. Jennings was made chairman.
Mr.. Blocker asked for the floor, and was
making an elaborate speech when the
CAhoun delegates arrived, when Mr..
Jennings, becoming frightened, gave five
minutes intermission, and, taking the
CalhOunites off TO one side, explained the
Joke to them. They all laughed heartily,
and said they would help him out of the
scrape, which they did in the following
manner:
They got to Quarreling with Mr.. Jen-
nmgs on account of his accepting the pro-
position of the Franklinites to cast the
votes of the Calhoun county delegates.
Through this fuss Jennings decided not to
90 into the convention at all, and so be
got out OF the scrape.
But the best of it all is that some of
Franklin cOunty's delegates don't know
now but that Mr.. Jennings was dele
gate, for Judge Pickett has been invited
by Mr.. Jennings to spend a couple Of
weeks at Boardhead this summer. Judge
Pickett intends to do so.