The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-10

waited patiently for some one to take the lesd.
Two reporters were hardly seated at the table
before Austin FL. Brown moved that
Adolph SeidenstIcker act as chairman. This
gentleman was sitting conveniently near
the place for presiding officer, ana
did not hesitate to assume the responsibility OF
Office Some one then moved that E. NJ. john
son should be the secretary and there being no
objection, this officer began service by borrowing
two or three sheets of paper from reporter.
With the meeting thus organized, James King
got the floor and said he understood this was to
be secret meeting of the committee OF one
hundred. II see two parties here, at least he
continued, who are not members. We don't
want our proceedings to go out TO the public.
The matter we have in hand requires secret de-
liberation =
II don't exactly know, said Mr.. Seidensticker,
"how far the order of secrecy was contemplated
in this meeting l tried to find some one Of the
committee appointed TO arrange for these pro-
ceeGngs, but failed Did that subcommittee
make any provision for orkeeper2"
Il am member of that committee" said Mr.
King "We selected no door keeper nor was it
decided to have the meeting public private.
We regarded the character of the proceedings to
be secret, and therefore took no formal action
But to bring the question fairly before the body
| move we 60 into executive session. excluding
everybody not members of the committee. The
motion did not find friend Of publicity and the
reporters passed out into the hall. Mr.. King
having thus taken upon himself hA,responsi'
secrecy
began to look around for door keeper. With
an appearance of great mystery he put his head
through the door ajar. and looking into the hall
espied Tim Griffin. He energetically beckoned
Mr. Griffin to come in and act as Cerberus.
"Now, what's the use of all that" remarked
Griffin, as he passed down the hall with the air
of disguised man. 'Why don't they have
these meetings pubc9 I'm no good in secrecy,
and, besides, don't want to be door keeper"
He answered the call, nevertheless stepped in
cEa6 thQ five
seconds he opened it suddenly and with dash
with his head feeling around the edge into the
inner corner, as il he had already caught vic
tim. The door closed with a dignity
BETTING the solemnity of the proceed
ings, which then began in earnest with a
short speech from Chairman Seidensticker. He
developed his text with considerable ingenuity
in speaking for fair elections and honest counts.
He did not regard election frauds and forgeries
as peculiar to any political party, but where
ever they occurred and By whomsoever they
were committed they ought to be denounced as
threatening to the safeguards of our liberty 1t
was the purpose of this committee to protect the
rights of suffrage. but he did not think any good
could be sudserved by organizing in aid of any
proceedings that might lead to persecution. This
committee had no relation to following up or
obtaining evidence for the purpose of proving
alleged Democratic frauds that happened in this
county. The other committee of one hundred
could do that He believed the purpose of the
body he presided over was to take another
branch and prevent high handed wrongs being
committed in stealing the Democratic legislative
majority on joint ballot. The Democrats he
said, undoubtedly had legally elected majority
of that body and it should be preserved by all
the assistance they. as committee of Demo
orats, could give. Thechairmans remarks were
received with applause.
In the. meantime, at odd minutes,
about eight or ten citizens applied
for admission Some were successful in getting
in; others had to go down stairs again, into the
darkness and rain. Among the latter Jim
Walsh. With the confidence of one whose De-
mocracy could never be question under the most
unfavorable circumstances this gentleman con-
temptuously pushed aside tho warnings of
friend and faced Tim Griffin. who, opening the
door about quarter of an inch. said sharply:
Are you a member of the committees" No"
Then you can't come in " and the door came to
with slam. Mr. Walsh retraced his steps. and
at the head of the stairway looked solemnly down
its perpendicular flight remarking, These are
murderouS steps, and, with this, and no more,
his shadow soon lost in the blackness of the
night. Another disgusted applicant for adms-
sion began to explain his thoughts and impress
sons about the meeting being a public one
Sure and understood it to be so when we ad-
journed on Saturday night That was a first
rate meeting"
You car. go up to the courthouse. That's a
public meeting"
But don't care anything about that want
to be where the Democrats are. 1t is all right,
though. If it's the committee of one hundred
that's enough" and out 9 went
By this time Colonel Mayn ri had the floor
the inside. He took for his xt alleged Repub
ican rascalites, past and y. esent Reviewing
what he said was the record of that party for
theviug, he exclaimed, s'Now their purpose is
to steal the Legislature. We must stand by our
brethren, no matter what it costs. The Demo
cratic party was never the party of fraud or of
perjury. Whenever it was beaten it has been
by Republican rascality And now they want
to steal the Legislature That so-called COM
mittee Of citizens now in session at the court
house is nothing out a Republican scheme to
and about prosecuting Democrats whom
they charge with perpetrating frauds
and forgeries All this is done merely to cast
odium on the Democratic party while the ras-
cay scheme to get possession of the Legislature
on joint ballot in order to elect United
States Senator is being accomplished When
ever the Republicans want to do anything they
seek the United States Court They have a
fondness for federal authority and the
removal of the election papers from the riehtful
custody of the county clerk was only to put them
iuto the possession of Republican officers" The
speaker then read a series of resolutions denun-
ciatory of this act which he termed as Repub.
lican trick to get hold of the papers. 1t was in
timated in these resolutions that all this was
DONE not for right, justice or the prosecution Of
! criminals, but to put the papers where they
| could be subjected to change. 1t is
uncertain what action occurred on the reading
OF this wholesale condemnation of lawful act,
but at the close the chairman put a motion and
there loud response of yeas, and no nays
After the meeting adjourned, gentlemen applied
to for information said Colonel Maynard only
read the resolutions and that he still has them,
without any vote being taken on them.
| A gentleman with an unknown voice said he
did not believe this committee could do much in
protecting the Democratic legislative joint ma.
| jority. The Republicans have too large a major
| ity in the lower house. sbut" he continued
,y,ni&t do d1o -,
eniug him, and let US organize for that purpose y
| This remark is somewhat obscure, but it
bears two interpretations one relative to assist,
ance in keeping the disputed Vigo county seat in
| garding Green Smith. This man, on his way
| to the city yesterday from Jennings county
| said: Il am not to be used as a tool, and l will
not usurp any power but | intend to stand on