The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-06
THEY GAMpLEp FOR IT.
A Nomination Decided by Tossing Up
Dollar
From the ChlctQo Tribune.

DOllar.
From the CHICAGO Tribune.
WARRINGTON, Mo. Aug. 29.-Twqeandi-
dates for congress, attended by two friends,
met in room. Each candidate Dlt up
$1,000 The friends tossed up two silver
dollars TO decide which candidate should
have the choice of the nomination or the
money. The man who won the toss took
the nomination The mau who lost took
the money, went out and withdrew his
name from before the convention ana
turned over enough delegates to nominate
his lucky rival ltwas all accomplished III
half an hour
the seventh congressional district OF
Missouri has furnished some sensational
episodes in connection with its nominating
conventions. But there is nothing tnat
parallels to-day's transaction -Four years
age the democrats held two conventions
and had a thousand or more ballots before
they made nomination. Two years ago
there was another prolonged deadlock and
several hundred ballots before the decision
was reached. Yesterday for the third time
deadlock occurred, and to-day 1t was
broken ia the remarkable manner described
This is probably the only time on record
when seat in congress was staked Oh tne
toss up of a coin.
Whom the convention adjourned last
night 100 ballots had been taken. The clos
ing ballot was the same as the first Judge
Elijah Robinson had 81 votes, within three of
the nomination, Richard H. Norton had
Is. j. p. Wood, the progenitor of the local
option law, had g. his own county. Iheo-
doric McDearmon had II.
The forces of Robinson and Norton had
kept apart from each other since their ar
rival in town, but now began to whisper
and exchange views. They thought that
Robinson and Norton, being the two strong
est men in the convention, should reach
some arrangement by means OF which ore
or the other should be nominated. But no"
could this arrangement be made? There was
the rub. Robinson with 81 solid votes be
hind him-only three short of the requisite
number to nominate-could not be expected
to yield to Norton who had only IL
votes, But Norton considered, and with
some degree of correctness, that II the
issue narrowed down TO himself and hob
inson the votes of st. Charles, Rails, and
Warren would go to him. There was a
good deal of comforting and dallylng and
dickermg.
THE CONVENTION DELAYED.
The convention was scheduled to meet at
o'clock, but at that time the chairman
was not on hand. Half an hour elapsed
J
appearance. The sergeant-at- arms stood on
the balcony of the court house and called
the chairman in loud voice, as IS the Gus
tom of the sheriff to call witnesses, jurors,
or attorneys at county court houses. Still
the chairman did not appear, but at last,
when everybody was nearly out OF patience
and the hour Of $3.50 o'clock had arrived,
the chairman entered and assumed the
gavel.
The calling of the roll of counties was
resumed where it was left off last night.
The 1O1st ballot was without change. The
same can be lid of the six succeeding bal
lots. After the 10th ballot, Sol Hughlett OF
Montgomery moved a recess until 1885
o'clock. The convention agreed, and
dickering again became the order of the
day.
The friends of Norton and Robinson
made another effort TO reach an agree
ment Norton put himself in the hands
of Nat Dryden and said he woult
abide by anything that Dryden would agre'
to.
THEY TOSSED UP FOR 1T.
DRYDEN went to Robinson and suggested
| that he and Norton flip to see which SHOULD
| withdraw and which should should get tn
others support. Robinson agreed. Drydel
brought Norton and Robinson together
| They met in the little room with the rounC
| table covered with green cloth, with holt
| in the center, near Judge Peers law office
| Robinson wanted an advantage, having
| 81 votes. while Norton had but Is. Robin
son thought that he had ought to have tive
chances to Norton's one. Dryden, in be
half of Norton, would not agree 70 this, anC
at last, with the prospect of $4,000 before
| him even if defeated, Robinson yielded and
agree to take even chances.
Dryden produced a dollar and handel
| it to Norton. Norton placed it on the mai
| of his right hand thumb and tipped il
into the air. As it descended Robinson
shouted;
"Headsr
When it reached the ground those pres
emit rushed forward to see which sidt
was uppermost. Robinson lost. The
"tailn side was up. Then Robinson flippeC
the dollar, aad as it descended Morton
shouted:
"TailsW
at was tails, and Norton had won a seat
! in the Fifty-first congress.
Robinson stood TO his agreement like g
| thoroughbred. He sent word to his friend
to vote for Norton and to the Pike county
| delegates to withdraw him from the consid
Grafton of the convention. This is the insid
history of the proceeding. Only few o
the delegates knew how the thing wa
brought around.