The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-19
DRISC0LL NAY STEP OUT.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMIT
TEE ON IT'S METTLE.


THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMIT
TEE ON IT'S METTLE.
Committeeman Dr!scoll's Resignation
Asked FORA Lively Tilt Over the
Investigate Committees Report
The Executive Committee Refuses to
Adopt 1t Until the CLAUSE Exonerat-
ing Driscoll is Dropped Cut - The
Investigation of the Legisla tive Can
didates Results in Their Exoneration
How the Vote on the Investigating
Committees Report Stood.
The county democratic executive COM
mittee took the initiative as disciplinarian
last night by requesting Committeeman
John Driscoll to resign. The report of the
special committee which Investigated the
conduct of the legislative candidates was
adopted by unanimous vote.
Tie committee met in the city court
room. Chairman W. G.. Charlton presided,
with Maj. j. F. Brooks secretary. The
following report of the committee to in
yestigate the conduct of the democratic
legislative candidates signed by !. A Sclo-
mons, w. G. Cam aud 7. McAuliffe was
read, approved, and the committee was
discharged:
THE SUBCOMMITTEE s REPORT.
SAVANNAH, GA, Dec is, 1883.
To the Chairman ard Members of the Demo
cratic Executive Committee Of Chatham
COUNTY,:
Your committee appointed to investigate the
conduct OF the nominees OF the Democratic
party for the general assembly at the election
Z To submit
lowing report:
The investigation very full, and we take
pleasure in saying tn each one Of the nomi-
nees urged prompt and thorough examination
into all the facts bearing upon the su )ject.
There has been absolutely no evidence con-
meeting any of the nominees, viz: Hon. F. G.
duBlgnon, Hon. W. ". Gordon, Hon. Peter
Reilly and Hon. William Clifton, with any cou-
duct other than an earnest desire to further the
success of the straight democratic ticket, and
we further find, from the evid nee, that they
all endeavored to prevent the scratching of the
regular nominees, which was done upon the day
of the election.
We find that Hon. Peter Reilly did assist in
starting some of the tickets bearing the name
OF Gordon. Reilly and Morse Tor a republican
candidate), but the evidence clearly shows SUCH
tickets we're only used among parties who
would otherwise have voted the republican
ticket, and the tickets SO changed We're origi-
nally strai hit republican tickets.
THE DRIsCOLL INVESTIGATION.
The real int rest in the meeting was when
the question came up Of passing upon the
report Of the committee which investi gated
the action of the members of the executive
committee.
George w. Owens, Esq, held that the
subcommittee had transcribed its AUTHORITY
by Incorporating conclusions or deduction
in its report, instead of combining Itself to
statement of facts. He and Mr.. H. NJ
Conner asked the committee to state what
witnesses the committee had before it to
justify the deduction that Mr.. Drscou had
not endeavored to jeopardize the success of
any democratic nominee for the legisla-
ture."
Mr. w. G. Cam said that the report was
based upon the evi fence before the commit
tee. 1t had no stenograpber, and he was not
prepa ed to detail the evidence.
Mr.. Owens said that he was not question
ing the accuracy of the report. He wanted
to know if the deductions were borne out by
the testimony. What testimony, he in
quired, had the committee to Justify its
conclusion that member of the executive
committee had not endeavored to leopard
ize the success of any democratic nomi-
nee.
Mr.. Cam claimed for his committee that
it had reported only the facts
Mr.. Isaiah Solomons explained that the
sub-committe had done all in it's power to
get testimony before it, and had acted on
what evidence it had.
Mr. Owens asked the question point
blank, what witnesses had appeared before
the committee.
A SECRET INQUIRY.
Mr.. Cam refused to disclose the name of
any witness.
Mr.. Conner explained that the reason
why he desired to ask what witne ses were
before the commltte was that he had hea rd
hot Nv ha
amined.
Mr.. Cam declined to state whether or not
the statement was correct. He refused to
say what witnesses were before the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Conner said that he did not question
the accuracy of the report of The committee.
He opposed the deductions in the report.
They were made without having heard
testimony that might have changed them.
He had an affidavit that had come up in the
investigation of the conduct of the legis-
lative candidates., showing that Mr. DliscoIl
had worked against two candidates of the
Democratic party which h desired to read
In the light Of this affidavit it did not
justify such deductions as the executive
committee were asked to indOrse.
Mr.. Solomons explained the difficulty en-
countered by the committee in getting evi.
deaca before it.
Mr.. Conner disclaimed any reflection upon
the sub-comm tee. He said that he could
not go before the committee because he
knew nothing of the conduct of the parties
being investigated.
Mr.. Owens said that what he claimed was
that the subsequent testimony, that is, thu
testimony adduced before the comm ttee
investigating the conduct of the legislative
candidates put new phase upon the Goa
duct of one of the members of the executive
committee.
NJ. W. DIXON EXoNERATED.
On motion of Mr. Mi is the action Of Mr..
NJ. w. Dixon was first considered. Mr..
Minis motion was that Mr.. Dixon should'
be exonerated. The motion was unanimously
carried.
Mr.. Conner asked. and obtained leave to
read the affidavit of Julius Barth, VIII Gu
was in evidence before the committee to
investigate the conduct of the legislative
candidates The affidavit was to the effect
that at a meeting of an independent polit-
cal club of which Mr.. Driscoll was presi-
dent that he hal encouraged and advised
that Messrs. Gordon and Reilly should be
scratched.
Mr.. j. j. Sullivan moved that Mr..
Driscoll be exonerated.
Mr. Cam was again asked by Mr.. Owens
to state what testimo y was before his COM
mittee to justify its report exculpating Mr.
D. iscoll, and hs declined TO say what wit
ne seS were before his committee.
G. Hartridge, Esq, chairman of the COM
mittee, defended the report, but said that
l.. a l..fN ,rsA -.