The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-06
C0MMITTEEMEN AT OUTS.
THE DRIscoLL-DIxON INvESTIGA-
TON HANGS FIRE.

The Investigating Committees Report
to the County Executive Committee
Received, But Final Action Post
poned-A Lively Debate over the
Report-The Conduct of the Legisla-
tive Candidates at the October Elec-
ton to be Looked Into.
There was lively meeting of nine of the
twenty-five members of the county demo-
cratic executive committee in the superior
court room last night, and some ecrimoni-
Gus tits of debate. The meeting was called
to hear the report of the special committee
to Investigate the conduct Of executive
committeeman at the polls on the day of the
state election in October.
The members of the executive committee
present were Messrs. w. G. Charlton, chair
man; w. G. Cam, acting secretary: George
w. Owens, Esq; Gazaway Hartridge,
ESQ.,; Capt John Derst, Merritt w. Dixon,
John j. Sullivan, T. McAuliffe and John
Drlscoll.
Gazaway Hartridge, Esq, chairman of
the investigating committee, presented and
read the following report, prefaced by the
statement that it was signed by all the mem
=
NJ. A. O'Byrne, Esq, who was not present.
THE COMMITTEES REPORT.
Your committee appointed to investigate re-
ports of the conduct of members of your body
on the day set apart for the election OF senator
and representatives in the general assembly of
Georgia, beg permission TO submit the following
Evidence only as to two members of the com
mittee was obtainGble, viz: as to Mr.. John
DFiscon and Mr.. NJ. ". Dixon.
We find in the case of Mr.. Driscoll that he
scratched the names of Hon. Peter Reilly and
Hon. w w Gordon. This Mr. Driscoll admits.
Mr.. Driscoll denies having used any effort TO
defeat them, his efforts being directed to
pumping Mr.. William Clifton and Mr.. F. G..
duBignon. Mr.. Driscoll AYERS that he did not
vote for any other candidate for the legislature.
He wishes to deny that he worked against the
success of the ticket or in favor Of any negro
ticket or republican candidate. We find that
these statements and denals Of Mr. Drscoll are
all true and entirely credible. We do not find
that he endeavored to jeopardize the success Of
any democratic nominee for the legislature.
In the case OF Mr. ~ " Dixon, we find that
candidate for governor, but we do not find that
Mr. Dixon endeavored in any other way to i'm
peril his chances of election.
Rumor has reached us that other members of
the executive committee engaged in scratching
the stra ght democratic ticket for the legsla-
ture, but we have been unable 10 substantiate
these rumors. We cannot verify these rumors.
aud have no evidence TO adduce either for or
against these reports.
The report was signed by G.. Hartridge,
NJ. NJ. Baker, w. @. Cam and Isaiah Solo
mons.
FIGHT OVER THE REPORT.
A motion to receive the report was op-
posed by Mr.. Owens, who objected to the
conclusions of the committee, which he held
went beyond the scope of its authority.
When asked by Mr.. Hartridge to point out
the "conclusions,n which Mr.. Hartridge
denied the report contained, Mr.. Owens
cited the sentence in the report, I'VE donot
find that he (DriscolD endeavored to jeop-
ardize the success of any democratic nomi-
nee for the legislature" This, MIR. Owens
claimed, was not only an unauthorized de-
duction by the committee, but was made in
the face Of the fact that regularly nomi-
mated candidates of the democratic party
had been voted against by a committeeman
of the party.
Messrs. Hartridge and Cam defended
their report and with John j. Sullivan
urged its acceptance and it was received.
Mr. Owens then moved that final action
on the report be postponed until Dec. IS.
Mr.. Hartridge moved substitute that i'm
mediate action be taken.
FINAL ACTION POSTPONED.
The substitute was lost on a tie vote,
Messrs. Hartridge, Sullivan and McAuliffe
voting for the substitute, Messrs. Owens,
Cam and Derst in the negative and Messrs.
Dixon and Driscoll refraining from voting.
Chairman Charlton explained that he
recognized the desire of Mr.. Driscoll to
havs the matter settled, and he also recog-
nized the desire of others who felt that there
should be fuller meeting of the ex-
ecutive committee, and he was sorry
that those present had not settled it. With
out voting himself he would declare the
substitute lost because 1t lacked majority
of the members present.
nWa.iS al motion fO Y1n=tnNna
with instructions to the secretary to notify
every member of the executive committee
of the time and object of the meeting, was
carried by a vote of FIVE to one, Mr.. Hart
ridge casting the negative vote
ANOTHER SIDE OF THE STORY.
Mr.. Driscoll announced that he had the
proof in his pocket that Capt w. Gordon
and Col. Peter Reilly had made deal with
the republicans and had worked against Mr..
Clifton and Mr.. duBignon, and he moved
that committee of three be appointed to
investigate their action and report at the
meeting Dec. is, but consented to an
amendment by Mr.. Owens to include
Messrs. Clifton and duBignon. with the two
other representatives Mr.. Sullivan seconded
and supported the motion, and said that he
bad positive evidence that some one In Col.
Reillys office had deliberately cut the
name of Mr. Clifton from the bottom of the
democratic ticket, and that in Capt Cor
don's office the name Of w. H. Matthews,
one Of the colored candidates, had been sub
stituted for that of Mr.. Clifton.
AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
After an irregular and somewhat pepperv
debate, in which the chairman once or
twice admonisned the speakers, the motion
was put and carried.
The chair had some difficulty in getting
q committee which would stick, and before
completing it he had to select two members
not present, Messrs. Owens. Hartridge,
Derst, Driscoll, Sullivan and Cam, all de-
clining for various reasons. The commit
tee as Chairman Charlton left it is as fol-
lows: T. McAuliffe, Isaiah Solomon and
w. g. Cam. The meeting adjourned until
Dec IL.