Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-15
LAWS TO SUCCEED LAIRD.
Chosen By the Second District Con-
gressional Convention.
TwENTY-oNs BALLOTS TAKEN.
Voting Takes Place without the Us
ual Long-Windcd Nominating
Specches--The Proceedings
of a Lively Character.
The Congressional Convention.

The Congressional Convention.
HASTINGS, Mob, Oct t4.-TSpecial Tele-
gram to The BEE Hon. II. Bostwick,
chairman of the central committee of the
Second congressional district, called the con-
ventlon to order at o'clock sharp. The
Kerr opera house was well filed, but not
crowded. In few words the chairman
stated the object of the convention and asked
for the reading of the cali.
AT the request of Secretary Stark this was
read by T.. G., Simmons, editor of the Seward
Reporter, and further pleasures were called
for.
George p, Rhea, of Phelps, nominated DR..
e. b. Guile, of Holdrege, for temporary
chairman, and he was elected by acclama-
tion. On taking the rostrum he expressed
the hope that the convention would act dis
passionately in the work of the evening, be
ruled by harmony and enable the district
to break past records at the polls. Con-
cludng, he called upon Rev. fl @. harman,
who led the convention in prayer.
w. j. Waite, of Fillmore, George s.
Bishop, of Red Willow, and Walter Hopper,
of Chase, were nominated and elected tenn
porary secretaries.
A. l.. Clark, of Adams then introduced
seven be appointed to draft resolutions
expressing the sorrow of the state and the
district over the death of Congressman
Laird.
Clark of Adams, Barsby of Fillmore Scott
of York, Carnes of Seward, Wells Of Saline,
Cheney of Webster and jennings of Red
Willow were appointed. Power was also
delegate to this committee to draft such
ot hon icrht ha thpn nuht hnct
The report of the committee on credentials
followed. The state convention precedent
settled the Chase county contest and the
Meeker delegation was admitted to seats.
Webster county wrangled over the admls-
sion OF proxy. This was settled amiably,
however, and the contestant, l. o. Martin,
was given the vote of an absentee of the
delegation.
Adjournment was then taken until s
o'clock.
On reassembling Mayor Yocum was intro
duced and welcomed the delegates to the
city of Hastings in a very neat speech.
Judge Post took the floor and moved an
informal vote without nominating speeches.
The result was as follows: Laws 20,
Hastings "a, Harlan 81, Webster 16, Baker
l3, McPheely II, Jensen 10, Norval 81, and
Newcomer 10.
On the formal ballot following Laws
gained votes, Hastings7 Webster 5, Nc.
Pheely 2 and Baker 3.
The three succeeding ballots passed with a,
result that varied but little.
On the fifth ballot Kearney county broke
for Laws and stampede to him seemed i'm
minent Pandemonuem broke loose. Cries
for Laws, Hastings and Webster alternated.
could be heard in the din. From 93 votes
and Hastings to 63 But slight change
aternated in the vote of the other
candidates. Clay county made a break to-
wards Laws on the tenth ballot, but the result
remained Unchanged.
Hastings friends undertook to create
stampede here, but it failed. He lost two
votes.
Webster's following moved along IN the
even tenor of its way.
Ballot followed ballot with but few
changes. Laws fell to 9S votes on the four
teenth ballot. Clay county commenced to
monkey and IN measure redeemed herself
from the imputations that she had
been "seen" by the roads. Her vote was
distributed rather among the candidates.
Baker gained 2 votes. There were loud
cries for Harlan. He gained 10 votes and
Hastings lost TO-.
On the seventeenth ballot the York band
Harlan. He polled 40 votes, gaming 8. The
conventional stampede was the order, but
it failed to connect and Harlan was laid
upon the shelf for two years. Webster
gained IL votes on the nineteenth ballot, but
otherwise there was no material change.
On the twenty-first ballot Webster county
voted solid for Laws. and no sooner had
York county announced her vote than Clay
changed its five votes to Laws jefferson
followed with thirteen Phelps with nine and
lnf wi m hal ~ no
On the announcement of the votc-1s5 for
Laws-a wrangle arose over the legality of
the nomination. To settle this the call was
again made, with the following result:
Laws l7o, Harlan 30, Webster 10, Jensen
IA aud Hastings 23.
York. Fillmore and Saline counties died
with their favorite son. Seward county
practically stood for Webster.
Laws, on the announcement of the nate,
was made the unanimous choice of the A.
vention. He was called for, thanked the
convention, expressed his gratitude TO the
old soldiers who stood by him, promised
them fidelity ana faithful allegiance, out
lined the questions interesting to the dis
trict and state and asked for forbearance
until he had time to pass upon them with tho
consideration due.
The committee on resolutions reported and
upon their ratification an adjournment was
taken sine dine.
[Gilbert Laws was born In Richland
county, Illinois, in 1888 He spent his boy
hood on a farm until fifteen years of age
He removed to Wisconsin with his parents
IN 1Si5, the farm home being located near
Mineral Point From the age of fifteen TO
twenty he worked at the lumber business in
summer and went to school in winter. In
1861 he enlisted in the Fifth Wisconsin in
fantry, commanded by Colonel Amasa Cobb,
now supreme Judge OF Nebraska.
He was wounded IN the battle of Williams
burg in 1862 and was discharged. In 1862 he
removed to Orleans, Harlan county, Me-
braska, and lived there seven years Then
he received the appointment to the land Of
flee at McCook in 1SS3 position he held
until removed by Grover Cleveland on No
vember 2, 1885. On the next day he was pro-
noted by the people of Nebraska to the office
of secretasy of state and he was renomi-
mated by acclamatlon for a second term and
elected by over 27,0O0 plurality