Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-17
SENATOR BOWEN.
How the Colorado Senator OBJ
tanned the Seat he Holds.
A Stuffed Ballot in the Caucus was the
Means byeWhieh the Nomination
was Secured.
The Inside Facts OF the Most Prolonged and
Bitter Political Contest Colorado Has
Ever Had
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
DENVER, Col, Feb. 16.-The News
publishes the following story: There has
always been a mystery surrounding the
nomination of Tom Bowen for the United
States senate. His election by the legisla-
ture was, of course. only a formal
ratification of the result of the caucus
which placed him in nomination. How
he got majority vote OF the caucus has
often been asked, but never answered.
1t will be remembered that the senatorial
fight was the most prolonged and
bitter that ever occurred in the history
of the state. The leading candidate was
the late Ex-Governor Pitkin, who at all
times had the largest number of votes,
but at no time a majority. His OppOn-
ents were ex-senator Tabor, Senator
Bowen and w A. HemmeI. The caucus
met every night for nearly half the time
allowed the legislature, then forty days.
The sentiment ran high as night after
night the caucus met, balloted and ad-
iourned without choice, and as day after
day the legislature met i'll joint session
and took one ballot for United States
senator and then adjourned without an
election. The contest
BECAME EXCEEDINGLY BITTER.
The principal opposition to Pitkin was
led by Tabor and Bowen. As the latter
came from San Juan as well as Pitkin,
he drew from the good governor some
strength TO which he was geographically
entitled The issues of Pitkin s oppOn-
ents were pooled for the single purpose
of downing him first and then,
Leach man for himself. TO this
end every scheme known both to Colo
RADIO politics and to the Arkansas method
as well, was tried and exhausted. The
opposition became desperate. The num-
Der of ballots had reached $50 and still
Pitkin was in the lead. Something must
be done. Suddenly one night the tellers
counted ont majority of votes for
Bowen There was d kurrah and n wild
scramble to announce the result of the
long contest in the Windsor lobby. An
evening or two since a representative of
the News was dining with well known
politician of the state when the CONVEX
sation turned upon politics and the well
remembered Bowen contest six years
ago.
Chow Tom Bowen got that nomina-
ton has always puzzled me, remarked
the News man.
81 can tell you right now - replied the
statesman. 81 was Il member of that
legislature, and l was partisanof Ia
Dor On the night Bowen was nomin-
ated l was acting as one of the telleTs,
and when the votes OF one of the ballots
were counted five more votes were found
in the hat than there were
MEMBERS OF TIE CAUCUS.
New tellers were appointed and another
ballot was ordered. | watched the pro-
ceedings very closely. Into the hat as
the ballot was taken were thrown about
twenty-five more votes than there were
members of the caucus, all for Bowen.
The votes having been collected, tine
count began. As it proceeded the
name of Bowen was called until it
gave him majority OF the
caucus. Then with a wild whoop,
the hat, which still contained many bal
lots, was thrownstO the ceiling, of course
scattering the remainder of the ballots,
while a cheer went up from Bowen s
friends. Among the confusion Bowen
was declared nominated, and the contest
was at an end There have been many
charges of bribery and corruption
and use of money and bad
faith among the supporters
of Pitkin, but there is not a word of
truth in any of them. Bowen was nomi-
mated just as 1 have told you, and has sat
in the United States senate for six years
only because his friends stuffed with
Illegal ballots the hat with which the vote
in the caucus was collected. -