The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-28
Richards Seated as Senator
From Bellingham Bay.
CONTEST WAS A STUBBORN ONE
Democratic Member of COMMITTEES
Says Justice Is Done.
Thompson's Bill for an Appropriations
to Aid in Survey of Public Lands
Found Not Feasible, and . New Act
VIII Be Drawn to Cover the Case.

OLYMPIA, Jan. 27.-fSpeciall-It Is senatoY
Richards now, instead of plain Mr. Richards.
and plain Mr.. MeCarty is no longer distin-
guished as Senator McCarty. The Senate today,
by vote of u tos, removed Senator Mccarthy.
the Democratic member from the Thirty fourth
district comprising the cities of Bellingham
bay, and elevated To the seat thus made vacant
Frank II. Richards, the Republican nominee
ard contestant for the position. The Senate
committee on privileges and elections, to which
the matter had been referred, after hearing the
testimony of both contestee and contestant, and
listening TO the eloquent pleas of learned coun
sci for each side, which took up more than q
weeks time, on last Saturday brought in Its re-
port, unanimously recommending that Nc
Carty's seat be declared vacant and Richards
be given il instead. The committees report was
laid on the table, and Tuesday at o'clock set
for bringing the matter up as a special order Of
business
As early as o'clock this afternoon the lobby
began to fill with interested spectators, and at
o'clock, when President Wilson announced that
the time had arrived for consideration, under
the special order of the committees report and
recommendations, the Senate chamber was filed
to overhcwing. Many members Of the lower
house. which had adjourned at noon, were pres
ent, and it was expected that several prominent
Democratic members thereof would ask the
privilege OF the floor to address the Senate on
Senator Long, chairman Of the committee on
privileges and elections, at once took the floor
and addressed the Senate in favor of the COM
mittee's report, ousting McCarty, In present.
ing the matter he said he had never entered into
anything where he was so impressed with the
spirit OF justice as in this. the committees re-
port. If anything, he. like every Republican
member, was prejudioed in favor of McCarfy,
inasmuch as 1t has been expected, the Republi-
cans being largely IN the majority, would not
give any consideration whatever to the Demo-
cratic minority But as the reading OF the festi-
mony proceeded he soon began TO see that
Richards had right on his side and after giving
due consideration TO every detail, one way and
the other, he was convinced from the testimony
st hand McGart Was n frssqdnenty ELECTED and
made an eloquent plea in favor of the com.
mittee's report. He then submitted the evidence,
consisting of 900 pages of type-written paper.
from which the committee had arrived at its De.
cision. The notice of contest and responses
thereto were then ordered read and after Secre-
tary Barton had proceeded for nearly O half
hour and members were beginning to grow
weary, Senator Long objected TO further reading,
declaring that IL would be useless to go on with
ii, as IL would take days instead OF minutes TO
get through 1t.
Rutter moved that the report OF the COMMITTEES
be adopted without further reading of evidence.
yesterday moved to amend by having read that
portion Of evidence relating to the Second ward
In Fairhaven, which was thrown out by the
committee. Drum thought this portion OF the
evidence should be read, inasmuch as members
OF the committee were unquestionabiy wrongly
influenced In this particular instance.
Van De Vanter, member OF the committee,
of the committees recommendations. He said
ne had been put on the committee against his
better Judgment -. ~. g. -
one Junis Rochester, of Seattle, who appeared
as counsel for MeCarty, declared In the lobby OF
the hotel that there was one Democrat on the
committee, and he was for him (McCarty); one
Republican (meaning Van DE Vanter), and he
against him; and one honest man Q.ong),
and he was little afraid OF him. McCroskcy
has now shown that he also is an honest man,
and / respectfully ask this Senate to endorse
the third member of the committee as an honest
man by adopting this report"
McCroskey, the Democratic member OF the
committee said he could briefly explain why he
concurred with the committee In its report. He
said he, like his brother Long, was prejudieed
for McCarty, but as the investigation of evidence
proceeded, 1t was proven that there was pre-
p0nderance OF evidence showing gross fraud in
the second ward at Fairhaven, and under tho
law there was nothing TO do but throw out tho
illegal votes and give Richards the seat He
said he was not there to either oppose or uphold
the report, but to see justice.
Speeches were also made by Dyer, Owings and
Claypool in support of the committees report,
and by Drum, Parkinson and kfnnear against
IL. Those not in favor of adopting the report
made an effort to have all the testimony read,
saying that although they did not wish 10 east
reflections upon the committee, 1t would be q
much better way to get at 10.
matter settled. Motion followed motion
for one thing and another, but Richards sup
porters were the stronger and had their way.
Finally on an original motion of Rutter to adopt
the commmittee report, the whole thing was
settled by vote of Il to s. as folloWsi