The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-06
BallOting 10 Be Resumed on Monday Morning
at 10 O'Clock-Crisp and Mills in the Lead
with McMillin and Springer Next.
Seventeen Votes Taken Before the Men,
bers Grew Weary and Agreed to Quit.
McMillin's Friends Elated Over the Dead
Loek-Thomas B. Reed Endorsed by the Re-
publicans-Hi Strikes at Cleveland.
DEADLOCK IN THE CAUCUS.
Democrats Fail to Nominate n Speaker and
Quit on the Seventeenth Ballot

Democrats Fail to Nominate n Speaker and
Quit the Seventeenth Ballot
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The Democratic
caucus has taken u recess tonight until
Monday morning without choosing can
didate for Speaker of the House. This fully
bears out all that has been said in these
dispatches of the intense bitterness of the
fight between Mills anil Crisp. and the in
dlcatIons tonight are that the rank and file
of the party may become weary of the
personal fight of self-elected faction Chiefs
and dump them both overheard on Mon
day. Crisp says that Springer holds the
key of the dead lock. while Mills says that
McMilln is In that position. McMillin is
in high spirits because he has held his
eighteen men steadily in line.
Senator Barbour. of Virginia. said to-
night to your correspondent that he be-
lieved McMillin would have to be chosen,
and the fight between Cleveland and Mills
on the one hand and German, Hill and
Crisp on the other was now so bitter that
some compromise must be made to please
all portions of the party.
The Crisp men are very much disoour-
aged. They had expected to go into the
caucus with at least ninety seven votes on
the first ballot, and some 120 on the second.
Instead of that the Crisp men never even
attained ninety seven their highest
ballot If the Democrats are not able to
patch up their differences before Monday
morning the House will be compelled to
adjourn Immediately after meeting. Clerk
Mcpherson will call the House to order
and preside until a Speaker is elected.
Ex-Speaker Reed tonight jooularly euQ-
gested to somo Democrats that since he
seemed to be the only strong candidate
who had received the caucus nomination
the Democrats had better support him for
the speakership.
THE FIRST BALLOT.
The Democratic caucus was called to-
gether in the chamber of the House
of Representatives at 2 o'clock this
afternoon, 227 members being present,
thus making Ia the number necessary to
secure a majority. The first ballot stood:
Crisp, IS; Mills. "a; Springer, S3; McAIillin.
49, Hatch, IA; Stevens. 1. Mr. Holman. of
Indiana. voted for Mr.. Springer. and Mr..
O'Neil. of Massachusetts. voted for his col
league. Mr.. Stevens. of Massachusetts,.
The second ballot showed q gain of five
for Crisp. gain of two for Mills. loss Of
three for Hatch and four for Springer.
McMillin held his own. Mills and
Crisp each gained two votes In the
third ballot. the gain to their forces
being loss of four votes to Springer. The
standing of the other candidates remained
the same. The result of this ballot was:
Crisp, 81: Mills 81; Springer. "a; McMilln,
is; Hatch, 11-making q total of 226 votes
cast
1t became evident after the result of the
third ballot had been announced that Mr..
McMillin was supported by band of
Spartans who were resolved to stick to
him to the end. The eighteen votes cast
for McNlillin on the first ballot did not de-
crease in number as the voting pro-
gressed. and when the fifth ballot was
reached members began to look at one
another significantly and to hint that Nc
Millin held the key TO tho situation. His
supporters were all the members of the
Tennessee delegation, Boatn0r, Price
and Lagan of Louisiana, Bunting
and Covert of New YORK, Beltzhoover
of Pennsylvania. Chapman of Michigan,
Stockdale and Kyle of Mississippi and
Goodnight and Stone of Kentucky. His
vote remained the same until the ninth
ballot, when German of Michigan deserted
the Crisp ranks and made the McMlllin
vote 10.
MILLS GAINS FIVE VOTES.
Mills made gain of five votes on the
fourth ballot, while Crisp secured two new
supporters Four of these came from
| Springer and three from Hatch. Missouri
had begun to desert Hatch after the first
ballot. Hatch lost four votes on the fifth
ballot Two went to Mills and two to
Crisp leaving the result: Crisp, 95; Mills,
| SO; Springer, 20; McMillin. 1s; Hatch, A.;
| Stephens. l, q total of 227.
At the end of the fifth ballot Mr.. Wilson.
| of Missouri. had made a motion TO take a
recess but it was voted down on a viva
! voce vote. very few members being
in favor of adjourning. The seventh
| ballot showed no change from the one
| preceding it; there was some talk of having
the motion repeated, but the Mills and
| Crisp leaders were opposed to this and no
chance for recess was allowed.
Conferences began to be frequent at this
| period of the contest, and rumors that the
Crisp and McMillin men were making q
deal filled the air. But the ru-
| mors did not cause much excitement.
The psngs of hunger had begun to tell on
| many members, and the monotony of the
| roll-calls was conducive to drousiness.
| Calling the roll exhausted the two
| secretaries. and at the beginning of
the eighth ballot Messrs. Dockery.
of Missouri, and Warner. of New
York were substituted for them.> The
eighth ballot showed n change. 1t was as
follows Crisp. "a; Mills, 81; Springer, IS;
Mcmillan, Is; Hatch, 5, and Stephens. 1.
| This was q loss of one vote for Crisp, a gain
/ of two for Mills, q loss of two for Springer
| and gain of one for Hatch.
| On the ninth ballot Mr.. Gantz, of Ohio
| changed from Mr.. Springer to Mr.. Crisp. in
| order. as he said. TO partially Offset the &C.
tlon of some of Mr.. Springer's Illinois sup
| porters, who had deserted 10 Mr.. Mills.
| GROWING WEARY.
1t was after o'clock ere the tenth ballo,
was concluded. and members began to get
very weary as ballot after ballot passed
without showing material change. The
caucus had now been IN session over six
hours. with no prospect of adjournment
and members began to pair of fol
| fifteen minutes at n time in orde,