The record-union., 1891-12-08
The Deadlock in the Democratic
Caucus Finally Broken.
GEORGIA'S CANDIDATE SECURES
THE COVETED PLACE.
The Break Takes Place on the Thir-
tfeth Ballot, Crisp Receiving 119
Votes to 1O5 for MilIs-Vote in Full
for Each Candidate = Nominations
For Minor Offices.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1ox.


dates were as cheerful as ever, and their
followers seemed imbued with the same
confidence and persistence which is a
characteristic feature of the contest.
The caucus met promptly at 10 o'clock
this morning, and without any prelimi-
nary proceedings the Secretary began to
call the roll for the eighteenth ballot, the
seventeenth having been taken in Satur-
days caucus without any result.
Eighteenth ballot-Crisp "a, Mills 90,
Springer II, McMillin 10, Hatch 5,
Stevens l.
The excitement was intense during the
call of the roll. 1t was realized the hour
for solicitation had passed, and the first
ballot was devoid of those argumentative
scenes which characterized the balIoting
Saturday night. Every member was left
free to exercise his preference without
persuasion, and as the roll-call proceeded
and no changes were noted it became ap-
parent the claims of the leading candi-
dates were eXtraVagant and that there
would be no surprises, as the followers
of all the candidates were firm. The
eighteenth ballot showed no change from
| the seventeenth, taken last Saturday
night. 1t is true Mills did not receive
ninety-one votes Saturday, but this is
due to the absence Of Terry of Arkansas
| who subsequently entered the hall and
voted for the Texas candidate on the sue
ceeding ballot, thus bringing his vote up
to the old figure.
Nineteenth ballot-Mills 81. Crisp o..
| Springer 19, McMillin II, Hatch 5, Stevens
l. Terry of Arkansas, an absentee, came
in and voted for Mills.
| The second ballot of the day, or the
nineteenth of the contest, was quite a
perfunctory one. 1t was evident that no
| choice could be made before u O'Clock,
but that the Fifty second Congress must
| open with the Speakership question still
unsolved, and that the contest must be
| resumed after the adjournment of the
! House in the afternoon. The nineteenth
! ballot was finally announced. 1t was
exactly the same as the last ballot Satur-
| day night. But forty-five minutes now
remained before the meeting of the House
and another ballot was impossible. A
! hasty consultation was held by the lead
/ ing partisans of the several candidates,
and an adjournment to 2 p. NJ. was agreed
| upon.
On reassembling the balloting was at
| once commenced.
| Springer II, McMillin Is, Hatch 5, Stevens
| Twenty-frst ballot-Crisp 94, Mills 81.
McMillin 10, Springer II, Hatch 5, Stevens
|
The twenty-second ballot was destined
| to mark the first significant change of the
day Cable of Illinois abandoned Springer
and voted for Mills. Newberry also de-
serted Springer for the Texan. Tarsney
| left Hatch and voted for Crisp.
During the succeeding ballot the eX-
element was intense. Shively a few
days ago served notice on Cable and
Newberry that whenever they deserted
| Springer for Mills he and his friends
would offset this by voting for Crisp.
This threat was carried out by ShiveIy
and Stout changing to Crisp. Cobb and
Dearman (Missouri then left Hatch and
voted for Mills. Immediately there was
the widest excitement Catchings aud
others OF the Crisp forces rushed from
the hall and into the headquarters OF
Hatch. There was a brief conference
and Catchings reappeared, followed by
Hatch. A cry went up: Hatch is to
withdraw; Hatch is to go to Crisp.''
They were not mistaken, for the en-
trance of Hatch into the caucus could
have but one meaning. Hatch voted for
Crisp and Byrnes and Wilson of his
State followed his lead. This gave Crisp
a lead Of five votes, the twenty-third bal
lot resulting: Crisp 100, Mills 80, McMil-
lin 19, Springer Ii, Stevens l.
On the twenty-fourth ballot Springer
lost another vote, and Crisp reaped the
profit. McClelland of Indiana followed
the example of Shively and voted for
Crisp. This was the only change, but If
gave Crisp lead of six over Mills. Then
the assault upon the Springer forces
ceased, and terrific efforts were made to
break McMillin's ranks Members
rushed hither and thither, but the efforts
were in vain.
The twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth and
twenty-seventh ballots failed to show any
change.
Then a recess was taken until s P. NJ.
The two hours interval was industrious.
ly utilized by the candidates and mana
gers. Springer and McNIillin held hearty
conference, and subsequently dined to-
gether, with the result that they decided
to act together in the termination of the
contest, should it become inevitable thai
either Crisp or Mills would be elected.
Springer and his supporters held g
secret conference, at which Springer
thanked his followers for their loyal sup.
port, and stated his belief that either
| Crisp or Mills would be elected. You
gentlemen have been loyal to me-" sale
he. ''and it is now my time to be loyal tC
you. / am prepared to throw nv infiu.
ence and vote for either candidate yor
may desire to support as a unit, with the
positive understanding with the man W.
NAV elect that | want nothing, but my
friends must be we'll treated. Applause.
leave you to decide upon the candidate
you desire to support as second choice
and my vote and influence is at your dis
posal.' [Applause.l
After Springer's withdrawal the dele
CATION discussed briefly questions of pol
icy, and finally decided that they woulC
not avail themselves of Springer's gener
osity, but would leave him entirely free
10 vote as he desired on a decisive candi
date, and they would each do the same.
From now on Springer was greatly il
demand. He was in turns importuneC
by Crisp. by Congressman Johnson o
Mills following, and by Colonel Jones
editor of the st. Louis Republic, but thu
amount of solace and encouragement Ii.
gave either or any of them could not b,
learned.
That most Of McMillin's followers wer,
decidedly pledged TO a second choic,
when he should withdraw, and tha
Springer and his immediate friends helC
the key to the situation, was the genera
opinion, and the first ballot of the even
ing was awaited with breathless interest
The first change came when the name
of Burrows, one of Springer's Illinoi.
supporters, was reached. That gentle
man voted for Crisp, and a few minutes
later another of Springers Illinois
friends voted for the Georgia candidate
| Babbitt and Miller wisconsin, went tC
the Mills forces. Crisp was now within
eleven votes of the nomination, but Nc
Milhn's nineteen men were still un.
moved, and no election was possible
1vhila thaU raDaaipad loyal to tho Tan.