The morning call., 1893-08-12
DEMOCRATIC ROW.
Trouble Caused by the
Southern Pacific.
THE RAILROAD IN POLITICS
Selection of Ex-senator w. II. viii.
liams for Committeeman Causes
Eight Members to Bolt.

The Southern Pacific Company, accord
ing to the statements of one of the men
VINO handles the campaign Doodle of that
corporation. prot oses to name the next
candidate for Governor on the Democratic
ticket.
AT a meeting of the Democratic general
committee of the Thirty-sevept tn Assembly
District last night the Southern Pacific un-
dertook to capture a vacant place for one
OF It's men In order to strengthen Its
chances for controlling the next State
convention. The plans were we'll laid and
executed. but it resulted in the committee
breaking up in row.
The railway candidate for the position
on the committee made vacant bv the
death OF Dan McSweeney was w. III.
Williams. who became famous by reason
or MS connection with certain notorious
Senatorial com bine.
The opposition to Williams presente
the name of Nj. d. Nolan. and made a
strong hight for Their candidate. 1t was
known several days ago that the name Of
Williams would be presented, and those
VINO objected to his selection looked up his
record While member OF the State Sen
ate, and did not hesitate to present it in
full at The meeting last night.
1t Is said that Frank Hughes, the secre-
tary OF the committee. was one of the most
Outspoken members IN opposing Williams.
lie said that 1t was well-known fact til at
Williams was being pushed forward by
the Southern Pacific Company; that he
was always controlled by that company
ana always would be.
The attention of the committee was
called to the fact that Williams while a
member of the State Senate had voted to
defeat Senator Berry's reassessment bill
and had been indicted for having accepted
money from the Southern Pacific for vot-
ing as he did.
He was also charged with having. been
paid Tor voting for the creation of Glenn
County.
These charges were made during his
term as Senator by George Taylor, and
were fully published at the me. When
Williams was called before the Grand jury
to testify concerning the bribery he de-
ciined to answer on the ground that he
could not be made witness against him
self. A decision was finally obtained to
the effect that the Grand Jury. who had
found the Indictment, had been Illegally
organized. and for that reason Williams
escared trial.
The Examiner in commenting on the
case November 8, 1891, said: ''As for
Williams, he practically confessed his
guilt when he refused 10 answer on the
elOunu mat 10 GO so would crlmlnate
himself. His damaging admission gives
ground for the belief that Taylor will be
able to prove what he has charged of a
Senator al com bine."
Williams brother was present at the
meeting last night and when confronted
with the record Of Williams legislative
career ne became very wrOth and under
took to silence one OF the speakers with a
chair. He was caught before any damage
was done.
Befoi vote was takeu q poll OF the
twenty present showed eleven for Will
l.ams and nine for Nolan, while Secretary
Hughes mad four proxies for Nolan. Ac-
cOldlDg to the usual rules proxies were al
lowed and Nolan was certain Of election
When Hughes undertook to vote his
proxies the Williams men objected and the
chairman sustained the objection. When
the decision was rendered eight Of the
Nolan men left the hall, declaring that
they would not have anything more TO do
vita such a set Of tricksters
Secretary Hughes was not to be fright
ened out. however, and remained, enter
Ing his protest to the decision Of the chair
man. When the vote was taken eleven
were cast for Williams and one for Nolan.
Hughes announced thai he would appen |
to the general committee Of four hundred
aud nifty, which is expected to meet on
next Monday night at METROPOLITAN Hall.