The record-union., 1893-01-19

were not Endorsed by the Populists either
as u Dody or as individuaTsG g Gator
/ thought the departure haSty and liable to
cause trouble. In the lobby the blocked.
Gagged leader, who has so often sailed
around the political globe, tarrying
aWhlle IN the Tort OF every party known,
/ was quite wiling to denounce Kerns as a
! traitor and scoundrel beyond redemu-
ton. Before the deafening cheers that
I greeted the vote of kerns had died away.
/ Gator, who had been intently watching
the proceedings from the gallery, rushed
wildly to the top OF the stairs. and
shouted: Hang the treacherous devil.
lie should die the death of criminal.
lie has violated his solemn pledge
and disgraced his .party.r Then he
staggered slowly to the foot of the stairs
ana cooled oti in measure. "Send me
/ an Associated Press reporter,1 he cried.
! Cannon IS responsible. He came here to
/ elect White, and the news must be sent to
all parts OF the Union. kerns promised
me at Ill O'Clock to stand firm, as he hoped
ior heaven. John Gaffey took him in the
library, and when they came out he was
/ for White. Cannon had killed himself.
/ him."
! All this was the outburst of an infuri-
ated man in the lobby, where it was safe
enough to talk; but Cation is too shrewd
q politician TO use such language on the
/ floor of the House. This remained for n
man OF less experience and capacity. AS
| II was Gators infiammatory harangue
/ surred up few farmers to a boiling
] pitch, and open threats were made of as
/ sauItlng kerns when be should leave his
seat. one man who dared to intimate
| that the Los Angeles man was instructed
to vote for White by the people who
down.
Burdette Cornell, State Lecturer of the
Farmers Alliance, was looking for some
one who cared to defend the action of
Aerns, and he had dozen men about
| him who also were in a mood for any
thing IN the nature of trouble. When
| Brett talked about coin being used there
! was more talk of violence. This evened
| up the two factions, and for time it
| looked very like gOod-sized row.
POSSIBLY 1t IS not generally known that
Brett was pledged long before his election
TO the democratic nominee, and that this
pledge is now in writing, and can be pro-
duced on very short notice. Neither is
II matter eft general knowledge that
toote was his taVorite candidate. As q
matter OF fact, FOote now holds in his
possession letter from Bretz in which
the latter promised faithfully to vote for
hlni IL the event of Gator election being
impossible.
Probably the most indignant man in
DaIIotlng was Cannon himself. He
seemed to know what Bretz was going to
say when he arose under the false pre-
tense of changing his vote. When his
name was mentioned he turned deadly
pale and sent back the one word ''liar.''
that rose clear and distinct above the din
and confusion of many voices. In rage
| he started toward his accuser, but was held
back by friends. After this he was in
| bad temper ali DAY, and the insult hurled
at him was not wholly mitigated by the
stinging rebuke administered to his
! assallant by Mr.. White, when lie pro
/ nonounced the charge OF BretZ an
unmitigated taIsehood. ''If Bretz were a
man of any financial standing" said he.
alter adjournment, Il would ask for re-
dress at the hands Of the law. Ii he were
a gentleman would demand an apology.
Neither of these courses are open to me,
ana am not prepared TO say at this time
what Will be done. | hope that an inves-
| tgation will follow. A man who makes
a charge of this character III q legislative
BODY should be made 10 prove his words
or suffer dismissal"
The agreement which it is alleged
herns violated in voting for White reads
as follows:
SACRAMENTO, December 3lst
We the undersigned members OF the Le-is-
lature in Peoples party caucus assembled. 40
hereby pledge Oursels cs each to the other thar
during the thirtieth session OF the LEGISLATURE
OF said party are involved, act together is II
unit, ami be governed in such action by the
will OF the majority Of this caucus duly ex-
pressed by a majority vote thereof.
Signed: Charles a. Barlow. NJ. Thomas Jr
\. Bretz, W. \. Nann, l. J. kerns, c. Z. Ben
nett, Z. X. Adams, II. j. T. Jacobsen.
Soon after adjournment Mr.. Kerns was
interviewed concerning his alleged viola
ton OF the agreement of December 3Ist.
He said: Il have not broken my con-
| tract, nor am l guilty OF treachery. as
charged by Mr.. Gator and his followers.
| They have known my position from the
first, and in order that there might be no
misunderstanding as to my intention, I
warned them repeatedly that | should
please my constituents by voting for Mr..
White, when there was no longer anv
hope OF electing POpulist to the Senate.
The people who elected me charged me
with TINS duty, and l have kept my
pledge with them.
LAS to the contract which I signed on
December 3lst, my signature was given
after considerable pressure. with the dis
tinct understanding / would stand with
the Populists only as far as the principles
OF the party were involved. This is the
exact language used in the agreement Of
December 3lst, which 1 deny having vio-
lated in any respect, for this reason: The
Senatorial contest was left out, because
L expressly stated my position in the
matter, and told the other members that
on this question to vote for Mr..
Gator. l stood for twenty minutes
with pen in my hand, over this docu-
ment, explaining my election, my work
and my intentions for the future I told
them in plain and unmistakable language
what the people of my district expected
of me, and how they had urged me by a
perfect flood of correspondence since my
arrival here to vote for White, when it
was apparent that the election of Gator
was impossible. Mr.. Bretz's charge of
fraud is simply absurd, in view Of the
fact that there has been no change in nv
attitude from the beginning Of the contest.
"W. A. Vann, leading Populist, un-
derstands my position and approves of
my action. AS to the approval or disap-
prOval of the other members ! cal moth
ing, being firm in the conviction that /
have done my duty toward the people, to
whom l owe my election.
"Mr. Bretz has made a serious charge
and ought to be given an opportunity to
prove his assertion made in the Assem-
bly, this afternoon. If he cannot prove it
he should be expelled from body which
he has accused of fraudulent measures
The Populist Assemblymen held eau
Gus at their headquarters last night, and,
after indulging themselves in consider
able oratory of denuncatory character
with reference to Mr.. Kerns' vote in the
Senatorial election and Marion Cannon's
alleged connection with it. passed reso-
lulions Of pyrotechnical kind, referring
to Kerns and Cannon as TRAITORS" etc.
and recommended that they be read out
of the party.
Legislative Notes.