The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-03-15
GIBSON NOMINATED.
John Houk Defeated in the Second
District Bya Majority of 1000.
H"uk's Followers Allege Fraud and it
IL Not Improbable lie VIII Run
Independent.

KNOXVILLE, March 10-The old
Houk guard line has at last been
broken, after an invincible control OF
the Second Congressional District for
more than ten years. At II o'clock
tonight the returns point to tie NOM
ination Of Judge Henry r, Gibson
over John @, Houk, the present con-
gresham, by majority of from LOO
to $500.
To say that the result was a surprise
to everyone here is putting it mildly.
Houk's nomination was thought to
be certainty, but today the people
have spoken and the tale ia told.
This morning the supporters of both
Houk and Gibson appeared at the vot
ing precincts early, aud it was evil
dent that the man who won would
have hard fight. In Knoxville the
vote was almost solid for Houk, he
carrying the city by NJ jority of ,504
OF this number 912 of the votes we're
cast in the Seventh ward. Here the
Gibson people charge fraud and claim
that the ballot box was stuffed.
OUTSIDE THE CITY.
Gibson carried Knox county BY 252
votes, with four districts to hear from.
This brings Houk's majority in the
county down to 1851.
The returns from Blount county
give Gibson majority of about 6O0
In Jefferson county Gibson's major
ity is 258,
The estimated maiorities for Gibson
in the outside counties beard from,
which are about correct, are: Jeffer-
son, 253; SEWER, 500; Loudon, $50 f;
Roane, 200; Campbell, 600; Loudon,
AZ; Blount, 600.
This gives small majority for Glib
son, Scott and Morgan counties have
not been heard from, but they are
conceded to Gibson.
So confident of his nomination were
the Houk followers that his defeat
comes like a Waterloo to them, and
they are naturally very much cha
grined at the result, and attribute il
to fraud, saying that money, whisky
and other means which were fraudu
lent were used in securing votes fol
Gibson. If what they say is true
Gibson bought his nomination anC
they are already at work securing evi
dence to back up these charges, anC
contest the nomination.
According to agreement signed b,
both Houk and Gibson, no fraudulen
means were to be used in securing
votes. The evidence is conclusiv
that there was fraud, and the Republi
can executive committee will have t.
investigate this and decide to whom
the nomination shall be given. Shout,
the committee decide in Gibson's ia
vor, the question is:
WILL HoUK RUN INDEPENDENT?
He had said that he would not, bu
a person very near to him told tn
Times representative that in all prob
ability he would enter the race as a.
independent candidate.
The Democrats think that Gibso
could be easier beaten than Houk
ssuch thing were possible in this dil
trict, but if Houk runs independen
and the Democrats make no nomins
ton, but vote for him, he may
elected.
The Gibson men are happy over tn
result, and take his nomination as
complete knockout to the old Repul
lican machine, and ringsters in tn
district
On the streets there were larg
crowds congregated here and thel
and the excitement was great.
At first everything was for "Houk
but later changed to "Gibsonw an
songs of Goodbye, Johnnie" an
Hang John Houk on a Sour App
Tree" filled the air until Sunda
morning.
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