Evening journal., 1895-02-28
TO UNSEAT SENATORS.
Preliminary Conference Held
in the State House Parlor.
A RESOLUTION BY THE SENATE

Tho Seats Of Senators Moore aud PIeros
I'm Jeopardy-The Sussex County Ballot
Boxes Ordered Brought Into the Senate.
Republicans May Try to Unseat Demo-
cratic Representatives In Retaliation.
staff Correspondence Evening Journal.
DOVER, Feb. 29 The destinies of
John d. @ Moore and George Fisher
Pierce, state senators from Sussex county,
hung In the balance la the State House
parlor during the noon recess yesterday
and the initial step was taken towards
unseating them.
There was q conference Of Democrats
held to decide whether or not it
would be polite and advisable TO unseat
the two Sussex county Republican mem
bers, and seat Colonel William II Stevens
and exClerk OF the Senate r ID, Hearne,
the Democratic nominees at the late
election
The men In conference we're: Speaker
Watson and Senators Pyle, Fenimore,
Harrington and Records on the part Of
the Senate, and Colonel Edward l.
Martin, ex Secretary of State w F.
Causey Clerk OF the Peace r W. Hous
ton, ex-Stats Senator w. NJ Ross,
Robert O. White and William ii Boyce,
who, with William B Tomllnson, Of
Milton, who was absent, constitute
committee appointed by the Democratic
party Of Sussex county to prosecute the
contest which was inaugurated several
weeks ago. The notices of contest and
answers are already in the hands Of the
Senate Committee on Elections and there
has been some doubt a. to the expedleney
OF pushing the matter to an issue.
MIR Hearne, who was In town, did not
enter the room In which the conference
was being held, but he was very much In
evidence outside.
The meeting WAS attended with the
grestest secrecy, and even Senators
Moore and Pierce we're ignorant of Its
nature until 1t had almost concluded It's
labora, This Democrats gave 1t out that
IL was held In connection with Repre-.
sentative Walkers bill to repeal the
assessment and collection laws of 1878.
The conferess had thorough discus
sion lasting for over an hour and half.
They canvassed the matter from all
sides The friends Of the contestants
declared that Sussex county was carried
by means Of fraud and corruption Of the
grossest character, and that the results
arising from such shameful prostitu-
tion of the electorate should not be
allowed to 60 unrebuked. Further than
that, II the two Republicans were not
unseattd the q O. r. would control tire
| Senate two years hence as II would be
| impossible for the Democrats to carry all
4 three counties.
The more conservative Of those present
| seemed 10 be afraid that public opinion
would be against such a course They
acknowledged the fraud but did not
favor such extreme steps as means Of
rebukingit,
The first outward evidence that the
conference had been held was at 90.
when Senator genimore offered the fol-
lowing resolution;
Resolved, BY the Senate OF the State
OF Delaware, That Joseph T. Truxton,
/ sheriff In and for Sussex county, be and
he Is hereby directed to deliver to the
Senate of the State Of Delaware forth
with, the ballot boxes. containing the
ballots. certificates and tally lists de-
posted therein by the electors in and for
said county Of Sussex. at the general
election held In said county. on the sixth
day Of November. A. D.. 1894
''Resolved, That the sergeant at aims
TO serve copy Of this resolution upon the
said sheriff."
Senator Pyle walked over to Speaker
Watson and they exchanged q few words
In an undertone. The senator then
walked back to his desk and said:
"Mr Speaker, move the adoption Of
the resolution
Mr. Fenimore-'I second the motion
The vote was viva voce, and, although
Senators Moore, Pierce and Alrichs, Re
publicana, wers In the room not one
voted against the resolution or
called for the yeas and nays. Senator
Handy was absent
Sergeant at Arms Thomas went to
/ Georgetown last evening and served
notice On the sheriff this morning,
returning with the ballot boxes to day
The Committee on Elections, before
/ whom the contest will be heard, is COM
posed OF Messrs Harrington, Handy
and Pyle. The time for the beginning
Of the hearing has not been fixed
Senator Moore says that be Is nos
afraid Of recount Of the ballots unless
the boxes have been stuffed.
Republicans who saw the senators and
representative Democrats 20 into the
pArlor were In a great way to find out
what 1t meant When they did learn it's
! true import they were loud In their as.
servations that II the course Of unseatlng
were pursued In the Senate they would
retaliate by unseating every Democrat In
l the House. The Democrats are not
afraid Of that. as It would mean Addicks
beyond perRdventure of doubt. The
Higgins men would not vote to unseRt
Democrats and seat Aodicks Republicans
1 from Kant