The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-12
Minority Report of Committee ON
Close Vote of 40 to Al.
THE CAUCUS In SESSION
MIR. WISHARD.S LEGISLATIVE AP-
PORTIONMENT DECIDED UPON.
Fixes the Age of Consent at
Eighteen.

The House finally settled the AIiller-Bow-
crs contest yesterday afternoon by seating
Francis Miller the Republican who was
contestng the seat of Bowers the Demo-
crat. The entire afternoon was taken to the
case, and perhaps half of the republican
members had something to say on one side
or the other. The minority report of the
election committee. as before favored the
seating of Miller, and the House adopted
this report, amendment, by a vote of
40 to Al, afterwards concurring in the amend
ed report by a 81 to IS VOTE The vote on the
minority report, seating Miller, was as fol-
lows:
Ayes-Allen, Allison, Becker. Binkley.
Blakely, Boardman, Booher, Coates Culbert
Davis, Elliott, Farrell Finkbiner, GIBSON
Gregg, hamrlck, Harris, Harrison of Elk
bert, Lloyd Longwell, McCaskey, McGregor.
Mcintosh, Merritt, Moore, Newhouse, Mich
o.son. O'Brien, Poindexter. Porter: Remy.
hume, Welch and Wilioughby. Total, 45
Blue. Bobiya, Bohannon, Cardwili, cr asieg
Dinwiddie, Duncan, Fest, Floyd Fowler
Grllnn, Grimes. Hanna, Harrison of Shelby
ing, McBeth McGeath, McCrea, Meendy
Petit, Remington, Robinson, Splitter, Stake
bake ststler sotsenoerg sw9pe; Thomas
Willis. Noes, Il.
Miller was sworn in by Acting Speaker
Merritt after the amended report had been
copcurred in.
The committee made a somewhat similar
report to that of a few weeks ago. the mi
nority report favoring the seating of Miller.
the Republican. Three members, Messrs,
Hunt, Binkley and Reynolds, signed the
minority report, which showed among other
facts the illegality OF votes cast by paupers,
two of whom are insane Mr.. Crozier, chair
man of the elections committee, read a
lengthy report, substantially the same as
that rendered when the matter was up be-.
fore. He insisted that mans electoral
right should be abridged because that man
was unfortunate as to be a member of
a county asylum. Mr.. Barber also had his
speech written out. Messrs Hunter Blink
ley, Holloway. Hundley. Howe. Stakebake
and others spoke the Martinsville gentle
man bringing in the famous Morgan county
brass band into the controversy for the p,tr-
poses of illustration. Mr. Statesman thought
1t a case for the exercise of great care.
While MIR. Crozer had protested against the
Introduction and consideration of the three
on to argue that these ballots should not be
counte1 because they bore distinguishing
marks. Mr.. Statesman showed that the
committee was unit in determining the
fate of all the ballots except the three ex-
hibited on the floor of the House Why
three ballots? Mr.. Robinson argued in be-
half of sustaining the majority report hold
ing that the House could not act intelligently
on the case except on the advice of the COM
mittee which had devoted so much time to
the case. Mr.. Moore, spoke for the minority
report, and Mr.. Allen put his hope in the
same report. Two Democrats and three Re-
puhlicans.. he said. signed the majority re-
port, while three Republicans put their
names to the minority report. Mr.. Hundley
questioned the propriety of Congressman
elect Watson appearing on the floor in pc
half of Miller. and Mr.. Statesman and 9th
inre1 to defend the tot
defeated Holman; Mr.. Statesman brought
out an acknowledgment that the Congress
man-elect has as much right as counsel ia
the floor as Mr.. Curtis. the ex-Speaker of
the House, who is counsel for the contestea
Mr.. Stakebake seized the floor in behalf of
the majority. but added nothing to the sum
OF information. Mr.. Mcintosh argued in
favor of the House considering the three
ballots that were brought to the floor of the
House. rs
After the vote which seated Mr. Miller a
motion was made by Mr.. Allen to recon-
slider in order to clinch the decision. but
this was lost. Mr.. Bowers surrendered his
seat to Mr.. Miller, and the House then ad-
journed, ~