Evening journal., 1896-08-18
FORD AND TUNNEL
They Are Prepared to Lock
Horns This Afternoon.
KENT DOES NOT NAMs ANYONE

~ooho OouutJ Caucua Oecahroa
UnAnimousIy for Ford-sussex County
Drops Everybody for runnell-A Big
FiRht on Hand with Kent County Hold
ing the Key to the situation.
Special Dispatch Evening Journal.
DOVER, Aug. 1S Slate making and
slate breaking have been going on at
terrible rate ever since the advance guard
Of delegates and prominent politicians
reached hcre yesterday afternoon. APP
pArently only one class Of men was sure
Of anything and that class of men was
made up of friends of Peter J. Ford, who
were perfectly sanguine of their strength
and ready at all times to whoOp 1t up for
the Magnetic Morocco Man from vii
mington.
wire-puning and sCheminK.
There WAS more Democratic wire
pulling and scheming to the tquare inch
In Dover last night than there has been
on the eve of 9 State Convention for
years. Whenever two or three men
could get together in room or
on the street. they proceeded to untsngle
the snare of rival political interests to
their own satisfaction, but with no
sppreciable effect upon the general
situation. There were several confer
ences of Importance but none Of them
was binding on the convention.
No Concessions to SUSSEX.
The Sussex county men In town made
sweeping claim to the gubernatorial
nomination, but Peter J. Ford, ex-
Attorney General John Blggs, Receiver
Of Taxes John T. DickeY and the other
Ford men would not conceds the Sussex
howlers an inch of standing room, and
gave them to understand that New
Castle county would name the cAndi-
date for governor or know the reason
why. 1t is but fair to state that
some Of the Sussex county men conceded
New Castles claim, and their voice will
doubtless have weight when the conven
ti5n settles down to It's work.
Sussex Cannot Concentrate.
As matter Of fact the faotional jsal.
ousies OF Sussex aud the disinclinstion o
such men as Ebs w. Tunnel and Colone
James ]. Ross to become parties to
scheme to rob New Castle county of II
party rights has prevented the SUISSE.
delegates from being able to concentrat
upon any acceptable man. snd the lowe
county went to bed with It's brains al
a-jumble and filed With unpleasan
forebodIngs.
Ford Men Confident.
The Ford men retired. happy In III
consciousness that they had q clea
msiority Of the New Castle count
delegates; that they would be folly sbl
to meet tie assaults Of all kickers befor
the Committee on Credentials; and tina
twenty-six delegates from Kent an
fifteen from Suss ex would be at their .ca
on the floor Of the convention should ii
Hght be forced there.
Kent In the Throes.
Kent county is all racked up. tt
friends OF Hon. James l.. Wolcott wis
the gubernstorlsl nomination to go
New Castle. and the COngression
nomination to 60 to Sussex, therel
lsAvlng Kent county an op'
claim for the United States Senate
Elk Secretary of State John D. HAwki
and his friends do not share this vie
however, for Mr.. Hawkins Is a Ke
county man and he has the congressiOr
bee In his own bonnet ard q lfrge Dumb
Of Kent county delegates at his back.
Talk OF Ford and Boyce.
Late last night there WAS conslderal
talk Of q combination which would resi-
In the nomination of Peter j. Ford 1
governor, ani William h Boyce, siIv
its, OF Sussex county. for congressmI
Sussex county politicians wanted
reverse the order and select the govern
leaving New Castle TO name the congre
man, expressing their preference for
Irving Handy or United States Distr
Attorney Lewis o. Vsndegrift for
latter place, but the Ford men declir
all such overtures
Sussex Delegates Divided.
With all of Sussex coun ty's greed
the govsrnorship, the leaders have
been able TO sgree upon q man. Ebs
Tunnel and Colonel James ]. Ross
out OF the fight. and the delegates 9
pear to bs about equally divided amc
Peter J. Ford, William T. Records. v
liam a. Stevens, Charles B. Houst
John B Dorman. William L Sirmsn g
Everett w. Hickman. With no ear