The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-18
Stormy rIeeting in the First Pre-
cinct Last Night.
PROTEST AGAINST ELLIOTT
FOLLOWERS OF THE APPOINTED
COUNCILMAN ARE ROUTED.
After Making "a Hopeless Fight,
They Bolt the Manifestations
Adopted and VIII BE Presented
to the City Council.

The Republican voters of the Third
precinct met last night and entered a
mighty protest against the manner in
which the seat of the late councilman,
Joseph Watson. was filed.
The affair was not one Of serene har-
mony. Mr.. Elliott. realizing that he
had been repeatedly turned down by
his OWL party. came prepared and had
packed one side of the hall with his
followers. But the citizens were also
thoroughly aroused and outnumbered
the followers of the man from the
Nineteenth.
Though the meeting was ostensibly
called to protest against the manner in
which the place had been filed with
out consulting the voters, the better
element Of the party expressed them
selves in no uncertain terms relative to
the fitness of Mr.. Elliott to fill the po-
sition. The Elliott men were thor
oughly routed and after two hoursT of
hopeless fighting left the hall.
Mr. GeddeS called the meeting to or
ed it by emphasizing the words for
the purpose of considering the manner
in which the vacancy has been filed. -
Some one moved to make Mr.. Dore-
mus chairman of the meeting, but de
declined and then Mr. Geddes, by unan-
imous consent presided, While the Sec
retaryshiD fell TO B. f. Grant.
MR. DOREMUS SPEAKS.
The chairman asked the pleasure of
the house, but nobody was inclined to
begin the preliminaries. Finally Mr..
Doremus came forward and got right
to the point. There had been a great
deal Of dissatisfaction expressed, he
began, regarding the manner in which
the vacancy caused by t%rs death of
Councilman Watson had been filled.
He had yet 10 hear even one express
sion of commentator. There was no
question, he held, but that the council
had authority to fill the vacancy, but
cut of discreet respect for their con-
stituents in the Third precinct, be
thought it would have been a graceful
act to have consulted the voters of the
precinct He thought it eminently
proper that all interested in the mat
ter should express themselves without
fear or equivocation, and then embody
the sentiments in a suitable resolution
w. A. Hodges wanted to know if the
meeting was exclusively for Republi-
cans. lie noticed a great many Demo-
Gratis in the audience, and if the meet
ing was one of interest to the voters
in the precinct in general he presumed
they ought to have a voice.
Grant II. Nickerson objected to this
He had no crows to pick. he said, with
the Democrats, but he did have several
kicks TO register against one or two
Republican members of the council.
DEMOCRATS RULED OUT.
The chairman ruled that inasmuch
rs the call was issued TO he Repub-
lican voters, the Democrats could not
be permitted TO participate in the pro
ceedings.
A motion was then made to allow the
Democratic voters present to have their
say ia the proceedings. After some dis
cussion it was put and voted down by
an overwhelming viva Voce vote. the
Elliott faction taxing the strength Of
their lung power to the utmost.
Chairman Geddes followed this UP by
generously inviting the Democratic
voters to remain in the room.
The CLASH COMES.
The first real clash between the two
Factions the took place. Many Of
the more foresighted heads in the body
saw trouble ahead and so Mr.. Holman
from the Twenty-third moved to ad-
journ.
This caused a great commotion,
which was in no wise lessened after a
viva VOce vote had been taken and the
chair was unable to decide. The Ell
lott followers had taken their position
on one side of the hail, while opposite
them was the more respectable element
OF the aggregation.
Mr.. Doremus looked nervous and
called the chairs attention to the fact
that there were a large number pres
emit who were not residents of the pre-
cinct, and he would object to such
voting.
ELLIOT PROUD OF IT.
The motion was then voted down.
and Mr. Elliott. evidently realizing
that his followers. who all voted to adj
iourn, were in the minority, bravely
came forward and invited all present
to express their views. AS to the man
ner in which he was elected there was
no secret about that The Republican
members of the council had elected
him and he felt proud o. it.
Some of his followers began to APP
plaud this last sentiment. but it fell
rather nat. and Mr.. Elliott took his
seat looking like a school boy with a
bursted kite.
There was another hull in the pro-
ceedings when some one from the rear
end of the hall moved that vote of
thanks he rendered the city council
for their action in electing Mr.. Elliott.
Then the uproar began. The Elliott
men started an applause that brought