The Portland daily press., 1896-02-26

1t Is a Scheme to Get the Democracy's
Candidate First Nominated by the
Independents and Then Tristram's
Followers Will Endorse. Him-As
Usual Bfddeford Will Have Hot
Municipal Canvass.
SPECIAL TO THE PREss1
Biddeford, February 25-In spite of the
late predictions that this would be
very quiet and one-sided municipal cam
paign, Biddeford may be depended on to
furnish its customary quota of red hot
political sensation.
The Democrats, who have been claim
ing that the game wouldn't be worth the
powder. and that they would not accept
a clean gift of the city's management in
this year when the second payment on
the new City hall must be met and high
taxes prevail, have suddenlj come into
possession of a strong desire to turn the
rascals OUT That desire Is strengthened
by scheme that was laid open today by
a ooterie of Republicans who have not yet
recovered from the shock of Candidate
Sutherland's defeat in the Republican
majority caucus of last night.
John B. Lowell, whom Mayor Hamil
ton defeated in the election of year ago,
hadsbeen picked out as a sacrifioial offer
ing for this year, and it was generally
supposed that he would allow himself to
be led to the slaughter, but to-day he
made official proclamation that he would
not allow the use of his name in the
caucus.
Carlos Heard, a hardware merchant,
who has just built block on Maine
street, and who has held various offices
under Democratic administrations in the
past, was the second pick of ''talent''
and when the Biddeford dailies went to
press this afternoon they were all able to
publish the authoritative statement that
in the caucus tonight Carlos Heard
would be nominated by aoclamation.
But sudden change of programme
came.
The floor seats In the Opera house were
about two-thirds taken, and there was
treble row of the faithful bordering the
rear of the hall, when Carlos McKerney
of the Democratic city committee read
the all
Tt was funeral gather ing-partly be-
cause there was no band and the oratory
was cheerless, but chiefly on account of
the Enrprise that was sprung by that
hero Of many battles in the down-river
ward. Tristram Goldthwaite, he of the
remodelled Democratic state committee,
and at present chief spokesman of the
Biddeford Democracy.
After throwing to his constituents
few cold orum BIS of criticism relative to
the alleged misdeeds of the present ad-
ministration, he announ ced that for
satisfactorily explained, it was the city
committees desire that the caucus ad-
journ till Thursday night without nomi-
mating candidate for mayor.
He added that Mr. Heard, who was to
have been selected as the Democratic
standard bearer, had come to him few
hours before and asked for further time
in which to consider the question of be-
coming mayoralty candidate.
Then the "War Eagle" announced his
readiness to entertain motion to ad-
journ till Thursday evening. The
solicited motion came from the lips of ex-
Solicitor Charles 7. Read, and the chair
man promptly adjourned the caucus,
leaving the crowd to guess what it all
meant.
The reason Of this unexpected action
on the part Of the Democratic city COM
mittee is as clear as mirror reflection
Candidate Heard was waited on this
afternoon by commitete from meet
ing of independents" held in room
in the Biddeford Savings bank building
this afternoon. At that meeting the
question of putting an independent ticket
in the field was discussed, and the name
of Mr.. Heard had been quite prominent
ly mentioned. There were about thirty
in attendance at that secret session. Two
of them-Hon. John M. Goodwin and ex-
Solicitor Edwin Stone-have long been
known as leading Democrats. The others
were business aud professional men of
more or less prominence, who have usual
ly affiliated with the Republican party.
Mr.. Heard was asked if he would accept
the Endorsement of this blage as
mayoralty candidate on an independent
ticket. He was perplexed and wanted
further time to consider.
The Democratic committee members,
with oreditable shrewdness, decided that
1t would be better to let the Independents
nominate Heard, and then honor his
candidacy with the Democratic indorse-
mont than it would to make him the
candidate of the Democratic machine
and then expect to catch with him all the
fish In the independently hatchery.
SO they hit upon the scheme Of ad-
journing tonight's caucus till Thursday.