Middletown transcript., 1896-11-07
Sussex
County
WILMINGTON RoUGHs AT q EoRGE
TOWN TO "PROTECTo THE
COUNTING OF THE BAL
LOTS. DEMOCRATS
CAPTURE
SUSSEX.
M'KINLEY'S MAJORITY Is 7I3
The Republicans Elect the Sheriff and
two Members Of the Levy Court,
with the Holding Oyer Members
Getting Control of that Body.

reading the returns in Georgetown on
Thursday:
The Board of Canvass met here to-day
and at late hour tonight announced the
result. The Democrats were evidently bent
upon mischief when the board met, for
they had on hand mob of Wilmington
police officers and rather athletic-appearing
citizens from the same place on hand. just
what they were here for no one appears to
know, or rather, no one appears inclined to
tell. How many of them were here is also
hard to estimate. the figures given varying
from twelve to thirty.
Democrats admitted that this gang "was
| present for the purpose of protecting the
ballot boxes" but where they got their
authority to protect anything is more than
the people here can tell. Sussex countians
were certainly able to mind their own bust
ness and protect their own rights without
the interference of Wilmington. This was
the opinion of Sheriff Truxton and be told
the Wilmington gang that it would be ar
rested if any of its members interfered with
the canvass. They did not interfere, though
it is doubtful if the men would have kept
hands off had there been the slightest in
dication of trouble.
CROWD SMALLER THAN USUAL.
Return day" is generally great occa-
sion in Georgetown, and it is crowded with
people from all over the surrounding
country. The crowd to-day was smaller
than usual, but there were several hun
dred people here. The usual eating booths
were erected on the sidewalks in front of
the Court House, and the solitary vender of
tooth paste and corn salve amused the
crowd. He did good business.
PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED.
When morning dawned. the people. ex-
cept some of the leading Democrats, were
surprised to find number of strange faces
in town. Of course the town was full of
people, but the town people generally know
all of the farmers who come in. They did
not know these men. and neither did they
know when or how they arrived. One of
the men was finally recognized as Police
Sergeant Harry o. Welch of the Whining
ton police force. Another was ex-Patrol-
man Barney" Mcvey, who on election
day did service in Wilmington as an extra
patrol wagon driver. There were several
others whom the crowd did not know, but
who were finally recognized as Whining
ton policemen, There were also few
athletic citizens present from the Delaware
metropolis who were not policemen.
These policemen and athletic citizens
hovered about the ballot boxes and then it
became known that mysterious posse was
in town. It was also rumored that others
were to arrive. They did arrive. Among
the arrivals were State Detective Bernard
:McVey. United States Marshal Hewson
e. lLannan, Police Captain Robert w.
Chambers. Patrolman John Solomon, Police
Station Janitor Charles Thomas and Robert
| Porter.
Marshall Lannan came to serve process
and so had nothing to do with the gang
which was in town. State Detective Nc
Vey came down to investigate the alleged
murder of a candidate IN Baltimore hun
dred. The remainder of the posse "were
on their way to Rehoboth, but just
stopped over to see the sights on return
day" Of course if little thing like
riot had occurred State Detective McVey
might have felt himself called upon to as
sist in, preserving order As an officer Of
the State he would have had the right to
summon private citizens to his ald, and they
would for the time being have been clothed
with all of the authority of McVey. This
has been the understanding of the people
of this State for long time, and the Dem
ocrats here took that view of it. Of course
if Detective McVey had called for help, the
Wilmingtonians, being loyal citizens of the
State of Delaware, would have rendered
him such assistance as was in their power,
even had it spoiled their enjoyment on re-
turn day.
REPUBLICANS WERE INDIGNANT.
Of course the Republicans and Union
Republicans were indignant that such a
| crowd should be brought here to intimi-
date the peaceful citizens of this place, but
they could not help themselves While the
posse behaved itself properly during the
day some timid citizens were wrought up
to great pitch of excitement by the pre-
| sence of this mysterious posse. There was
feeling that Wilmington ought to mind
her own business but none of them told
the posse that they thought so.
Democrats admitted that the posse had
been sent there at their request for the pur-
pose OF guarding the ballot-boxes. 1t had
been threatened, the Democrats said, tina
the Addicks or Union Republicans, would |
break the ballotboxes and gain possession |
of the county. The posse was therefore
present to guard the ballot-boxes. The
Democrats denied having ever had any in
tention of thro wing out districts. They |
were simply afraid of the Union Republi- |
cans. The Union Republicans, however,
declared that they had carried the county
aEad that the Democrats were attempting to 1
cheat them out of it. They declared that |
they had m ade no threats and that all that |
they desired waslfair play and fair count.
This they were afraid the Democrats would
not give them.
SUPPRESSED EXCITEMENT.
There was an air of suppressed excite
ment about the Court House when the
Board of Canvass met in the Court House.
Under the law Sheriff ]. D. Truxton pre-
sided. The Regular Republicans were rep
resented by Charles F. Richards, the
Union Republicans by DIR. Caleb r. Layton
and the Democrats by William 81. Boyce.
As the sheriff read the returns they were
examined by Charles T. Purnell, Democrat
and Joseph l.. Cahall. Union Republican.
The first returns read were those from
Baltimore hundred It was expected that
protest would be filed against these re-
turns, as they were the ones upon which
the Uuion Republicans were basing their
hopes Of ofcarryingSussex county. The returns
showed Union Republican majority of