The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-09
MERRIFIELD NAMED
BY THE BOLANDERS
To Keep Out Vidaver or Any Other Anti
Ring Man.
CHOSEN AGAINST HIS WISHES

CHOSEN AGAINST HIS WISHES
Five ScrantOnians on the Ticket..NO
Recognition for Out.Of. Town PeO-
ple..Ciark's Friends Claim He Was
Crowded Out..NO Germans Need
APPLY. BOlanders Will Name Man
if Merrifield Declines. &.
The Democratic county convention
yesterday nominated the following
ticket:
For COngress..Edward Merrifield,
Scranton.
For County CommissiOncrs..W. J..
Burke, Scranton; John Demuth,
Scranton.
For Auditors. .Robert f. O'BOyle,
Scranton; II. w. Costello, Scranton.
The dominant power at the conven-
tion, the city hall ring, had not con-
suited Mr.. Merrifield and did not ex-
pect that he would accept the nomina-
tion. He was simply put In to defeat
Nathan Vidaver, who is not of the ring s
ilk. During the confusion at the close
of the convention. when half the dele
gates had left the Music Hall auditor
ium and nearly everybody was crowd
ing towards the street exits, a motion
was made at the suggestion Of Chair
man Jennings, that the county COM
mittee be empowered to fill any vacan-
cy on the ticket. Thus the ring sue
ceeds in getting what 1t all along has
striven for, the power Of naming can
didate.
MR.. MERRIFIELD'S STATEMENT.
Last night Tribune reporter sought
Mr.. Merrifield at his residence on Wy
oming avenue. He said he had not
seen any committe. but OF course had
heard that he was nominated. At first
Mr.. Merrifield declared to the reporter
that he would expressly decline" the
nomination, but after a few moments
thought decided to make this state
ment. 1t was written by Mr.. Merri-
field:
This nomination is wholly unexpect-
ed and expressly against my wishes. ]
certainly appreciate the honor and feel
grateful to the delegates for their good
opinion. What l shall do, however
must be matter for further consider
alton. I am very much averse to a
political fight"
The opinion about town last night
was that Mr.. Merrifield will accept.
Owing to the fact that three caucuses
n l,1rino tha n ~
the convention did not meet until l1.3(
O'Clock, an hour and half later than
the scheduled time. The city hall peo-
pie were at the Bryan and Sewall club
rooms on Spruce street figuring Out
their programme for gaining sure and
absolute control Of the convention.
a party of oldtime Democrats, some
who favored William Connell for con-
gress because they believed he would
be the best representative from this
district, and others who realized the
hopelessness of electing a Democrat
from this county who would have tc
stand on the Chicago platform, met al
the st. Charles hotel and agreed to the
endorsement of Mr. Connell, and COM
bined on Clarke and Gilmartin for COM
missioners, and Warnke and Koch fol
auditors. Another crowd of delegates
held forth at the Columbia, on lower
Lackawanna avenue. They wanted tC
make L. +. Blewitt chairman and pre-.
vent any ring or faction from control
ing the convention.
FIRST BLOOD FOR THE RING.
City Treasurer Boland and his men
however, outgeneraled them all. Thi.
was first made evident in the election o
a temporary chairman. School Con
troller II. j. Jennings was nominated b!
d. j. Reedy, and Hon. John L. Roche
was named by j. ]. McAndrew, Of th'
Twenty-first ward. Before the ballo
had proceeded very far, Mr.. Roch'
withdrew his name, saying that 1t wal
evident the convention did not wan
him for chairman. Mr.. Roche made tn
motion to have Mr.. Jennings election
declared unanimous and also introduce,
him to the convention. Upon takin,
the chair Mr.. Jennings made a brie
| speech of thanks. A reference to Bryan
| was cheered, but not with any wilC
| burst of enthusiasm.
John L. Gaffney and M. ID. Flahert.
| were elected temporary secretarie
without any opposition.
Chairman Jennings appointed the fol
| lowing committees:
Resolutions-D. j. Reedy, Scranton; I
c. Richards. Ransom; f. Il. Blewtt, Scran
| ton; James PidgeOn, Carbondale; Stephei
! 9. Spruks, Scranton. Credentials-Georg,
| Timlln, Taylor; p. II. Gibbons, Josepl
| Rosar, Thomas Durkin, John l.. Flynn
| Permanent organization-Joseph McNal
! ly, Scranton; John McAndrew, Scranton
| Thomas Cummings, Archibald.
On motion of John M. Corbett, tn
| convention took recess until 2 O'Clock
| During the noon recess M. +. Gil
martin, Of Carbondale withdrew from
the candidacy for commissioner.
| The morning session had not beel
| attended by a very large crowd but II
the afternoon the hall was packed t
the doors. When o'clock came aroun
and there was no sign Of the convention
being called to order the delegates com
menced clamoring for speech an
after q time Hon. A. f. McNulty wa
| induced to take the platform. He de
clared that the Almighty chastiset
| those whom he loveth most and as
| proof of this held up the infliction O
Grover Cleveland upon the Demo
cratic party. He compared the Chicag
platform to the Declaration of Inde
pendence and in a blood curdling, hair
raising. pyrotechnical peroration af
firmed that eff Tillman and Altgel
were made anarchists by being con
trasted with Governor Hastings" the
he from the bottom of his heart wa
an anarchist of the anarchists, and sue
like.
| PERMANENT ORGANIZATION