Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-30
ANOTHER AFFIDAVIT.
Chaplain Cort Makes n statement Concern
ing speaker Wataon's Actions.


Counsel in opposition to seating Col.
II. A. du Pont 10 the United States
Senate have secured and forwarded the
affidavit OF the Rev. Cyrus Cort Of
wyoming who was chaplain of the
State Senate at the last session OF the
Legislature, The affidavit is as follows
State of Delaware, Kent county, 8. g.
On this twentytiflh day OF January A.
p, 1876, personally came before me
Henry r. Draper a notary public for the
State of Delaware, Cyrus Cort who
being by me first duly sworn according
to law. depose, and says az follows: | am
a resident Of the State of Delaware liv-
ing at Wyoming in said State. was
elected chaplain Of the Senate Of the
State of Delaware for the session of
1885, and in such capacity | performed
my functions whenever the Senate
was in session. ] was present and wit
messed the proceedings Of the Senate
and the joint meeting Of the two houses
OF the General Assembly ON May 9th,
1898, and was an eye witness to the
proceedings of those two bodies on that
day. On the morning Of May 9th, 1895,
while the Senate was in session in its
own chamber, attending to its ordinary
OF IL o'clock in the morning and 12
o'clock noon, William II. Watson en-
tered the Senate chamber and resumed
the Speakers chair, which was vacated
by William L. Records the Speaker
pro tempore. The said William T.
Watson did preside in the Senate, voted
on motions and otherwise took part
in the proceedings in the Senate, with
out objection from any Senator ques-
tiuning his right to preside and TO per-
form his functions as member Of that
body. Whom the hour of IL o'clock,
noon, arrived, tho said William T.
Watson, as Speaker of the Senate. an
nounced TO the members of the Senate
that the hour had arrived for the re-
assembling OF the Joint meeting to ballot
for United States Senator, and at
| the head Of the other Senators, with
gavel in hand, the said William T.
! Watson went to the chamber of the
| House OF Representatives. and presided
over the joint assembly during tho
numerous ballots taken for the purpose
Of trying to elect a United States Sen
ator. At the conclusion OF each OF said
ballots the members of said Joint as
sembly acquiesced without protest 10
announcement of the said William T.
| Watson that mo person having received
a majority of the votes cast for United
| States Senator, there has been no cleo
tion. The clerk will proceed TO call the
roll for another ballot, :" or words to
that effect Senator Arichs presented
his protest after all the ballots had
been taken. His protest was declared
out Of order and the few moments re-
naming before the joint meeting was
adjourned, were consumed in motions
and roll calls 10 adjourn or other dila.
tory motions.
] opened the Senate with prayer on
the morning of May 9th, 1895, was
| present in the Senate Chamber while
William Il. Watson presided, voted and
performed his other legislative func-
tions, joined the members when they
proceeded to the chamber Of tho House
OF representatives and sat with DR..
W. l.. S. Murray, chaplain of the
House, alongside the Speakers stand
throughout the time required to take
the fruitless ballots on the afternoon
of the said May 9th, 1895.
Signed Cyrus Cort.
Sworn to and subsrcibed to before me
the day and year first above written,
as witness my hand and official seal.
lSigned Henry Il. Draper,
Notary Public.