The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-06
THE SENATE
! STEAL
Senator Pierce Allows the
Democrats to
CONTROL TIE lEGEiAsvaE
He Could not Vote Tor Alice on
Account Of His Faulty Gre
dentials-Gallant Fight
by Senator Hanby.

| Alice who was elected State Senator b,
| Kent County has been stolen and the seat
| ing of S. r. Meredith which places botl
branches of the Legislature into the hand
| Of the Democrats. The Union Rspub!i
| cans do not blame the Democrats for doinl
| so, as long as so called Republicans sup
| ported the action of tho Democrats. There
| is nothing to do but grunt and bear tht
consequences.
As there were only eight members o.
the Senate present whose seats were not
contested, the seating of Senator Pyle a:
temporary chairman, his ruling of Senator
Handy oub of order when he protested and
the seating OF Meredith caused the Repub-
licans to refrain from voting on the elec.
tion Of the officers
Mr.. Pyle called for the credentials of the
Senators, which were read When the
credentials of Mr.. Meredith, Democrat, OF
Kent, had been read a motion was made
to declare him elected over J. Frank
Alice, Republican. This brought Mr..
Handy to his feet, and he told the Demo.
cratic members that IL you seat this man
Meredith you perpetuate the greatest
steal which was ever committed iu this
State"
''Sit down you're out of order" said
Chairman Pyle. only have the orsden.
tials to govern me. Mr.. Merdstith's ere.
dentials are signed by 10 members of tho
board of canvass, and Mr.. Allee's only by
6. We decide that Mr. Meredith ia ent!-
tied to his seat, and il this ruling is not
acceptable to Mr.. Alice, he has the right
to contest" Mr.. Meredith was seated and
the Republicans just looked sadly across
the senate chamber at each other. j
Frank Alice this afternoon stated that
Senator Pierce told him this morning that
he Pierce, could not conscientiously vote
for Alice on the ground that his Crsden
tials were not fully indorssd. Therefore
wnsn Senator Hanby was left in the cold
by Senators Pierce and Moore, Alice was
not surprised.
ltwas Democratic steal assisted by the
Republicans There was no dividing line
here this afternoon between the Republl-
can, as Higgins men, Addicks men and
Massey men all Joined iu the condemna.
tion of Senator Pierce for the part he took
in the organization of ths SenaJs, whereby
that body was made Democratic.
There is no probability that rump
Legislature will continue, at least SO far
as the Senate Is concerned.
This afternoon it was proposed to burn
in elligy Senator Pierce and Weyler but
the cooler heads deemed it advisable not
TO do So it might break the camel's back.
At a conference held this afternoon Sen.
ator Handy accused Pierce Of being. a
traitor and as the latter wilted under the
charges and made no reply ths conference
adjourned until Monday:
lu the Republican caucus on Monday
night Senator Handy agreed to vote for
Pierce for speaker but not even that
could induce the Senator to support
Alice.
IN THE HOUSE
The organization OF the House worked
like clock work. The members were in
the House early and when ex.clerk Hast
;ngs arrived he found the door locked but
as he held u key he walked into the
chamber, but his services were not re-
qn'red. He informed the speaker, how.
ever, that he had courtesy enough to give
mp the keys to the clerks desk aud did SO.
The Kent Democrats We're seated with
the exception of Robert H. Wilson, who
is very i'll and who sent word that be-
would never take seat which had been
stolen from the Republicans John Il.
Dickey Is an uneasy man in his seat, be.
cause Of the contest by w. W. Chcalrs
The latter alleges that he received more
votes than counted by the Board Of Can.
vass and that Dickey received loss votes
than the Board gave to him. 1t is alleged
In the petition that the following charges
were made:
First ward, actual number OF votes for
Dickey, l2i; counted, 1874; for Chears, ac
tual number, l2l; counted, ia; Four'h
district, Second ward, actual number far
Dickey, 81; counted, n; Cheairs h6.
So; Fifth district, Second ward,
Dickey, Isl; counted, 1870; Cheairs, 161;
counted, 1870; Second district, Third wartl.
DiGlsey, 1884, counted, 100; Cheairs, 1853;
counted, l7s; Third district, Third ward:
Diokey, 1906; counted, 49, Chcairs. un.
changed; Fifth district, Fourth ward.
Dickey 200; counted, 20S; Fourth district,
Sixth ward, Dickey, 81; counted, l07;
Chealrs, "a; counted, 81; Second district.
Seventh ward, Dickey, 65; counted. So;
Cheairs, s., counted, As; First district
Eighth ward, Dickey ll3; counted. ll9;
Fourth district Eighth ward, Bickey, ~,
coupted, 81; Cheairs rs: counted, 73;
Sixth district, Eighth ward, Dickey oil
y; Chealrs,52; counted. 80; Third
district, Tenth ward, Dickey, 1875; count.
sd 26l; Cheairs, 1911 counted, 1856
The committee appointed has big work
on its hands. Diokey in his answer al
eges that he is not aware that irregular.
tics took place ana that he believes he re.
,eived enough votes to elect him, and that
It mistakes We're made the confusion is
Tor the same.
Immediately after tho noon recess Mr..
Adams offered resolution by which the
resolution appointing special committee
1n the Dickey. Cheairs contest case was to
De reconsidersd the committee dischai sed
md the matter referred to the regular
committee on elections which is to be ap.
pointed.
This resolution was something of a sur.
Prise to the members of the House, but af- |
er some discussion it was adopted ard |
instead of coming up on Tuesday next as
vas expected, the contest may not come
Up for sOms time.
Mr.. Short askcd that the resolution be |
Idopted because he thought it looked like
nap Judgment to push this New Castle |
ounty contest so rapidly He thought |
hat 1t was u matter which concerned
New Castle county more than any othet
md that the wishes of that county should
,e consulted
Mr.. Donaldson did not see why the New
Castle county contest should be pushed SO /
apldly when there were several other
ontests pending.
MIR. Haze, said that before he offered the
esolution which was passed at the morn.
ng session h0 had consulted the men who
we're interested in the contest and they
lad agreed that they wanted IL settled as
oon as possible.
Mr.. Donaldson called attention to tho
act that he had voted on the matter at
he morning session before he had been
worn In as II member Of the House.
Speaker Riggin spoke in u similar strain
nd then the resolution was adopted.
II is claimed that the Dickey men had
lsed the snap judgment argument for all
hat 1t was worth in the case, and that
hey had said that it did not look right to
ush contest for the seat of-a Democrat
Ghen there were so many contests on
aud in which Republicans were involved.
The Second House adjourned until Fri
ay, when conference will be held.
The talk Of a choice for United States
enator Is now the prevailing topic. 1t
matters not whether 1t is Wolcott, Sauls-
ury, Grubb or Bggs, he will not be seat
4 by the United States Senate.
Judge Grubb to-day informed Mr. Ad-
icli5 that the Mandamus proceeding were
by putting tho cart ahead of the
OrSe.
Governor Watson still refuses to give
commissions to the Kent county Demo-
rats ON the ground that as West Dover
undred took part In tho election and us
landamus proceedings are pending to
ompel Baxter to furnish his returns in
rder that the Board Of Canvass may do
6 work, 1t would be unfair to Issue com.
li5sions to the Democrats when the
Tniou Republicans are elected.
II a |