The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-31
EIGHT BALLOTS TAKEN
WITH DIR. HUNTER STILL IN THE
RACE AS STRONG AS EVER.
Another Fruitless Effort to Elect n
senator in Nentucky-Many wild
Charges of Bribery.

, FRANKFORT, KY, March 3O-Eight ball
lots for United States senator were taken
by the Legislature this afternoon without
material change in the situation. The fact
that DR.. Hunter lost no strength is evident
~ very pleasing to his friends who had been
threatened with a stampede from their
man whenever continuous balloting should
begin. They claim that ii means DR.. Hun
ters ultimate victory in that nothing can
shake the sixty-six. who are standing SOL
idly for him. and that the gold Democrats
who are determined to have an election
Will sooner or later come TO him and more
than supply the needed three votes The
anti-Hunter people claim that the trial
demonstrates that the nominee cannot get
the necessary votes, cannot De elected and
therefore should withdraw or be with
drawn in favor of some other Republican
There are hundreds of schemes Matching
and some fifteen or twenty candidates on
the ground, ready to inherit the mantle of
the nominee whenever it is possible TO do
so. The indications tonight are that Dr.
Hunter has no idea of withdrawing. that
no attempt to get him to withdraw is be-
ing made, and that the final fight will be
a close finish between Hunter and Black
burn or Hunter and Bradley. with Hunter
probable winner. The greatest danger to
his interests tonight is the effort of impa-
tient Republicans to get a new cau ucus. in
which the subject of new nominee would
be considered.
The side feature TO the senatorial struggle
or more present interest than any other is
the Investigations begun to-day by the
Rouse special committee on bribery
charges, Ex-senator Blackburn was one of
the principal witnesses before the COM
niittec this afternoon. He was there to de-
ha llser.
sion made 10 him last winter by Represent
ative Baird that an attempt TO bribe him
had been made by the Republican side. An
effort Is being made 10 prove TO the COM
mittee that Baird afterwards went over TO
the Republicans in less open way but
quite as completely as he has done this
winter, and that there We're causes therefor.
Baird'S friends resent these charges very
vigorously, and say tnat the final report of
the committee will be thorough vindica-
tion of him.
For hours prior to the convening of the
joint session to-day rumorS of bribery and
corruption were flying thick and fast On
one hand ii was asserted that th, Hunter
men had bought outright three silver Dem
ocrats, while on the other hand Is was said
that the. silver Democrats OF the Third
congressional district We're willing and
would to-day vote for Hunter in order to
get him and his contest out of the way of
Congressman John s. Rhea. Ii was freely
asserted in the lobbies OF the hotels and in
the Statehouse by the overZealous Hunter
ties that their candidate would pay $4,000
cash for three votes. IneSe Snameful StO-
ries, circulated without particle of shame.
soon became public property and the feel
ing soon reached fever heat. 1t was openly
avowed by some of the anti-Hunter men
that If the willy doctor showed up i'm the
Joint ballot with a man or two up his sleeve
that they would make ii their business TO
chase those men out of the State. Not
withstandng the conflicting reports, the op-
position to Hunter remained confident and
kept up its lines as best they could under
the circumstances. They said that il Hun
ter did not win to-day Governor Bradley
or Rovle were sure winners Tomorrow
The arst ballot, the sixth of the session,
resulted: Hunter 60: Blackburn. i3; Boyle,
Z. Stone /. Necessary to choice, 63.
motion TO adjourn was then made but
IL was voted down-l23 to i. The balloting
then continued amid great excitement but
no remarkable changes occurred. Several
times motions were made TO adjourn, but
ali were rejected. The thirteenth ballot re-
suited in a loss of one vote for DIR. Hunter
his vote being 80. Blackburn got ~: Boyle
Z: Davie. IS: Stone. I. The change was on
account of a temporary pair. The General
Assembly then adjourned till tomorrow
noon.
The latest scheme tonight is fusion on
w {. p Breckenridge by the Republicans
and gold Democrats, and there are dozens
of men who really believe that Breckin-
ridge may be elected.