The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13

sole candidate in the First district. Will
liam Scott, now president of the Board of
School Commissioners, was reelected in the
Second district without opposition. In both
districts the vote was very light, Scott re-
ceiving 124 votes and Maxwell IA. There
was a spirited election in the Tenth dis
trict. There was a constant stream OF vot-
ers from the time the polls opened until
they closed, at 6 clock. At that time there
was over $50 men in line who were too late
to vote. A total of 2,241 ballots were cast
Of which Edward J. Robson received
1875 and Henry W. Bennett 965. Robison's
majority was 81. A heavy vote was polled
in the Eleventh district. At the last mo-
ment candidate was sprung by the col
ored voters of the district AT meeting
the night before. James II. Williams was
nominated in opposition to Albert Baker
There was a misunderstanding as to Mr..
Bakers attitude toward the colored people
and Gabriel l.. Jones and other colored
statesmen drew the color line and at
tempted to elect their candidate by this
method. In the forenoon they succeeded in
getting out pretty heavy vote. But little
interest had been taken in the election in
this district, as it was understood Baker
would be elected without effort When it
bility of his defeat, business men hurried
| to the voting place and did some active
work to secure Mr.. Bakers election. When
the ballots were counted it was seen that
there was no reason for alarm, as MI
Baker was elected by an overwhelming
majority. He received 1928 votes, against
306 for Williams. His majority was 915.
General satisfaction is felt at the result
of the election, although there is consid-
cradle disappointment at Mr. Benefits de-
feat 1t is recognized that the new board
will have many difficult financial questions
to dispose of in the next year, and those
who have the best interests of the public
schools at heart hoped to see the men Of
the greatest ability elected. Friends of Mr.
lob son, the new c1IninisSio from the
Tenth district, however, say that he will
prove a surprise and demonstrate himself
to be a thoroughly competent man for the
place and valuable acquisition to the
Albert Baker is a lawyer of known in
tegrlty and ability He is a man Who has
taken no active part in politics and was
reluctant to enter the race. He was per-
suaded to make the race by friends who
We're anxious to strengthen the board.
Frank II. Blackledge. retiring commits
sloner in the First district, expressed salts
faction in the election of Or. Maxwell to
be his successor. Mr.. Blackledge said that
he knew Dr. Maxwell to be a man Of in
tegrity and ability and predi ,ted that he
would be found a very desirable addition
to the board.
William Scott has been Il member Of the
board for six years. He is now serving as
president He was averse to containing in
the Office but consented 10 sacrifice his
personal desires at the instance Of his con-
stituents, who insisted that he should stand
for another term. The newly elected COM
missioners will begin their terms July l.
TWO CONTESTED DISTRICTS.
In the Tenth and Eleventh districts there
was lively contest. Until the last mo-
ment it was supposed that Albert Baker
would be the only candidate in his district.
| but through an unfortunate misunderstand-
| ing resulting from visit paid to Mr.. Baker
| by a committee of colored citizens last
| week, some of the colQred people decided to
nominate a candidate of their own. James
II. Williams was named to run against
| Baker. In the forenoon Williams's friends
| came out in force but in the afternoon the
tide changed. Bakers friends hustled
around in the district getting Indifferent
voters to the polls, and while it was
| thought that the vote was close when the
polls closed the general impression was
| that Baker had been elected by good ma
| Jorlty. No contest had been anticipated IN
| this district, and special arrangements had
not been made to get out the full vote of
| the district, which is one of the largest in
| the city, but nevertheless 1881 votes were
cast.
The scene at the voting place in the
| Tenth district was a reminder OF the old
| times when all sorts of trickery was re-
| sorted to to carry the day. lively can
| vass of the district had been made by the
| two candidates, Henry w. Bennett and
| Edward j. Robson Mr.. Benefits can
didacy was favored by business men, who
regarded him as better fitted for the re-
| sponsioIe position than his opponent. Mr..
| Robson spent the two weeks preceding the
election making himself solid, with the
| boys and everybody was prepared for a
| hot fight Brightwood participated in this
election, as ii became part OF the Tenth
| district by annexation, and large con-
| fin eencv from the suburb came down TO
| vote for Bennett. In the district are many
shops and factories. Ample arrangements
| had been made to get voters to the voting
place. and scores of buggieS and wagons
were driven all over the district for men
who had barely enough time TO spare; IN
| this district occurred the only trouble or the
| day. 1t was a little late when the poIls
| were opened. Shortly afterward two big
wagonlOadS of men wanting to vote were
| driven up by Robisons workers" The
men were impatient and objected to wait
| ing until the poll-book holder checked OFF
| their names.
| 20 d-n thatr' cried one of them. We've
| got no time to fool around mere Ihey
| made a grad rush past the ,poIl-oook
| holder and attempted TO vote Whether or
not There was some lively challenging.
| Most of the men voted. Benefits trlends
said afterward that, This was part OF the
the men We're from other parts of town,
and did not reside in the district at all. All
forenoon Robson seemed to have the best
Of it. but in the afternoon, When voters
began coming from the shops Bennett
friends regained lost courage ana were pre-
dieting that their candidate would De
elected after all.
'It ali depends on now the Atlas work
men vote" said one of them. When the
workmen from the Atlas works appeared
il was noticed that a good many of them
refused ballots thrust in their hands by
Robison's workers
A count of the vote in the Eleventh dis
trict showed that Baker had 1223 votes;
Williams, sos
Voters continued coming from the shops
and factories until after the polls were
| closed at 6 o'clock. Among the last to ar
rive were about forty of Benefits friends
from Brightwood. They We're too late TO
vote. as were about $50 more who We're IN
line waiting to vote when the polls closed.
| 1t was said that the reason Tor Mr.. Ben
rett's defeat was that he had been unfor-
tunate in not getting his friends out until
so late in the day. Robisons workers be-
| gan work early in the morning and contln-
| ued until the last minute. Before noon eV-
| erything seemed to be going his way, and
some of Benefits friends got discouraged
ard were about ready to quit, believing 1t
| was all over with them,
A BALLOT BOX STOLEN.