Smyrna times., 1897-01-20
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.


committee on Privileges and Election
as to when and how the ballots should
be counted.
Mr.. Hazel was using considerable
language to gain his point when Mr..
dempsey intimated that the Kent
county men were pushing the contest
against Dickey through selfish inter
est, and that it was in bad taste for tba
Kent members to take such an active
part, especially when their own seat,
were under cloud. The real reason
of Mr.. Hazel's activity was because
the United States Senatorship WAS
behind the contest.
Mr.. Hazel replied with considerable
warmth, declaring that he could raise
his hand to heaven and say that he
believed he was elected a member of
the Legislature by from 800 to 1000
majority. The Courts so far have de-
cided in favor of the Kent County
members, and they are the only ones
who have prima facia claims to seats
from that county.
MI. Donaldson retorted that the de-
cisiOn of the Court was not in favor of
the Kent claimants, but was on a tech
nicality.
Tho Senate did not concur in the
adjournment until Friday morning.
Nr. Mccullough in the House Of
fereG bill which is likely to cause
cOnsi 'erable opposition. 1t places a
fine o. from $500 to S., 900, or in de-
fault an Imprisonment of from three
months to two years, on any person or
corporation who insures the life of a
PEI son under 1G years of age. There
are hundreds of children insured in
Wilmington.
In" House passed a House bill to
build a new sewer in Wilmington.
The cost will be about $3.50, 900 but
there will be no opposition offered to it.
Mr. Dickey, in the House, gave no
tlce Of bill to tax insurance com
panies. Similar bills are offered at
every session, but none of them ara
evOr passed.
The Cheairs-Dicky contest offered the
frs, genuine sensation Saturday even
ing. James w. Ponder, counsel for
Dlckey, and Herman First, their clerk.
fled from the Levy Court room, TAX
ing with them Frist's talloy sheet.
The immediate cause of the withdrawal
of tie Dickey representatives was a
change in the method of counting the
ballots. Up to th@ @point the ballots
had been counted by reading the
names of the seven Democratic can
didates of New Castle county for the
General Assembly. The election of
EliasOn, Republican, was conceded bv
Dlckey's counsel. In order to hasten
the work, the committee agreed to
separate the straight from the cut
ballots aud count the former in bulk.
Lawyer Ponder protested and in
Structed Clerk First to stop tallying.
Chairman HAZEL claimed authority
over First, and commanded him to 90
ahead with the count. Instead of
obeying the chairman First crumpled
up the sheet in his hands and started
for the door.
In the meaetime Ponder had reached
the door and opened it wide. FIRST
made dash for it, but was intercep-
ted by Chairman HAZEL, who caught
him round the waist and demanded the
talley sheet. 1t was but the work of a
moment for First to chuck the sheet
over Hazell's shoulder to Ponder. who
snatched it and fed, closely pursued
by Chairman HAZEL, Sergeant alarms
E. o. Raymond and Lawyer William
F. Kurtz. Ponder struck across
Dover Green and was soon lost in the
darkness.
The count was completed at aboat 10
O'Clock Monday Morning.
Ex-Sheriff Gillis delivered the tally
sheets to the Speaker of the house.
who handed them to Chairman HAZEL
of the elections committee.
Chairman Hazell then submitted the
report of the committee, which showed
that Mr.. Mccoy received 1O857 votes :;
Mr.. Taylor, 1O,O49; Mr.. Donaldson,
9,513; Mr.. Cheairs, 9,4O6; Mr.. Nc
Cullough, 9,5O5; Mr.. Dempsey, 9,4S3;
and Mr.. Dickey 9,457. The report
recommended that Mr.. Dickey be
Ousted and that Mr.. Cheairs be sworn
in as member of the House.
Mr.. Dempsy then presented minor
ity report, which closed with recon-
mendation that the committee be in
structed to summon witnesses, list of
which had been furnished the Speaker
and chairman HAZEL, for the purpose
of proving that the boxes had been
tampered with. A motion to adopt
this report was lost, as were also sever
al dilatOry motions.
Mr.. Dickey surrendered his seat and
keys.
Mr.. Ponder contended that the
matter was irregular, saying there had
been no formal declaration of a vacant
seat before Mr.. Cheairs was sworn in.
The Speaker claimed that the report
of the committee settled that matter.
and Mr.. Dickey stated subsequently
that as far as he knew there would be
no protest.
In the Senate, to-day, Mr.. Handy
gave notice of a bill to abolish all toll
roads in Delaware.
Mr.. Pyle gave notice of bill pro-
viding for the sale of $176, 900 worth of
Wilmington bonds next month.
KRNNEY RECEIVES THE NOMINATION.
The excitement Monday night was
intense, and there was large and bois-
ferrous crowd in town. In the vicinity
OF the State House, whee. the caucus
was held, the crowd gathered.
The balloting for United States Sen