Evening journal., 1897-01-16
DICKEY AND CHEAIRS.
The Probable Strength of the
Senatorial Candidates.
HOW THE BALLOTS WE'RE COUNTED


CHANCELLOR AND ATTORNEY
GENERAL TALKED OVER THE
CONTEST WITH REFERENCE TO
A PROSECUTION OF WHINING
TON ELECTION OFFICERS THE
GOVERNORS PLAIN TALK.
STAFF Correspondence Evening Journal
DOVER, Jan. 16.-In the Levy Court
room in the County Building, the
House Committee on Elections is en-
gagged in its work of securing evidence
for the unseating of John T. Dickey,
representative from Wilmington hum
dred, and the seating of Woodward w.
Cheairs, who claims to be the repre-
sentatiye-elect from Red Lion hun
dred Mr. Dickey did everything pos
sible to prevent the scandal which is
sure TO result from the count of the
ballots, but the one thing demanded of
him by the Cheairs men, which was
that he step down and out to make
room for the young Red Lion hundred
statesman.
n lIAD 1OtN i I'D HEN 0AO1Oio.
The first sensation of the day was
when IL became known that the five
Democratic members OF the Senate had
entered into an agreement with the
anti-Dickey members of the House
never to go into caucus for United
States senator until the Cheairs- Dickey
contest was settled
1t was agreed to go into the joint
meeting on Tuesday and vote for
United States senator, but make il a
mere formality the friends of none Of
the candidates IN the field making a
showing of preference. In short, to
have a blind ballot and keep it up
until the House determines who is to
get out to make room for Cheairs. This
determination upon the part of the an
ti-Dickey men made all obstruction
useless for, with eighteen men out OF
caucus nothing could be done i'm the
way of nominating a United States
senator
A canvass of the members after this
determination showed that the prob
able strength of the several candidates
on the first. second or third ballot
would be as follows;
Wolcott 8; Salisbury, 8; Kenney, 3;
Martin, q Lore, /; Gray, /; John f.
Salisbury /.
COUNTING THE VOTES.
Immediately after the Committee on
Elections had secured the ballot boxes.
Sheriff Films deputies were relieved.
and in order that the committeeman
could go to dinner it was necessary to
have the boxes watched. The commit
tee selected two men, Counsel for
Dickey Immediately alleged that they
were men favorable to Cheairs, and de-
manded equal representation, increas-
ing the guard to four men.
Mr.. Kurtz said that he and his col
leagues had nothing to do with the ap-
pointment OF the men, and knew moth
ing about them and that it was imma-
terial to them who guarded the boxes
They would enter into no agreement
concerning the appointments. There
upon the committee declined to accept
any suggestions from the Dickey men
and the men already appointed served
Then the committee adjourned until
l30. 1t was 2 before they met and 8
! before they settled down to work
Those present besides the members OF
the committee were Messrs. Dickey and
, Cheairs, James w. Ponder John B.
Pennington and Alexander NJ. Daley. OF
counsel for Dickey; T. Bayard Heisel,
William Fl Kurtz and James FL
. Hughes, of counsel for Cheairs; Her.
man First and John G. Hopkins, clerks
| and the guards.
| Before accepting the boxes the
{ Cheairs men wanted to swear Sheriff
! Films deputies to the fact that the
boxes were in the condition they were
when they arrived here. The sheriff OBJ
, jected, saying that he was responsible
for them and also for the boxes He
guaranteed that they had not beer
tampered with.
The committee proposed to employ
four clerks and divide up the work
The Dickey lawyers objected, saying
that the House resolution provided
that there should be one clerk for each
side. In answer to this the Cheairs
men contended that the resolution
meant that each side should have on,
clerk, but did not prevent the com.
q mittee from calling in others. Tha
! was left to the discretion Of the com
mittee The committee cut off discus
sion without rendering any decision OF
: the point.
Then the Dickey people wanted tn,
f. committee to count the votes for tn,
legislative candidates Of all parties
Mr.. Kurtz made a fight against it anC
I defeated the proposition when the com
= mittee was about to accede to the de
mand Mr.. Dempsey went home, say
: ing he had an important engagement
: Then the counting of the votes 70
7 the seven Democratic candidates be
gan. Out in front of the building tn
it calling Of the names could be heard
r Dickey Dempsey. Donaldson Mccoy
j. Taylor, Cheairs, Mccullough. Two 0
J, the committeeman took the ballot
from the boxes as they were openei
and Strengthened them out They wer
= passed to two other members by tn
a, chairman. These two called out tn
= names and the two clerks kept tally
y Sometimes the attorneys assisted tn
s. committeeman to arrange the ballots.
1 The first box opened was that of tn
"a first district OF the First ward and tn
y count was made by districts, beginnin
: with tho First and ending with tn
," Twelfth so far as Wilmington was con
pprnpd