Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-21

time ne WOulQ nave minority rtporh
The motion was defeated by the fol-
lowing vote: Ayes-Adams, Dempsey,
Donaldson, L. S. Hopkins, McCul-
Tough, Short, Taylor and Thompson
s.; noes--Dayis, Eliason, Hazel, John
son, Martin, Mccoy, Smith, Whitney
and the Speaker-9. Mr.. HAZEL OBJ
iected to Mr.. Dickey voting and the
OBJ lection was sustained.
Mr. Dickey asked to be heard by
counsel, after the vote had been an
nouced. but the privilege was denied.
Mr.. Hazell called for the original
resolution, but Mr. Dempsey was
granted the floor, he stating that be
had minority report which be would
offer in a few minutes.
hir HazsIl said he did not sec how
Mr.. Dempsey could submit minority
report. when be had not been in the
committee meetings an hour during
the investigation. Mr. Hazel made
statement, 10 which he recited his
tory of the case, as far as the House
and committee we're concerned. He
said the report had been sworn TO by
the clerks and was correct finding Of
the committee after diligent and faith
full work. He referred to the disappear
auCe OF Messrs. Ponder and First from
the room on Saturday night, and said
that about o'clock Sunday morning
he had talked with both in their room
and that Mr.. Ponder offered to return
the tally sheet which he had taken,
but he said he could not accept 1t,
except while the committee was in
session, but admitted that 1t had been
returned 10 the morning to the COM
mittee. He further stated that Mr..
Ponder had admitted bis tHazell's)
fairness with him at the Investigation.
lie held that TO vote against the reso.
luton would be to countenance fraud
and buying. He alleged that the
man whose seat was contested had COMO
to him and stated that il the count
went on it would send so or 40 people
in Wilmington to jail. but asserted
that as 1t had been decided TO count
thu ballots they must be counted.
Mr.. Dempsey made a long speech in
advocacy Of postponing action in order
to consider minority report. lie
alleged that the committee had not
lived up to tho resolution ordering tine
count, and for that reason the report
must he defective. He had favored the
admitianCe of reporters, but the com
mittee decided against him. lie held
that there were Irregularities in count
ing the ballots, and that he knew of
ono case where fiya votea had not been
counted by the committee. He Oh
jected to hasty action on the report,
and said it was not justice. He held
that the object OF majority OF the
committee In desiring ha5ty action was
to seat man who would vote for their
choice for United States Senator. He
emphasized tho fact that hs wanted
ting matter considered fairly and judged
on its merits. He claimed that the
people of Delaware would not respect
such report as had been submitted.
lie expressed surprise that Chairman
HAZEL ehould talk about counsel who
bal not the privilege Of the floor. lie
accused the lower counties OF refusing
New Castle county almost everything
asked for, and denied that the New
CastIe inen were men Of delay, as had
been attributed to them. He charged
Chairman HAZEL Of taking the bit in
his mouth and running things, and
said that the committee was dominated
by one.man power, that Mr.. Ponder
had not been shown proper courtesy.
Mr.. HAZEL replied to Mr.. Dempsey,
stating that he had been courteous to
counsel and that counsel had acknuwI-
edged it. He denied the charges of
irreguiarity, which had been made by
Mr.. Dempsey.
MIR. Donaldson also spoke in favor of
postponing action until a minority
report had been considered and stated
that he had claimed all along that Mr..
HAZEL should not have been on the
committee; that at least two members
Of the House had been ignored in the
appointment of the committee; that he
had been pretty nearly snubbed,
although he hoped it was not intended.
He commended that the report was
defective and claimed that to vote
against it did not signify sanctionins
fraud.
Mr.. Adams said he did not want to
vote until he had full understanding
of the matter anu nade motion to
adjourn until 3 O'Clock p. m., which
was lost by the following vote. Ayes
Adams, Dempaey, Dickey, Donaldson,
MGGullough, Short, Taylor, Thompson
$; nays-Davis. EliasoD, HAZEL, L.
5. Hopkins, johnson, Martin, Mccoy,
smith, Whitney and the Speaker--lO.
Ihe following minority report, offered
by Mr.. Dempsey was read:
III reporting to the House the conditions
which have prevailed during the so.called
counting and tabulutiun of the vote in the
contest Of Woodward w. Chcnrs against
John +. Dickey, the sitting member, il is
nr't TO pc SAID that the committee has en-
tlrely dlsregarded and absolutely violated
the resolution passed by this House, which
was as follows:
Resolved. That the committee on c,ec.
tons be aud are hereby directed 10 omen
each ballot box and count every ballot in
every election precinct in New Castle county
and report to the House the exact number
OF votes cast for each candidate for the
Legislature III said county before incurrinp
any costs in summoning of witnesses in the
case whatever.
Notwithstanding the clear wordn. of the
resolution. the committee determined nj the
outset that they would count no votes except
| Tor the Democratic candidates, although
the votes FOR these candidates were found
On AT least three OF the tickets as printed on
| the Official ballot, but the committee uro.
ceeded TO count only the votes of those
candidates wherever fond and did not even
count the votes for Mr.. ]. Frank Eliason
one OF the sitting members from New Castle
| county.
There is nothing. therefore, which an.
pears or can appear by the report Of the
committee made to this House where any
one in New Castle county except seven
Democrats received any votes for seats in
this House. This is in direct conflict with
the wording and intention of the resolution,
which directed the committee to count the
ballots and report the exact number al
| votes cast for each candidate for the [esis.
iatlre IN said county" Numerous irregI.
iarllles are hereinafter pointed out for the
| hpnntit of the Hnnan - ~ II y. ~