People's voice., 1897-08-05
candidates for one Otfice-a Richards
and an anti. Richards candidate.

uOi 0u"Ooli OCupidl, oOuIunCoG duu
southern parts Of the county, but the
anti. Richards delegates rolled up 1924
votes against him and he went down
10 defeat. They drew first blood anu
throughout the entire convention
made an aggressive and winniug &
fight.
The hatred that the average Re-
publican has for Richards and the ex-
tent OF the fight in the convention
yesterday against his domineering
rule, was plainly shown 10 the vote
tor sheriff. J. p. GrinStead of this
city, was the Richards candidate for
sheriff. Grinstead is very popular 10
this city. He was elected city mar
Shal last spring on a partisan Repnb-
lican ticket by a majority Of 258 votes
over fusion nominee. He secured
the nomination for marshal by large
majority over aIlOpposing candidates.
He was not Richards man then. In
the Republican county convention
yesterday he received only 40 votes
against the anti Richards candidate,
who received 23l. The city of We'll
lingtOn alone cast elev n votes more
for sheriff than Grinstead received in
the entire county. This was a ter
rihle blow to the Richards forces, and
was followed up by another one 10 the
contest for register, which was almost
as severe. f. L. Botkin was the
Richards nominee. He was placed
IN nomination by jim Ready. He is
poor, crippled man and the conven-
tiOn knew he needed the office. But
he was Richards candidate. This
was sufficient to insure his defeat, D.
J. Downing of Illinois township, was
elected over him by a vote of 23l tO64.
The nominees for county treasurer,
coroner and surveyor were without
opposition in the convention aud their
election Was b, acClamaLiOE.
| The convention took another fall
out of Richards by nominating The
present board Of county high school
trustees for reelection. Richards
stated lubIic.y m the star that be
would not support any Democrat or
Popuii.t for otlice-meaning that the
convention ShUu d nominate a straight
Republican bpGrd of high school
trust rs. The present board is CON-
0Osed Of two Democrats, two Popu-
lists and two Republicans. The con.
ventlon nominated them by an over
"helmlug vote. They fairly raised
the .nuf Of the opera house in howl
Ing Their approval of the nominations.
What talk was made against their
nomination only worked 10 the disad-
van age Of Richards and his ring.
But the real fight of the day occur
red when the m liter uf electing a
new county central committee came
up. Richards was a candidate for
the chdirmanShlp of the new COM
mittee, and his candidacy was warmly
supported by the Lawrence. Bright
Ready trinity. During the campaign
last fall the Republican central COM
mi tee and "BOsS" Richards worked
al swords points. The fight between
the aspiring leader and the central
committee was NJ doubt largely
responsible for the defeat of the Re-
publican ticket in Sumner county.
Since getting in his graft with the
powers that ,e Richards has been
creating discOrd and strife in the Re-
publican party by his inceSsant fight
0n the county central committee in
recommending an unwiSe disposition
OF federal patronage in the county.
He undoubtedly stands close to Long
ana has been successful in fighting
the central committee over applicants
Tor pnst0tfices. His recommendations
nave created considerable i'll feeling
among the patrons Of the fourth-class
poStUllices in which be had a hand in
Shaping affairs, and Richards has
taken great deal Of flendSh salts.
lactlOn out OF it. He has a thousand
old scores in the county TO even up
aud Is improving the opportunity tC
pay great many political grudges of
several years standing. The fact oc-
CURED to him that if, with the pres.
tlge his standing with the politicians
OF the state affords, be could down
the old county central committee
and put in committee OF his own
and secure the Craftsmanship thereof,
he would be completely viudicated
and his pull with the Long.Leland
combine would be increased several
tonnage power. Accordingly he com.
menced laying his plans about six
weeks ago to capture the central COM
mitlee and be elected chairman. His
defeat in this was more overwhelm.