The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-30
Quar-
tet in Upton.
LONELY MOCRATS
Hold a Caucus Which One
Claimed Illegal.

Upton, Dec. 29.-Eight democrats as
sembled in the seleetmen's rooms of the
town hall building last evening, and at
tempted to hold a caucus for the Sc
lection Of a committee to serve during
the next II months
1t was 7,53 o'clock when Chairman
John Murphy of the democratic town
committee raped for order, and stated
that the time had arrived to call the
caucus to order. He stated that the
object of the meeting was the selection
of town committee of five persons to
act during 1899. He then called for
the election of a permanent chair
man.
Before things went further. j. Henry
O'Connell suggested that it was proper
for the chairman to read the call for
the caucus; he asked that the call be
read, and this is when the fun be-
gan.
Chairman Murphy had to admit that
ne had forgotten to bring the neces-
sary document, and the voter who
wished 1t read then drew forth one from
ms own pocket and placed it before the
voters.
oConnell stated that, according to
the caucus call, omissions had been
maze IN It's makeup which made it alb
soiuteIy impossible to hold a legal eau
Gus. lie stated that the call said moth
! ms regarding under what caucus law
ana other conditions things were to he
governed, and also claimed that the cali
should specify the objects for which
the caucus was held.
CHAIRMAN Murphy and the other
voters We're obliged to admit that this
fuhng was entirely proper and very
llIuch IN order. The caucus was sup
pose TO have been held in accordance
with the caucus act Of 1895. section IN of
! chapter 489 ~ VI
10 offset TIE argument. presented nv,
- council, Thomas j. German of West
Upton claimed that it was evident ttat
some one had 'monkeyed' with the cali
Lor the purpose of making a legal eau
Gus impossible, and he saw no reason
why the members of the pa1,tv who
We're present could not go ahe9d ailS
90 the business intended.
Toflnan stated that the error might
nave been made without intention ON
the part of Michael Shaughnessv the
feurlng secretary, to spoil the future
OUTLOOK of the local democrats He
stated That the same thing was done
e. Nl5lloru tlrne ana again, Sand no one
Other wise men in the marty c1airoed
that the error was one of a very sinnle
nature, the violation of a mere tech
meal point, which people under or-
utndry circumstances would pass over
without notice, and all expressed a de-.
sire sire TO nave the meeting select the
town committeeman. though fhe law
was disregarded in the matter 40"
I O'Connell stated in defense 81
9s,halughnessy, the retiring secretary,
tnat 1t was apparent that if one on
clal mad tempered with the caucus
calls, so had the other
Inc calls were signed or supposed ia
nave oeen signed by both the chair
man ana secretary of the town com
mittee, and if there had been tanner
! ing on the part Of one official. there
certainly had been on Che mart of tbe
other. Chairman Murphy knew or was
supposed to know as much about tba
SalIeged defect as did Shaughnessy. and
Tor that reason, he ''monkeyed' as We'll
ing was done.
me speaker finished his argument bv
statlng that it would not matter 10 I'm
TON whether they did it that wav in
MILFORD or not and said thar Milford
poiltlcs and politicians separated from
upton would result in purifcation az
tnIIigs Tor all concerned. He protested
- Siiy puSlueSs mat might be
done al the meeting, and said that it
would be necessary to establish the la
gality of every action.
The voters decided, however, to elect
their town committee, and then, on a
motion of e. M. Baker, Jr the question
OF settlement concerning the alleged il
Legality of the proceedings wa.g 3Ieft to
the chairman and secretarx515f the
meeting. y
A committee. including rAvard ar
Baker, Jr Williap9, z salisbury ana
Grovelon D. RI L1BFRAL. D1v-appointl
ed to rettse an SATISFIED POLICY y cas-
didates
the tod & M'CoWN, Managers.
ana 3Oe Main ST., WORCESTER