Bridgeton pioneer., 1899-09-07
GREAT EXCITEMENT,

Republicans Declare That They VIII Not
Support the Candidates Forced
Upon Them.
From the moment the Republican
County Convention adjourned Thursday
afternoon there was the widest excite
ment upon the streets, and instead of the
furore subsiding as night fall came, the
troubles increased.
There has Dot." said life long Re-
publican Thursday afternoon, sbeen
more unsatisfactory convention than that
OF today. The people had nothing to do
with it. 1t was bossed by life long Office
holders, men who went into Office wears
ago without money enough to pay their
debts, and have grown rich from the
public crib"
Said another gentlemen, who is con-
servative. 1.-THE Republican party will
not support the ticket. In Justice to
itself it cannot. The people had no
voice in the convention. 1t was shame
ful.n
These and like expressions. from the
masses, were heard everywhere. Men
who cannot be charged with political
prejudices, openly denounced the unfair.
INSCRIPTIONS methods, that, they de-
clared, were used to thwart the popular
will of the people.
Many others were expressing all sorts
of opinions, and there seemed to be moth
ing but dissatisfaction and threats against
the ticket.
When the people were going over to
the Court House Thursday morning,
there was general satisfaction expressed.
1t was conceded by everybody that the
arrangement that had been agreed upon.
by the friends of DR.. Thompson. and
Senator Stokes and his Millville lieuten-
ants. was happy solution of the whole
difficulty. Everyone of DIR. Thompson,s
delegates. after much persuasion. had
agreed to go in the convention and assist
IN naming Sheldon unanimously for
County Clerk, and in turn would accept
the nomination for Sheriff for DIR.
Thompson.
Judge of the surprise and Indignation
when it was learned, just as the conven-
ton was being called to order, that orders
had just come from Trenton where Sena-
tor Stokes was spending the day, that the
nomination must go to Souders. 1t was
Immediately explained that the Senator
had been forced to repudiate his own
arrangement and that of his lieutenants.
because of the violent opposition of
County Clerk Trenchard and J. Ward
Richardson, who declared that they
would not permit Stokes to thus harmon
ize the two forces.
There was, of course nothing else to do,
as Thompson refused repeatedly the
offers of Souders' friends to make a deal
with that combination.
The vote of the covention was but the
beginning. Sheldon's nomination was
not made unanimous, while many of the
delegation refused to vote for any can
didate Tor Sheriff.
At night, when all of this was be-
coming known, there was widest excite.
ment. Hundreds and Hundreds of Re-
publicaps went on record as against the
ticket and declared for whoever the
Democrats might nominate.
Some of Thompson's warmest friends
endeavored to stem the tide, but it could
not be done. The people were mad.
The feeling grew hotter and hotter
until about s o'clock it developed into
the spectacular. A stuffed figure was
carried up Laurel street followed by a
big crowd, shouting and cheering for DR..
Thompson. The paddy was marked with
a card upon which was painted Senator
Stokes" The figure was strung up to
telephone pole in front of the Cumber-
land Bank, and set on fire, and as it
blazed, the crowds cheered and yelled.
Out at Gouldtown Thursday, fifty two
colored voters met in hall and organized
a George w. Betchner Republican Club
and pledged themselves to the .Democra-
tic ticket.
There was quite demonstration out at
Shiloh, and in Downe township there was
much dissatisfaction publicly shown.
There is much work to do upon the
part of the leaders to straighten up the
troubles that now exist.