The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-05
Democrats Got the Better OF 1t, and
Clerk Leigh, Of the House, Is
Accused of Manipulation.
CHARGE DENIED BY LEIGH
FINAL DRAWING TAKEN WITH
MORE ASSURANCE OF FAIRNESS.
Senator Sullivan, Of Mississippi, Nom
mated by Democratic Caucus for
Short Senatorial Term.


legislative committees which sit on the
contests for Governor and lieutenant gov
ernor were drawn by lot as provided by
law to-day. A lucky star presided over
the destinies of the Democrats, as the
drawing resulted In giving them ten out Of
the eleven numbers of the committee on
the Governors contest and nine out Of
eleven on the lieutenant governors con-
test. The committee to hear the governor
ship contest is follows: Senators Fra
zier, Allen and Crenshaw and Representa-
tives Hickman. Berry. Finn. Rennick.
Sledge. Lyon and Barton. all Democrats,
and Yarberry, Republican. In the lieuten-
ant governors contest the names drawn
were Senators Harrell, Coleman and Wat
son. and Representatives Crawford, Alex
Democrats. and Representatives Read and
Lilly, Republicans. The House members
Of these two committees were sworn in
tonight. and it is probable that the joint
committee will organize and get down to
work taking evidence tomorrow.
In the drawing over the formation Of the
legislative contested election committees
the results were somewhat more evenly di-
vided. In the case Of the two senatorial
contests the Republicans got only one
member out of nine on each committee,
but in the House they got majorities on
ten out OF eighteen committees which will
try contests. The Senate completed its
drawing at the morning session, and the
only incident connected with 1t was when
Senator Howard Rep) objected to Sena-
1,z1s 1nzfv, u,
Senator Goebel arose and said: Under the
law the names OF all senator's present must
be placed in the box. but / beg to assure
the senator that If my name should be
drawn out l., of course, will not serve"
ALLEGED MANIPULATION.
The House was occupied till late in the
evening with the drawing Of the legisla-
tive committees, and there was nothing
noteworthy In the proceedings till after the
governorship committee had been an
nounced. and just before the drawing for
the committee on the lieutenant governors s
contest. Representative Haswell, leader Of
the Republican minority. charged Chief
Clerk Ed o. Leigh with manipulating the
ballots so as to give the Democrats the
advantage. Haswell and Representative
at the clerks desk as the names of the
members were placed in the box, and when
the last name was placed In it Haswell
walked to his seat and addressed the
House. charging that Leigh. in placing the
names in the box. had systematically
thrown the names of the Democratic mem
bers on the right side of the box, and in
like manner had thrown the names of the
Republican members to the left. He said
he did not know how it happened that the
Democrats got such majority on the Gov
ernor's contest committee, drawn a few
minutes before, but he did know how the
ballots had been put in the box for the
drawing now on, and he asked that the
clerk be required to shake the box thor
oughly, so as to mix up the names as con-
templated by law. Speaker Trimble invited
Haswell or any other Republican member
to shake the box but they declined to do
this, saying this was the duty of the clerk.
Mr.. Berry (Rep) asked the speaker to al
low the members to inspect the box in
order to verify the charge made by him
and Haswell mentioning the alleged man
ner in which the names had been placed
in the box. but Mr.. Cantrill CDem.) said
the charges made by Haswell and Berry
were serious, and that as long as they had
waited till the drawing was practically
complete, he thought they should be COM
PEELED to file them in the proper way and
they We're doing. Speaker Trimble finally
ordered the box to be thoroughly shaken.
and this was done, with the result that
six Democrat and two Republican names
were drawn out.
1t is unofficially announced that the
Franklin county grand jury has found in
dictments against Colonel John II. Whal-
len and Charles Ryan. who. it is alleged.
attempted to bribe Senator Harreli in the
governorship contest. The indictments are
based on conspiracy and will be similar to
those returned against w. Godfrey Hunter.
John H. Wilson, E. T. Franks and others
in the Hunter alleged bribery cases grow
ing out of the Hunter Blackburn senatorial
contest in 1887. The safety deposit box
which Harrell designated as holding the
money was turned over the grand jury to-
day and found to contain four $1,000 bills
and five 500 bills. The money was sealed
up in a plain white envelope without writ
ing. This in part corroborates Harrell S
story.
The Democratic leaders IN the Legisla-
ture decided tonight to take the ballot for
United States senator next Tuesday. AS
1t seems settled in advance that Blackburn
will receive a majority in each house, a
joint ballot will probably not be necessary.
There is question as to whether the ballot
should be taken next Tuesday or Tuesday
week. Blackburn's friends decided as a
matter Of caution to have a ballot on both
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