The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-20
ROBATHAN SELECTED.
Fifteen Republican Commoners Want
Him for Chairman-Gillespie Got
Clerkship Nomination.

Fifteen of the twenty-one Republican
members of common council convened
in caucus last night in city hall and
selected f. L. Robathan and John B.
Gillespie as candidates for chairman
and clerk, respectively. Mr.. Robathan's
nomination was unanimous, but there
was Il lively little fight for the clerk
ship nomination.
The fifteen members who were pres
ent at last nights caucus were as fol-
lows: John j. Evans, Thomas w.
Thomas. John Henry, J. B. Casterline,
T. J.. Snowden, Daniel Evans, w. w.
Evans, e. w. Soaring, e. L. Robathan,
John Jones, A. L. Lewis, William
Knoepfel, William Lewis, Theodore
Fuller and Matthias Stipp.
Those who did not attend were Luther
Keller, Fl. Z. Paine, o. B. Partridge.
Alfred Harvey and E. w. Evans. The
first four members absented themselves
purposely, while sickness was given as
the reason for the failure of the last to
appear.
A. L. Lewis was unanimously chosen
as permanent chairman of the caucus.
Mr.. Robathan's name was placed be-
fore the gathering by Mr.. Casterline,
and he was unanimously chosen as the
candidate of the fifteen members pres
ent.
John B. Gillespie, of North Scranton,
was nominated for clerk by John ].
Evans, while the name of James Nc
Ginnis was put forward by Theodore
Fuller, the new member from the Six
teenth ward. Mr. Stipp nominated AS
sstant City Clerk Evan r. Morris,
stating that N.os ,,calacc Tn -,
anyone else because of the decided
stand in favor of Mr.. Morris election
taken by several of the members not
present at the caucus.
1t had been practically agreed upon
at first to insist that no candidate be
declared nominated unless he secured
eleven votes, or a majority of all the
Republicans in council. When it was
discovered that no candidate could Sc
cure eleven votes, it was decided to
declare the man securing the votes of
majority of the members present, the
candidate, thus practically insisting
that the absent members abide by the
decision of the meeting.
The first ballot resulted as follows:
Gillespie. I; McGinnis, s; Morris, 2.
Chairman Lewis declared that Morris
>oeAe i''t NC Nolcu loI the second
ballot. This resulted in the selection
of Gillespie. by the following vote:
Gillespie, 10; McGinnis, s.
The Republicans will have majority
of four on the morning of reorganiza-
tion, there being twenty-one Republic
cans and seventeen Democrats. The
four members who remained away
from last nights caucus, accordingly.
hold the balance of power and control
the situation. Just what they will do
remains to be seen.
The principal objection raised by the
members who remained away from last
nights caucus is that they We're not
consulted about the selection of a cam
didate, or the fixing of date for the
caucus. They. allege that a majority of
the Republican members held a pre-
liminary caucus and selected a candi-
date, and that they would have been
powerless to prevent this candidates
nomination even if they had been pres
ent' They further allege that the eau
Gus was called by one man, instead of
by committee, as is the usual custom.