Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-11-14

Then Flanagan took the stand. He
said he was a member of the Economic
league. He paid his own election ex-
penses. The league gave him no as
sistance. nor did it pass any votes re-
lating to his candidacy.
The next witness was James M.
Lynch. president of the league. His
testimony was to the effect that while
no vote was taken relative to Fiana-
gan's candidacy, it was understood that
the league should back him. This was
not until after the nomination No
vote was taken as to his expenses, but
a collection was taken up outside the
league This evidence was objected to,
but it was allowed to show that he was
the candidate of the league. The
league passed a vote to 'tchip in" for
Flanagan. About SIS was taken up in
the collection The names Of the dele
gates and alternates to the convention
were then read and it was found that
of the tWenty-seven thirteen were
1eaguers.
Early In the year vote was passed
that all members of the league should
enroll with the democratic registrars
for the primary Of 1902. Mr. O'Neill
then had Mr. Lynch give the objects Of
the leagues existence. He said that
it was to encourage workingmen to
take an interest in politics. The
league is non-partisan. It has neither
charter nor bylaws, but it has plat
form which holds that it shall support
all candidates who sympathize with the
leagues objects. It's membership is
about 400 or 500. Of course it should
be taken for granted that all candi-
dates supported by the league should
be honest.
'tAnd how do you Judge whether they
are or not?' he was asked.
Mr. Lynch hesitated and Mr. O'Neil1
answered the question, saying that he
supposed every member judged for
himself. 81 suppose you are opposed
to aristocracy, monarchial forms of
government, and you want municipal
ownership and everything else for the
sum of 10 cents a month. Is that it ~
Mr. O'Neill did not wait for an answer,
evidently satisfied he had hit the mark.
Resuming, witness said that the can
didates for selectmen and Flanagan
were the only leaguers on the ticket,
but that since the election one Of the
representative candidates has joined.
Flanagan testified that he is en-
rolled on the democratic registers, that
he ordered his own tickets and pastors
self.
John A. Somers, financial secretary
Of the league. was the first witness
| called this morning. He was put on
to throw light on the politics of the
delegates to the convention that NOM
mated Flanagan, but he could not do
SO. He was questioned as to the
financial standing Of the league and
he said the treasury was shy"
Mr. Lynch was recalled to confirm a
statement or two made last evening,
and then Chairman Holohan of the CITY
committee was put on. He read from
the rules to the effect that the civ
convention shall be and is the Iegisla-
tive body of the democratic party in
this city. The rules in question were
passed by the town convention in 1901
but where that body got the power to
enact such rules he did not know The
manner of electing him chairman for
Two years was gone into infinitely.
aIIer which Mr. Somers was recalled
ana started That the league gave no one.
authority to make contracts for +1,a
league. This closed the testimony ana
the arguments began. ATTORNEY Cassi-j
dy, for the league, opened. He mada
the statement that the rules of +he
party are in direct contrayention of the
slatutes, Tor they give certain authority
70 men who, while they were ostensihlv
democrats at the time of their election
may not De democrats at the time fba1y
met 10 elect or nominate a registrar. of
Ihe party. Flanagan is a damoorot
ne said, because he enrolled with +b9
democratic registrars. He nuotad
iargely from the books to the effant
lndl the courts consider il irindicioI
anu unDecom1ng to inquire into tba
government. the conduct and the rnIas
OF political parties. - ~ f'lies
idnasan was nominated nv poo
ularly called democratic convan+io1,
JUST as We're the other candidafas
whose names We're on the ticket VIII
MS. because some of the de1noa+es,
70 the convention belonged to Soma
olher society, to the league in foot
uoes not prove they We're not memha,e,
VI the democratic party. The Ieao11a
Is portion of the democratic nartv
ne neld and even if both ticlrofs
were held to be fraud and tha nas4.
ers alone counted, Flanagan shouId 10
ueclared elected because he received
more than Hynes. There was q diff.
ference of four votes between tbe ra-
count and the first count Two fo,.
"a gan ana Two for Hynes.
Attorney O'Neill replied in effoo+ /.
follows: He held the league is > die is9
llnct organization altogether from 4ba
democratic party. Flanagan and the
delegates to the convention that nomi-
naIed him were all democrats haca,7sa
tney had subscribed to its ruIes vUla,,
they enrolled with its registrars Of
course they have the right TO nart
from it at any time they pleased b1t
when they would part they could not
dictate to the party, they could MT
abolish" rules or laws; they had NOT
that power nor lastly to get ont j
fraudulent ticket. When thew did
this they went beyond their power
Their ticket was not the ticket of the
democratic party. 1t was a frauf1r-
lent ticket because they put the name
OF the democratic party on the head
of it. The courts have to decide time
and again how many were deceived
by the irregular ticket, by which name
Mr. O'Neill called the Flanagan ticket.
1t was impossible to tell how manv
were deceived resumed Mr. O'NeilI. It
was the same size and in every way
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