The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-16

In the rooms of the Central Republic
can club yesterday the Republican re-
turn judges OF the city met and for
maly declared Evan II. Morris, the
candidate of the party for city con-
troller. The resolutions denounced the
ripper" bill and the trolley grab"
The convention was presided over by
Hon. James Moir, who while mayor OF
the city went to Harrisburg and lob
bied in favor of the passage of the
Ripper. The chairman of the commit
tee on resolutions appointed by Chair
man Moir was j. s. Drown, OF North
Scranton. who was IL clerk in the street
commissioners office when Mr.. Moir
was mayor.
The convention was called to order
by b. II. Jayne, the vice-chairman of
the city committee, who has been act
ing chairman during the illness of the
chairman, w. S. Miller. w. B. Stevens
and Fred Koehler were asked to serve
as secretaries and John Beaumont, w.
S. Bartlett and j. S. Drown were
named by the chairman as a commit
tee to consider contests from the First
district of the Fifth and the Second
district of the Fifteenth wards.
While this committee was deliberat
ing. Hon. James Moir was elected per-
manent chairman and in assuming his
duties expressed his qualification at
seeing so many men present who were
willing to give their services to the par
ty without cost. He reviewed the
momentous events that have occurred
since the return judges met three years
ago and said the Ripper attachment to
| the second class city act was worse
than a crime, it was n political blum
der. He urged that the candidate Of
| the party be given loyal support for
only by devotion to the party down to
| the most trivial office can political di-
visions hope to achieve victory in the
| broad field Of national politics.
DROWN HAD RESOLUTIONS.
At the conclusion of his remarks the
chairman named ]. S. Drown, Enos
| T. Hall. W. A. Stanton, w. S. Bartlett
and John G.. Nicholson as committee
on resolutions. He was reminded that
| Mr.. Drown and Mr.. Bartlett We're
| then at work on the committee of res
| olutions and thereupon substituted
| Edward Davis for Mr. Bartlett. Mr..
Drown had been intrusted in advance
with the typewriter resolutions and
| the chairman would not substitute any
one for him and the resolutions had to
wait until the committee OH contested
| seats had reported.
| The contests were over the rights of
| two sets of men to act as vigilance
| committees next year. In the first dis
trict of the Fifth, james Phillips was
| declared by the committee as the legal
return judge and w. A. Paine and G..
| Is. Carson as the other members of the
committee. The other set consisted of
w. J. Mcdonald. return judge; r. S.
Gillingham and D. w. Davis. This part
of the report was adopted.
In the Second district of the Fif-
teenth ward the right of Hon. John
Fl. Fellows to be his own successor as
return judge and of Fred l.. Leber and
| William Corless to be the other men,
| bers of the committee We're challenged
| by men represented by John r. Jones
| The committee decided i'll favor of Mr..
| Fellows and Il very acrimonious dis
cussion began. John Reynolds said
the men named on the paper presented
by Mr.. Jones We're the men legally
elected and Mr.. Fellows held the same
with reference to the men returned by
him. He charged that Jones had be-
trayed his party for position in the
county Jail and was not therefore de-
| serving of any consideration i'll a Re-
publican gathering.
CHAIRMAN EXPLAINED.
Mr. Beaumont, chairman of the con-
test committee, explained that the
committee had reported in favor OF
Fellows and his colleagues because
they showed that three votes were
| poled for them. There was no evil
dence that any votes were cast for theii
opponents, The war of words was be,
coming bitter when Chairman Moil
sought to bring about harmony by ask
ing the disputants to refer the matter
to him for adjustment. They agreed
to do this.
Mr., Jayne suggested that inasmuch
as the Democrats are to nominate can.
didates for poor board it might become
necessary for them to do likewise an6
he moved that the city committee be
given power to nominate such candi,
dates II they deemed it advisable. The
motion prevailed.
The following amendments to the
Crawford county rules We're adopted
Providing that the return judges meet
on the second day following the pri-