The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-06

mitted a minority report standing by their
colleague. The majority report was sent
up by Chairman Lewis. of Fountain. about
2:30 O'Clock, with the explanation that he
had had the report for twenty-four hours,
but had withheld il at the request of the
minority members of the committee. VINO
asked for time TO prepare their report. lie
had delayed as long as he thought reason
able. Mr.. Denbo and Mr. Sellers, of the
minority, Immediately requested that they
be given until this morning 10 prepare their
report. but Speaker Marshall told them that
he would give them just thirty minutes.
and that the majority report would be
handed down for action at the end of that
time.
MINORITY REPORT MADE.
When the thirty minutes had expired the
minority report was ready. 1t was signed
by Slack, Adair and Denbo Mr.. Slack
secured recognition and asked unanimous
consent that the reports lie over until this
morning in order that Mr.. Adair might be
present when they were considered. and
there seemed to be a disposition on the
part of the greater number of the Re
publican members to grant the request. but
Mr.. Statesman raised an objection and Inn
mediate action was necessary.
Mr.. Statesman explained that he did not
see what was TO be gained by postpohins
action on the reports, as nothing That MT
Adair could contribute 10 the argument
would affect the result.
was on concurring I'm the minority report
and Mr.. Slack was recognized.
The gentleman from Johnson was inclined
10 be sarcastic in his opening remarks,
stating that he was sorry 10 learn from
the member from Miami that no matter
how much oratory, how many facts ana
how much truth were presented by the
minority the result would not be changed
Il should like to ask when you made up
your minds on this case and how you
reached the conclusion that Mr.. Hamilton
4 Should had heard
any or the evidence or the arguments? ne
said Il had hoped that this case would
be settled on it's merits and that every
member of this House would consider the
evidence as judge, or as a member OF
the jury, not as a partisan. This case
should be settled as a lawsuit is settled
Mr. Hamilton is the plaintiff and Mr..
Schloot the defendant. and by every rule or
law the plaintiff must establish his case
by the preponderance of evidence L make
the assertion that the evidence submitted
to your committee was so complicated and
so contradictory in its character that not
single member of the committee was
convinced beyond reasonable doubt one
way or the other. i assert that the pre-
ponderance of the evidence was not with
the confession"
SLACK REVIEWS EVIDENCE.
Mr.. Slack then proceeded TO review the
evidence, which he claimed was of nature
to leave the truth in doubt because it was
a question whether the election clerks
made a mistake in computing the total
| vote or in marking the TALES in one GER
| tain precinct. He concluded with a burst
Of eloquence in which he said: 81 appeal
| to you as men, not as Republicans. / APP
peal to your consciences, not to your party
greed, and ask you TO concur in this NIL
nority report"
Mr.. Statesman replied to Mr.. Slack. stat
Ing that he had been convinced in his own
| mind as to the merits of the case ever
since the full details OF the rotten proceed
| lngs In Greene county at the last election
had been aired through the newspapers.
| He said that the Democrats of that coun-
/ ty had robbed the Republicans and then
rubbed 1t in by haunting them with it
| and asking them what they were going to
do. 1t did not. strain his conscience, he
said, to favor the majority report.
| Mr.. Lewis, as chairman of the elections
committee, followed. He gave in detail the
/ figures submitted in evidence and showed
| that the returns made by the Democratic
election officers gave total of votes cast
larger than the total number of voters in
| the precinct. The preponderance OF the
| evidence, he declared, was altogether with
| Mr.. Hamilton.
The vote on concurring in the minority
report was divided solely on party lines
| 81 Democrats voting for the report and 5S
| Republicans against il. The majority re-
| port was then concurred in and the speaker
asked Mr.. Hamilton to come forward and
| take the oath. Mr.. Hamilton was escorted
| to the front of the hall by Mr. Lewis and
| he was greeted with applause by the Re-
| publicans. He then returned to the rear of
the hall. where Mr.. Schloot gracefully
/ rewarded with applause from his Demo
cratic colleagues.
/ few minutes later Mr.. Hamilton per-
/ formed his first official act as representa-
tive by voting on the motion to kill the bill
/ increasing the salaries of the circuit and
| superior judges of the State. He voted for
| the bill.