Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-04-15
OUSTED
FROM HIS SEAT
Legislature Disgraces Itself
by Rank Partisanship.
Ex-Sheriff Harvey Sworn In
as a Member of the House.
Committees Report Was
Contrary to the Facts.

contrary 10 the fdCTS.
Cold blooded partisanship, in disregard
of facts yesterday ousted from their
seats in the house of representatives two
fairly-elected Democratic members, F.
X. Blumle, of Cameron county, and b.
j. Ferry, the men chosen by the voters
to represent this district.
The fact that these men have served
throughout the term until now, and will
draw full pay, mileage, etc, does not
atone In any degree for the wrong done
to two constituencies and the state.
The Republican machine felt bound to
reward the contestants, Editor II. Fl.
Mullin, Of Cameron, and exSheriff James
G. Harvey, not only with the legal title
Of representative, but also with the
full pay, mileage, ETC., which the law
allows them.
incidentally, the commonwealth is
called upon to foot the expenses of the
elections committee In determining
these two contests. The total In the
Mullin Blumle case is So 915 80, and in
the Harvey Ferry case, SO, ,74973.
Chairman Plummer, OF the elections
committee, presented the majority re-
port in the contest of Harvey against
Ferry. In substance its findings were:
1.-The committee finds that the cleo
tion held In the Ninth district, of Halle
township, was grossly fraudulent, and
throws out the 233 votes polled there
for Mr.. Ferry, from his total vote OF
2,s77. OF the legal votes cast In the dis
trict, the committee finds that Harvey
polled 2,sO7 votes; Ferry, 2,644, and
Alexander Dwyer, 430, plurality Of
163 for Harvey. The committee recon-
mends that Ferry be unseated and that
his seat be given to Harvey"
Mr.. Enright, of Northampton, pre-
sented minority report, stating that
there was no proof in the allegation OF
the petition for contest, and that there
was no ground for casting out the votes
for Ferry in the Ninth district of Halle
township. The report states further
that Ferry was legally and honestly
elected and was entitled to his seat, and
that the Republican court of Luzerne
county had so decided. Mr.. Enright
moved that the minority report be sub
stituted for the majority.
Mr.. Plummer spoke against the mo-
tion, which failed by vote of A to Ill.
Garner aud Mohr (Reps.) voted with the
Democrats in the affirmative.
MIR. Castner, of Lycoming, moved that
the majority report be laid upon the Ia
BILE. The motion failed by vote of 43
to 1875, after which the majority report
was adopted, 1875 to AZ.
Immediately after the vote Harvey
was sworn in as member or the house.
lature last night issued the following
signed protest:
The great state of Pennsylvania has,
indeed, fallen into disgracefnl hands
when partisan majority will unbush-
ingly steal two seats OF properly elected
memb bers, merely that the public treas
ury may be looted of enough money to
pay to subservient tools of cor
| rupt political domination reward for
making an unsuccessful battle for elec-
tion, with no investigation into the
merits OF the election committees report;
with an unheard-of reading of the re-
port with only the bare statement of the
committees chairman; men who are
otherwise honorable in the business and
social relations OF life were found will