The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1905-01-26
A DEADLOCK YEARS AGO.
Many Points of Similarity to the
Contest Now Being Held.

Jefferson City. Jan. 22.-It was
just forty-two years this winter that
the last deadlock in the election Of a
United 5 ,ates senator took place in
Missouri aud "a in the present situa
tion. the eandidates-for there were
two senator's to be- electad-were
Republicans. But the deadlock had
so many points cninri lent with the
present situation as II make it a
point ~ general conversation to-day
among those who took part in
public affairs nearly II Ia "A century
ago.
At that time John I. Bitting,r
and five other members hell The kew
to the situation. NV il il exactly
the sama, as Ma n BittinCer ag' II
hpl Il the key tn she situation. He
had with him on the first ballot to
day the same number of votes that
he had forty two years ago. Then
the major occupie the same room
Mt the McCarty house that he dos
to-day. la that room he aud lie
five friends met in caucus--the came
number that met there last night
when it was decided to stick to
kerens The same wood stove
furnished heat then and the same
servant, a young negro girl then, at.
tended his wants as she does now q
woman more than sixty years old.
At the last deadlock it took nine
months to elect j. b. Henderson and
B. Gratz Brown. Senator Waldo p,
johnson had been expelled from the
Senate the year before for disloyal' y
to the government, and Robert Viii
son, the other senator, had been ap
pointed by the provisional governor,
Hall, to fill vacancy, For five
months the legislature balloted.
Major Bittinger and his five collea.
lgues were determined that Hender,
son should be sent Tor the long term,
while the Brown followers we're op
posed to Henderson going at al.
Major Bittinger was the speaker OF
the house and Colonel r. T. Van
Horn OF Kansas Cisy was a member
OF the senate and the champion OF
the Brown forces. In Bittinger's
little band was also "Pat" Dyer, now
United States district attorney at
St. Louis, who WAS before the
. caucus for the senatorial nomination
a few nights ago. The three Others
we're Bennett Price Of Pike and Sena'
) tor George W. Anderson OF Pike. A,
. the end Of June q recess was taken
until the following November, when
the members met again. For four
! months the balloting went Oh. The
Bittinger band voted for nearly
everybody it could think Of except
OF course, Brown.
Near the end OF March, 1864, Major
Bittinger met Lieutenant Govern, 1
Hall in the corridor OF the
capitol one morning.
"Bittinger' said Hall, "you can
never elect your man. We Demo
c ats have held a caucus and de
cided that we will votefo Henderson
in the morning, II your people will
vote for democrat, you to select
the democrat"
II shall have to consult my
colleagues" answered Blttinger
"And l shall let you know our de
cislon at IL O'Clock tonight"
A few moments later Bittinger met
Colo~e Van Horn and told him o.
the conversation he had had with
Hall.
"Now," said Bittingor, "if YOU
crowd will vote for Henderson in the
morning we will vote for Brown
Unless you give me your decision by
II o'clock tonight, we shall accept
Halls Offer"
Major Bittinger sat in his room al
the McCarty house that night
Twelve O'Clock struck. Van Horn
was not there. He decided to give
him fifteen minutes grace. At 1915
o'clock Van Horn had not come
Bittinger put on bis overcoat and
hat and started out OF the house. Or
the porch he met Van Horn com
pletely out Of breath. He had rur
all the way from the caucus OF hi
followers. The two men re-entered
the hotel and there Van Horr
told Bittinger that after hours