The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-24

Capt. P. H. Coney, of Topeka, Elected
Department Commander G. A. r.
No fixed time is arranged in the de-
partment for the holding of the cleo
tion at an eneanpment and at the close
of the business session Tuesday after
noon Cyrus Leland, who has been man
aging Coney's campaign, mOVedA that
the election be at O'Clock. AS soon
as Coney's candidacy was announced
in the morning after a caucus at the
Rasbach hotel the friends of the other
candidates began a bitter fight against
Coney, led by H. c. LOomis of Win
field. past commander. Coney's cam
palgn was led by Leland, A. W. Smith
of Mcpherson, and the Rev. Bernard
Kelly of Ottawa. The first ballot stood:
Coney 1S0, Carr 135, Grierson 50, scatter
ing 1.
Fraud Is Charged.
The announcement of the result of the
second ballot brought the enemies of
Coney to their feet with a protest that
the ballot showed nearly so more votes
cast than there were accredited dele
gates to the encampment. In the ex-
citement which followed this charge a
motion to adjourn until today was
made and the department commander
declared it carried. The friends of Carr
and Grierson were bitter in their de-
nunciation of the methods which they
assert ACL6 uSGu 10 eject GOn6X- 1HGy
charge that the ballot box was stuffed
and insist that there has been no elec-
ton.
While admitting that perhaps there
were more ballots cast than there were
delegates and officers in the encamp-
nent entitled to vote, the friends of
Coney say that if there was any ballot
box stuffing it was by friends of other
candidates and not by the friends of
the Topeka candidate, or at least that
of1 faatinnc IN e-47e
picion. Leland says there has been only
one honest election in an encampment
for years and that was at Junction City
when A. W. Smith was defeated by a
close vote and every precaution was
taken against repeating.
Harris Says It's Fair.
while Coney and are not friendly -
said Department Commander Charles
Harris after the election, Il believe that
he was elected and so declared and I
can see no way Of reopenlng the matter.
There has been too much fraud in cleo
tions in the encampnents in the past
and I do not know that this one was
any more fraudulent than many others
have been. So far as 1 am concerned
| this closes the matter"
Salina was selected as the place for
| the next encampment and Hutchinson
for the reunion in August. A camp ire
was held last night at which Depart
ment Commander Harris asked Captain
!
| the department commander to preside
at the camp fire just following his elec-
ton.
| The parade of the Grand Army, the
Women's Relief corps, the Sons of Vet
Grams and school children. each of the
/ latter carrying q flag, was one of the
/ largest ever given here, more than 1 ,000
| memb bers of the three organizat ations be
/ ing in line, while the Queen City and
| Independence bands furnished the
music Hundreds of persons lined the
streets As the parade passed up Forest
avenue the Independence band struck
up Marching Through Georgia IN
stantly the old soldiers caught the
strain and 500 voices joined in the old
army song. Arriving at the city hall
the ceremony of the flag presentation
to the Parsons high school took place.
A silk flag is always given to the high
school where the encampment is held
/ by the Women's Relief corps.
Frederick Moshef, a high school stu
| dent, gave an oration. In a contest
with patriotic orators he had won the
prize, a gold pin. The prize was pre-
sented by Allan c Blackwell, national
instructor on patriotic subjects.
A resolution by Department Com
mander Harris asking the United States
senators and members of congress to
| Introduce no pension bills not prepared
| by the Grand Army pension commit
| tee of the national department, was in
! troduced in the eEcampment and refer