Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-03-29

TURNED DOWN
Johns Faction Wins a Complete Tri-
umph In the Democratic City Con.
vention Thursday Night.
PINKLEY NAMED FOR MAyof
10 Nominated Over LittieIohn by .
Vote Of Two to one-Frank
Moshner for Alderman.

Those Democrats who supposed that
T. Jefferson Johns was down and out
had a painful awakening at the Dem
ocratic convention last Thursday
night. True, Mr.. Johns was not a del.
egate, yet he was there, and when the
vote on the candidate for mayor was
announced, it was found that Alder.
man N. ]. Littlejohn, who bore the
anti-Johns standard, had been defeat.
ed by two to one, while the Johns
candidate, Alderman Jesse Pinkley,
had been triumphantly nominated.
For police magistrate, F. F. Mac
Gowan was renominated by acclama-
tion. and Murray H. Deaton was made
the candidate for treasurer by a un.
animous vote.
The AIdermanic Ticket.
The delegates from the First Ward
nominated for alderman Matt Weber;
Frank Moshner was the choice Of the
Second ward Democracy, and Morris
Sloan was named by the Third ward
delegation. All these selections were
ratified by the convention. Walter
Knight, who was named when the Sec
ond ward primary was held, had mov-
ed out Of the ward. and so the honor
fell to Mr.. Moshner.
OF course the interest centered in
the nomination for mayor, and the
result was a complete surprise to Mr..
Littlejohn's friends.
When the Democratic mass meet.
ing was held, at which it was decided
to place party ticket in the field.
Aldermen Littlejohn and Laux were
both turned down good and hard by
resolutions introduced early in the
proceedings by Mr.. Johns, while Al
derman Pinkley was lauded to the
skies. This action was reconsidered
later on, and Littlejohn and Laux re.
ceived honorable mention" in the res.
olutions. The adherents of the two al.
dermen were not satisned, however,
and went out for vindication, which
was to take final form in the nomina.
ton of Mr.. Littlejohn TOR mayor. All
seemed to be going we'll, and up to
thursday afternoon, 1t seemed doubt
full If the alderman from the Third
ward would have any opposition. A
few hours before the convention, how.
ever, it developed that Mr.. Johns al.
| so had some ideas in regard to the
! matter, and that he had quietly set
| on foot movement which threaten.
ed the plans of those who intended to
| take their stand on platform favoring
the continuance of the enforcement
| of the laws and ordinances. The full
strength of the Johns movement was
not realized, however, until it was toe
late to do anything, or attempt to dc
anything.
The work of the convention had been
carefully cut out, and was nicely dried
by the time the delegates assembled
The slate, SO far as it related to ev.
erything except the vital issue-the
nominee for mayor-was carried out
without hitch. But at the proper mo-
ment, the Johns men kicked hole in
the slate that left nothing of it ex
cept the nicely vanished frame.
Convention is Organized.
After the ward delegations had held
their caucuses on candidates for al
dermen, the main performance began
Tom Stout calling the twenty-eight
delegates to order. David Hilger was
nominated for chairman and j. E. Lane
for secretary, and were quickly install
ed in those positions. Mr.. Hilgel
made brief address, in which he
likened fusion to an attempt to mix
oil and water. He referred to the
great future that was unfolding before
Lewistown, and urged the necessity
of selecting the best men to govern
The committees on resolutions and
credentials were then appointed as
follows:
observation-disclosures De Kalb, Stout
Benner, Dahl and Weaver.
observation-disclosures. Pick. Sloan
Moshner, Foster and Butler.
While the committee on resolutions
was looking over the platform, a re
cess was taken and Mr.. Johns, who
had been lowering about in the
wings, came in and mingled with his
followers.
Upon reassembling, H. L. De Kali
read the platform, which was prompt
ly adopted, and the credentials com
mittee reported the list of delegates
as published in the Argus. OF the
thirty delegates chosen, -twenty.eigh
were present, the two absentees being
from the Third Ward.
Il will now call for nomination!
for mayor. police magistrate and treas
urer. if that is the pleasure of tht
convention" announced Chairman Hill
ger.
at is" replied Mr.. De Kalb.
Tom Stout then took the floor, ant
in a nicely wOrded speech, presented
the name of Alderman Littlejohn.
. Frank Pick nominated Alderman
Pinkley, and in seconding this, w. W
Kimball said Pinkley had never beef
connected with any party faction
and would sweep the city like |
Kansas cyclone"
Johns Calls the Turn.
The ballots were then passe'
around. and Mr.. Johns leaned owe
and said in horse whisper. "Pinkle,
will be nominated. He has II votes.
It was decided. however. that tn
Third ward delegation should be pei
mitted to cast the votes Of the tw
absent delegates. and Mr.. John