Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-09
KIRBY BREAKS SLATE I'M
RACE FOR POLICE JUDGE
nti-Phillips Forces Routed
by Machine inAfternoon
and Fight is Not Per-
mitted to Reach Floor
Of Convention

t':om Fridays Dei.y. e,
Thomas ]. Phillips for the fifth time
IN his career was last evening made
the mayo,alty nominee Of a demo-
cratic city convention In Ottumwa.
The struggle for the nomination SO
freely predicted did not materialize and
Phillips won on the first ballot by an
overwhelming majority. Later his
nomination was made unanimous The
enttrs convention passed without an
untoward Incident, and the strenuous
times which the large crowds of spec
tators expected failed to make their
appearance. A large number Of candi.
dates tried for several of the off1ces
The fight made against Phillips by
the opposing forces was not taken In
to the convention at all. Yesterday
afternoon, the opposing candidates,
realizing the hopelessness Of their
cause threw up their hands and hasten.
ed to get into the band wagon. The
promised contesting delegation from
the first ward was conspicuous by Its
absence and N F.. Reed, Stephen Bar.
ness and Dr. e. y #. lowry started tfis.
harmony bali a rolling by making con-
|ciliatory talks and by taking the initiaJ
tive in making Phillips nomination
unanimous.
In the ballot. the opponents of the
victorious candidate for mayor, devel-
oped little strength. the results In the
first and decisive formal vote being:
Phillips 1870, other candidates 25. In q
speech which Mr.. Phillips made he. an
nounced that under no circumstances
would he accept the nomination again
If elected at the coming spring cleo
tion.
On some of the other nominations
for tho lesser offices the vote was
close. The alleged Phillips slate was
broken in number of places How.
ever many Of the Phillips men both
before and after the convention denied
the existence of any slate. SO this can
not be considered as defeat for that
faction.
Kirby Surprise
The surprise OF the evening came ID
the nomination Of Thomas Kirby for
police judge by good majority The
wise ones had picked either Mitchell
or Hendershott, but they had not count
ed on the popularity Of the first ward
candidate with the younger delegates.
An amusing incident Of the uncer-
tainty of politics occurred during tbs
balloting on the Office of assessor. Fred
Wilcox, who was candidate before
the convention for the Office Of auditor
was defeated for that office. When the
convention came to vote for the can.
didate for assessor. Mr. Wilcox nomi.
mated Charles P. Hoxsey. But the
convention would not have it, and
willy nilly, Mr.. Wilcox was made the
nominee.
Delegates Convene
The convention was called to order
shortly after o'clock by City Com.
mitteeman w. T. Wilson. Mr.. Wilson
announced the following temporary
officers, who then took their seats:
Chairman-W A. McIntire.
Secretaiy-Jo r. Jaques.
Reading Clerk--J. A. Lowenberg.
Recording Clerks-J NJ: Skinner and
| j. r. Dcuefe.
| Chairman McIntire IN assuming the
chair said. "A city campaign is net a
| speech making campaign. 1t should be
short. active and harmonious. / wish
to place emphasis on the word har-
mony. You know how we'll harmony
worked in the democratic party last
| fall. Do you want to repeat this bit
of history of the spring election.
The chairman then instructed Sec.
retary Jaques to read the call for the
convention, following which he called
for the appointment of the committees
on permanent organization and creden.
tials.
/ E. c. French moved that the tenn.
porary organization be made perma-
nent and the motion was carried. Then
the convention held its breath, at least
those members who we're not on the
inside, did. Would the first ward con-
/ test materialize? If so, who would
control credential committee were It
appointed? But it was not to be.
1 Credentials Committee Dispensed With
Fred Wilcox of the First ward moy.
ed that the committee on credentials
be dispensed with and the motion was
carried His motion also included the
customary provision that the delegates
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