The Washington times., 1909-04-24
ELECTION MUDDLES
D.A. R. CONVENTION
Results in Doubt for Re-
cording and Correspond
ing Secretaryships.
TELLERS MIXED UP
REPORTING COUNT
Miss Wilcox and Mrs. Swormstedt
Appear Victors in
Contests.


straighten out the tangle over two OF
the Offices
The two offices affected arp that of
recording secretary general and cor
responding secretary general over
which there has been bitter fight be-
tween inSurgent and administration
factions The tellers said that when
they signed the report they understood
that neither Mrs. Swormstedt. admin
istration candidate. nor Mrs. Eleanor
TForne had received a sufficient num-
Der OF votes to insure election.
Say Mrs. Swormstedt Won.
This morning the report was made 10
the convention by Mrs Elroy Avery
that Mrs Swornstedt had received 429
votes to Mrs. Thorne's 425. In the con-
fusion which followed Mrs. John Fran
Gee Yawger demanded an explanation.
The chairman made reference TO scat
tering votes without satisfying anybody
in the hall, apparently, to the mix
up as TO whether trere had been re-
vision of the votes
Adding stiH more to the confusion was
the report that Mss Mary Wilcox, con-
sefvauve, had out Of vote OF S6s re-
ceived 1 majority over Mrs. Howard L
Bodgkins. administration candidate
Mrs. Dunning Of Massachusetts said
there had been two votes thrown out
because one read for Mrs. Wilson" and
another for Mrs. Williams There
were heated demands all over the house
10 know IL these two were included in
the $50. In the babbie that ensued some
tellers said they were. and other said
they were not
Questions Raised.
Mrs. Mclean was asked to rule that
no one had a right TO recount the votes
or 10 put any construction upon scat
tering votes after the tellers had COM
pieted their work. Mrs. Yawger de-
manded to know why the tellers had
left the room thinking that it required
tara general and why the chairman of
the teilers now reported that vote OF
o2s elected Mrs. Swormstedt.
The question was never answered be-
cause so many others were fired stimuli
tanously at the chair and at Mrs. Avery
that nothing could be explained in the
f, hubbub. Then some one suggested to
Mrs. Mclean that the tellers should all
be sent back to the room to thresh out
matters themselves and report at once.
Even this motion, however, caused
more feeling and about half Of the
Dsughters wanted an explanation from
the chairman OF the tellers right then,
and there were loud noes when the
motion was put. Being in doubt. Mrs
Mclean put Il a second time. and then
declared that the "ayes' had IT.
Tellers Leave Room.
There were shouts of disapproval
from all sections. and the tellers were
hustled out OF the room amid the
cries OF division" Many of the tell
ers were plainly angry, and were talk
ing cxcitedly as they mounted the steps
and locked the door in the hall behind
them.
Mrs. Mclean expressed herself as sur
prised at the new developments. saying
that last night she understood infor-
mslly from the chairman Of the tellers
that there might be no decision as TO
the winner In the office OF either record
ing secretary or corresponding secre-
tary-
Mrs. Avery's Explanation.
The explanation made by Mrs. Avery
was a sfoIlovs:
Confusion has arisen in both cases
because there were votes cast for other
candidates and votes cast in blank.
Yesterday afternoon al one of the tables
the result was made up as given here
for the recording secretary general and
that report was signed. There is no
doubt about that
Then 1 found that there were votes
There was one for Mrs. Story, for in
stance l, therefore, so reported to tire
president general that 1 was afraid OF
complications. and on. that account
and, after thinking the matter over, al
though am likely TO be wrong in this.
II seemed 10 me the best thing was
10 report the matter IL stood, and
oio not reopen IL. took the report
simply as signed"
This explanation did not seem to be
understood by Mrs. fawger and other
delegates, and numerous questions fol-
lowed without elicitfng much more
tangible information
Scattering Votes
vital 10 the close vote between Mrs.
Hodgkins and Miss Wilcox, Mrs. Dun
ming, OF Massachusetts, claimed that
the scattering votes were included in
the $50 Mrs. Draper wanted 20 know
how this could be true. when Miss VII
cox received 435 and Mrs. Hodgkins re-
cefved 434
The Daughters did some figuring. and
for a few moments good humOr. rather
than excitement. prevailed. After
long time Mrs Dunning said the two
scattering votes happened not TO be for
the office Of recording secretary. al
though the names Mrs Wilson and
Mrs Williams" being 50 similar to
Miss Wilcox. would Indicate such.
Some thought this cleared the atmos-
phere. and some otherwise. The house
however. seemed practically certain that
Miss Wilcox had been elected by a ma
terity OF 1. and seemed most interested
IN hearing an explanation as TO why
2rne oi the tellers last night understood
there had been no majority for Mrs
Swormstedt, and this morning learned
that she had what was considered a
majority.
Convention Quiets Down.
It is probable that the reconvened ses-
sion of the teilers will be most spicy.
and 1t was with difficulty that the Con-
Eress settled down TO routine matters.
while awaiting their explanatory report
As forecast the ten vice presidents
general and the various other officers
we're today confirmed as having been
elected in line With the informal an
nouncement last night.
Winners In Election.
Mrs Mirander y. Tulloch. of Washing
ton, conservative, won over Mrs
Amos G. Draper. administration, for
vice president general in charge OF
chapters By vote OF 40 TO 356.
Mrs. z. F. Noble, administration candi-
date, was elected chaplain general by
vote Of ass 70 368 over Mrs. Joseph
A. Gilfallen, insurgent.
Miss Elizabeth NJ Pierce. insurgent,
won out over Mrs. George VAIN
wright. administration, for reGistrat
general Vote, 464 10 go
Mrs. William y. Hoover, of the District
administration candidate, by a vote