The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-03-30
SENSATIONAL AFTERMATH OF
TIE SECRET BALLOT CAUCUS
Z. C. Delaney Percy Henchmans Indicted for Bribng
Legislator to Vote for Percy--S645 IN Cash Turned
Over to the Grand Jury BY Senator Babo.

On the 18th Of January. in clos
ing an open letter to the Profribi,
tionists Of Mississippi in which was
recited some of the evidences oi
debauchery of legislators witt
drink around the Percy headquar.
ters at the Edwards House in Jack.
son. which had come within hii
own personal knowledge. the editor
of The Leader said:
81 viii only add that the Legis-
lature. in the main, is composed Of
sober. clear headed, conscientious,
unpurchasable men. but ever since
it convened, for the man who could
be seduced by drink or bought by
bribe, there have been no lack Of
those about the Edwards House
Hobbies and corridors who were
ready to pay the price of his down
fall and shame. "
Next day after Mr.. Percy receiv.
ed the nomination of the secret.
ballot caucus by vote of 81 to 50,
after seven weeks Of balIoting anc
fermentation The Leader in its
issue of Feb. 2Srd. having some
what Of an appreciation Of how this
result had been reached, contained
this editorial comment:
1--WE do not say it in any spirit
of disappointment or bitterness.
but in all sincerity. the editor o.
The Leader would deliberately
choose hundred defeats such al
Vardaman's, in preference to /
Senatorial toga won by such means
as achieved victory for Mr.. Percy
Fer the first time in her history !
Democrat will represent Mississippi
in the Senate of the United States
whose title to the Office is stained
and tainted by the methods EN-.
pIoyed in securing it.
THE honest masses must right
the wrong done them and the State,
or become craven vassals unfit for
popular suffrage and self.goyern-
ment. "
AS time passed. 50 well-knowr
did it become that oyertures had
been made by persons identified
with the Percy following to cor.
ruptIy influence Vardaman support,
ers, who did not yield to these sin
lister influences, and so strong and
persistent grew the conviction in
the public mind that unlawful anc
corrupt methods finally became the
deciding factor in the secret-balloi
caucus, that an investigation could
not be ignored either by the granc
jury or the Legislature itself.
Now comes the announcement
that the Kinds county grand jury.
which has been probing into the
matter, has returned true bill
against L. c. Dulaney, a prominent
Delta politician and planter of Is
saquena county. and an ardent work
er for Percy during the late sena-
torial contest, for offering State
Senator Theodore g. Bilbo, Var.
daman supporter, 81. 900 to change
from vardaman to Percy and who i
alleged to have actually paid Bilbt
$645 of this sum, which was
turned over by him to the grand
jury when called before it to give
his testimony.
DuIaney is an ex-Represen.
tative and ex-State Senator from
Issaquena county, man who made
big money and grew rich working
convicts under the old Penitentiary
leasing system. and as a machine
politician and convention sxel
under the old nominating conven-
tion system which was supercedeC
BY the primary election law, enjoy
ed a reputation second to that d
no politician IN the State.
Up to this time Senator Bilbo
who represents the Fourth sena
torial district. composed Of thl
counties Of Simpson. Govington
Marion and Pearl River. has madl
no public statement il reference f
his connection with the affair B!
those who stand close to him, how
ever. his position IS said To b
about this he and d few othe!
friends Of Vardaman kwho werI
not members OF the Legislature
honnn,a namu;rscad auvh5io after hi