The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-29
RICHMOND CHOSEN
OVER LOGANSP0RT
Stuffing of Ballot Box Loses
1912 Labor Meeting
for Logansport.
FEDERATION OFFICERS.

FEDERATION OFFICERS.
President--Edgar A. Perkins of Ia
dianapolis.
First Vice President-Charles Fox,
mine worker, of Terre Haute.
Second Vice President-Roy Pack.
ard, halter, of Wabash.
Third Vice President-W. r. CHM of
Hammond.
Fifth Vice President-W. G. Getz,
glass worker, Of Muncie.
ec.-Treas.--George J. Schwab, mol
der, of Evansville.
Delegate to American Federation
w. J. Pfleger, OF indianapolis.
Next Meeting Place-Richmond.
After a spirited fight Thursday az
ternoon at the annual convention Of
the Indiana Federation of Labor at
Evansville, Richmond was selected as
the place of meeting next year, over
Logansport. 1t was at first announ-
ced that Logansport had won out, but
later 1t was discovered that the bal
lot box had been stuffed for Logans-
port by John Hughes, of Indianapolis,
former president of the federation.
Hughes was elected and then it was
found that Richmond had received
122 votes, large majority of those
voting.
An Evansville dispatch says:
The climax of bitterness and fac
tional strife was reached in the after
noon session of the Indiana Federation
OF Labor today when John Hughes of
indianapolis, former president of the
State Federation and last year a con-
tender for that homer, was expelled
from the body by resolution and was
elected from the convention hall by
order OF President Perkins, charged
with attempting to stuff the ballot box
in an effort to choose Logansport over
Richmond as the next convention city.
Hughes charged conspiracy and
declared that the "frameup," as he
called 1t, was made last night when
Hughes was talked of as possible
candidate for delegate from the India
ma Federation to the American FEEDER
alton OF Labor next year.
Many witnesses openly charged
Hughes with fraudulent voting, and
the feeling against him was intense.
The big sensation of the day was
the expulsion of John Hughes of In
dianapolis, the erasure of his name
from the roll of delegates and his ar
raignment by many witnesses on the
charge of attempting to stuff the bal
lot box.
Hughes said II was "frameup," by
the administration crowd to forestall
Hughes's proposed attack on Secre-
tary-Treasurer Gaumer The relegat-
es, however, were entirely convinced
that Hughes was guilty OF attempting
to vote more than one ballot in favor
OF LOgansport as the next convention
city. Open charges were made that
Hughes had voted two votes for his
favorite candidate in the race for fifth
vice-president earlier in the day, and
II was explained by the tellers who
said they discovered the alleged fraud
that they did not expose Hughes at
the time because they did not wish to
start commotion in the convention.
Refuse His Ballot.
When Hughes stepped up to vote in
the balloting on choice of a con.
vention city for next year the tellers
at once denounced him and charged
that he had tried to vote extra bal
lots. Hughes denied the charge and
insisted that the ballot thrown out be
placed once more in the hat.
Carl OFT, teller, explained what he
ed him fully. Delegate Charles Whit
of Logansport, one of the tellers, de
clared that Logansport did not desire
to win II it was to win by such meth
DDS. Another delegate who sat neal
declared that when Hughes dropped
his ballot in the hat there was 6
Shower" of ballots. Delegate Perry
Wild OF Indianapolis said he had seer
Hughes In the lobby of the convention
hall. previous to the balloting, writ
ing on small slips of paper.
President Perkins asserted that tn.
handwriting on the slips of paper al
legged to have been voted by Hughe
was the handwriting of Hughes.
w. J. Pfleger denounced Hughes
who was speaking in his own defens,
and proceeded to go into the past il
making charges. He was reminded
that the ballot stuffing charge wa.
the only one being discussed. Edward
Barry. of Indianapolis. moved that tn,
name Of John Hughes be stricken from
the rolls of the convention. and tina
he no longer have a voice in the pre-
ceedings. Charles Fox suggested tina
report of Hughes's act be made t,
Hushess home union at indianapolis
There was unanimous vote to unsea
Hughes and President Perkins ordere,