The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-04-05
BURKE'S SEVERE CHARGE
WAS NOT SUSTAINED
Great Rumpus when Democratic National
Committeeman Thomas H. Browne
Was Accused.


of Rutland was last night publicly
charged with nisappropriation Of nearly
! 81 900 in camaign funds, by exMayor
James 4. Burke of this city at meet
ing following the meeting of the Demo
cratic state committee at the New Sher
wood hotel The attack on Mr. Borwne
followed the executive session of the
state committee called for the purpose
OF fixing "a date and place for the state
convention and took place after the regu-
| lar meeting of the committee. The
meeting was public one, held in the
large hall Of the hotel, and for more
! tran three hours bedlam reigned
throughout the hail.
| The charges against Mr.. Browne fol-
| lowed the sending out through the state
| by Mr.. Burke Of circular letter charg
| ing Mr.. Browne with not having ac-
counted for the 81 900 campaign fund
| furnished him four years ago by the
national committee. when Mr.. Burke
was a candidate for governor. Mr.. Burke
had previously mailed copies of this
| letter to every Democratic committee
man and there We're rumors about the
hotel all the afternoon that trouble was
brewing over the allegations that had
been made by Mr.. Burke that Mr..
Browne had not properly accounted for
all the money he received from the ma
tiona committee. Before the meeting
was over last night, MIR Browne had
rcluted every charge made by Mr. Burke
a., haA hnaY taI Jx- La
Gratis and Others present by a vote of
76 TO 4.
Before the whole fraeas was over it APP
peared that the charge brought against
Mr. Browne hy Mr. Burke grew out OF
dissatisfaction on the part Of the lat
ter over his defeat for governor at the
election four years ago. Mr.. Burke tried
to show that his defeat at that time was
due to the fact that Mr. Browne had
not spent tho money he received from
the national committee. In other words,
Mr., Burke's attitude seemed to be that
because he WAS defeated in his race to
be governor, 1lr. Browne could not have
spent any money on the campaign. Ae-
coTding~to the argument advanced by Mr..
Burke If the 81 00O he claimed Browne
received, had been spent in what he
termed a proper way, he Burkel could
not possibly have been defeated
After much more speaking by several,
Including the ex-mayor, MIR Billiard
made a motion that standing vote he
taken to express the yint1ation Of
Mr. Browne Of the charges a,le. This |
motion was eagerly seconded by half a
dozen and carried by vote Of 70 to !. |
7 he four who stood in answer to the /
cali for Burke supporters were james |
b, Brodie. +. J. Dwyer. j, II Kelley and |
} f. Byfne, an out-of-towu delegate.
The vote hadn't quite been counted |
when MIR. Burke, who had by this time |
taken strategic position in a camp |
clair three feet in front of the chair |
man, was again speaking hriously to |
tho audience This is no tribunal he |
shouted; "that man pointing to Mr. /
Browne will never appear before the |
higher tribunal which will meet in a /
few weeks. There ! viii gain recogni
ticn."
II was then that Mr. Browne. who I
bad remained seated throughout the /
strenuous times and exerted his power |
to maintain order in order that his OPP /
ponent might have a show made his /
FIST and only show of temper. u have I
listened patiently to all that Mr.. Burke |
has had 10 say but now ! will say TO |
him that | win appear before the high
er tribunal and there defend myself pre-
cisaly as | have done here lie then 1
went on to state and explain briefly a /
few more points brought out by Mr.
Burke, attrihtng the success of the
Democratic party in Grand Isle county
in the year OF Burke's candidacy. which
had often been cited by the ex-mayor, as
the result of the work of Charles Rus
sell. at that time Democratic leader in
that county.
The turmoil was not over until mid
night, and the state committeeman, with
aching heads agreed to leave the matter
OF the date of the convention to be de-
cided at some future time. At the close
of the meeting, Mr.. Browne was sur.
rounded by crowd of admirers and
on the outcome Of the
controversy.
Convention at Montpelier.
The executive session of the commit
tee was held at o'clock Montpelier
was decided upon as the place where
the Democratic state convention will he
held, but the date for il was not fixed
being left with the committee for de-
cision later r. NJ Meldon OF Rutland
was chosen as temporary chairman, with
II G. Shurtlef of Montpelier as tenn
porary secretary, and Frank Pratt Of
Bfattleboro assistant secretary The
committee on resolutions was named as
follows: Harlan b. Howe of st. Johns
bury, Charles d. Watson of st. Adams.
L. w. Moloney of Rutland V. A. Bull
lard Of Burlington and Fred c. Brown
OF Pownal. For sergeant-at-arms, Dr.
L. W. Clough of Enosburg Falls was
chosen and for the second district con
gTessional committeeman from Vermont.
" A. Bullard of this city No arrange
ment for the district conventions were
made last night. this matter being left
until to-day. Emory s. Harris of BEN
nington was in the chair last evening, | T,
with NJ. G. Leary of this city as seere-
tary.