People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1896 — BROKE THE DEADLOCK [ARTICLE]

BROKE THE DEADLOCK

TWO BISHOPS ELECTED BY THE METHODIST CONFERENCE. - Dr*. C. C. McCabe anti Earl Cranston Honored by Theft Brother. Ministers— Result Reached on Fifteenth and Sixteenth Ballots.

Cleveland, May 20. —After a long and hard battle by the friends of the lessfavored candidates the deadlock over the election of the two bishops was broken at the Methodist general confer- ■ ence Tuesday and the honors were bestowed on Drs. C. C. McCabe and Earl Cbanston. The former won on the fifteenth ballot with a plurality of eight. Another ballot was taken and Dr. Qranston came to the top of the list with a plurality of thirty. Both results were greeted with the wildest cheering and calls for ttie successful candidates. The delegates then settled down to complete the business of the conference, feeling glad that all. the electioneering was over.It wa6 evident at the beginning of the day’s session that the delegates were getting tired of continual caucusing and electioneering. The end was drawing near, but some expected it would prove the disappointment of the stronger candidates. The Rev. R. D. Munger, of New York, rose to protest against electioneering for certain candidates, brit half a dozen delegates wanted to inform him that combinations were unknown in the conference. The Rev. C. D. Hills, of New Hampshire, wanted the five highest candidates on the fourteenth ballot voted for only, but this substitute motion was lost. A large majority voted against the motion to postpone. ‘An attempt was made to have the vote reconsidered by which the conference decided to elect two instead of three bishops, but it was defeated. The fourteenth ballot was taken and 504 votes were cast. Under the twothirds rule 336 votes were needed by the successful candidates. Dr. Cranston headed the poll, with 261 votes, Dr. McCabe being next with 258. The supporters of other candidates had begun to secede and had thrown their votes to these two.

On the fifteenth ballot Dr. McCabe received 334 votes out of 504 cast and was elected. The vote on the other candidates was: Cranston, 328; Buttz, 112; Hamilton, 109; Neely, 50; Bowen, 30; Scattering, 35. Wild cheers followed the announcement of the result, and Dr. McCabe was called for by his enthusiastic supporters. He begged to be excused from saying anything, and only bowed his thanks for the demonstration. Those candidates receiving less than nine votes were not reported on, and the sixteenth ballot was taken. Dr. Cranstcn received 366 votes, eighty-two being cast for Buttz, thirty-six for Hamilton, ten ior Neely and ten scattering. Another demonstration greeted Dr. Cranston as, the result became known. On the ballot for tw r o agents of the New York Book Concern, Dr. Homer Eaton was unanimously re-elected. The conference then adjourned. Eoth of the bishops elected are natives of the buckeye state,'and six of the sixteen bishops now on the board were born in Ohio. They are Stephen M. Merrill, John M. Walden, Isaac W. Joyce, Charles C. McCabe, Earl Cranston and John M. ThOburn. Bishop Foster, who was retired, was also an Ohio man.