Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1902 — THE CITY CONVENTION. [ARTICLE]

THE CITY CONVENTION.

The Republicans of Rensselaer Named this Invincahle Ticket Wednesday Evening.

For City Mayor 1 ___ JAMEB H. 8, ELLIS For City Clerk CHAB. MORLAN. : L '•■ '~ ' For City Treasurer. JAMES H. CHAPMAN For City Marshal MEL ABBOTT The convention was held in the opera house, and both main floor and gallery were paoked far beyond v their seating oapaoity. As many as 382 balots were cast, at one time. City Repnblican Chairman, Dr. H. J. Kannal called the convention to order, and City Secretary Geo. E. Murray read the oalL On motion of the oity campaign committee the two above named were made permanent chairman and secretary respectively, and plenty of tellers were appointed to collect and count the ballots. For Mayor the name of James H. S. Ellis was the only one proposed, and he was nominated by acclamation. For City Clerk the names of Schuyler O. Irwin, the present incumbent, and Charles Morlan were placed before the convention. A lively oanvass for this nomination had preceded the convention and the result was watohed for with interest. The ballot resulted as follows: Irwin .. 156 Morlan 178 Scattering •.... 8 Whole number 342 Necessary to ohoice .... 172 Mr. Morlan having received a majority of all the votes oast was deolared the nominee. For Oity Treasurer the name of James H. Chapman, the present inoumbent, was the only one proposed; and he was nominated by acclamation. The oontest for the nomination for City Marshal was the real event of the convention. Nine good men were seeking the nomination, and had previously made thorough

personal canvasses. They were F. M. or “Mel” Abbott, A. D Burns, Jerome Harmon, Lem Huston, David Gasoway, Joseph Rowen, Christie Vick, Lyman ! Zea, and “Old Charlie” Platt. Four ballots wdre . taken, as follows: Ist 2nd 3rd 4th Abbott 75 95 140 182 Burns 55 56 56 46 Harmon 48 53 59 73 Huston 42 43 39 24 Gasaway 23 18 14 3 Rowen 16 13 10 Vick 36 23 14 7 Zea 55 43 16 10 Platt 18 10 Smith 11 24 Total 382 380 346 350 Abbott started in at the head and gained eteadly, until on the 4th ballot, when he was nominated by 6 more votes than a majority. Burns and Zea tied for second place on the first ballot, but Burne only held his own after that, while Zea fell off rapidly. Harmon who was 4th on the first ballot was second on the last “Old Charlie” pulled out after the second ballot and Rowen after the thiid. The 11 votes oast for W. F. Smith on the Ist ballot and the 24 on the 2nd, were without his desire, and after the 2nd ballot he announced to the convention, most decisively that he was not a candidate.

It is a good, an excellent ticket, from first to last, and no one can find any < reasonable fault with the character of the men composing it nor with their special fitness for the offices they are nominated for. Neither oan there be any fault whatever found with the fairness of their nominations. In fact there is no just reason on earth why the whole tioket should not reoeive the undivided support of the Republicans of Rensselaer at the May election. The balanoe of the ticket, namely two oouncilmen for each ward, will be nominated at the ward conventions at the oourt house, Friday evening. Let the good work begun Wednesday night be completed Friday night.