USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, from the first settlement to the close of 1892 > Part 25
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J. F. Waskey chairman central committee, Geo. S. Liggett secretary.
September 26, 1889, Chetopa: E. C. Dent chairman, F. M. Smith sec- retary. Treasurer, J. F. Waskey; sheriff. W. H. Swartzell; register, I. D. Highleman; county clerk, I. M. Hinds; surveyor, J. H. Dersham; coroner, A. H. Wells.
J. M. Kleiser, chairman central committee.
August 30, 1890, Parsons; J. M. Kleiser chairman, J. J. Rambo secre- tary. Clerk district court, Isaac M. Hinds; county attorney, G. S. King.
August 20, 1891, court-house, Oswego; J. F. Waskey chairman, F. W. Frye secretary. Treasurer, J. W. Galyen; sheriff, W. H. Swartzel; reg- ister, W. S. Houghton; county clerk, J. J. Freeman; coroner, G. S. Lig- gett; surveyor, J. H. Dersham; commissioner third district, W. A. Huff. F. W. Frye chairman central committee, George S. Liggett secretary.
September 29, 1892, Chetopa: George S. Liggett chairman, A. J. Aus- tin secretary. The convention indorsed the full ticket theretofore nomi- nated by the People's party.
J. M. Landis chairman central committee, J. F. Waskey secretary.
DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.
Usually there was a fusion of the Democrats with some other party on candidates for the Legislature; the names here given are those for whom the Democrats generally voted. Sometimes they were nominated by a convention, sometimes indorsed by the convention, sometimes by central committee, and sometimes no definite action at all was taken upon their candidacy.
Forty-fourth District .- October 4, 1876, Parsons. A. Wilson nomi- nated on first ballot; vote was reconsidered, and on second ballot G. W. Gabriel nominated .- In 1878, J. H. Martin .- September 25, 1880, Par- sons; W. H. Morris.
Forty-fifth District .- October 7, 1876, decided not to make any nomi- nations .- October 16, 1880, Oswego, Joint convention of Democrats and Greenbackers; Thomas Wilson chairman, George S. King secretary. J. C. Murphy on second ballot over D. Doyle.
Forty-sixth District .- October 7, 1876, Chetopa; A. G. Drake chair- man, W. J. Milliken secretary. George E. Stone, by acclamation .- October 16, 1880, Chetopa. A. D. Martin.
Thirty-third District .- In 1882, G. W. Gabriel; in 1884, W. H. Porter.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
Thirty-fourth District .- In 1882, George Campbell; in 1884, J. W. Deatherage.
Thirty-fifth District .- October 14, 1882, Chetopa, W. P. Wilson; in 1884, H. H. Lieb.
Twenty-eighth District .- In 1886, W. H. Utley; in 1888, - Davis .- August 30, 1890, Parsons; S. C. Rickart chairman. Jas. Tanner indorsed.
Twenty-ninth District .- October 12, 1886, Oswego; Levi Metier chair- man, Walter Phillips secretary. G. A. Cooper on first ballot over E. Tanner .- In 1888, G. S. King. In 1890, central committee indorsed P. A. Morrison.
Thirtieth District .- In 1886, R. S. Lyberger; in 1888, R. S. Lyberger. In 1890, central committee indorsed candidacy of Alexander Duncan.
GREENBACK COUNTY CONVENTIONS.
October 23, 1877, city hall, Parsons; A. N. Sourbeer chairman, A. II. McCleary secretary. Treasurer, A. J. Cary; sheriff, J. H. Macon; county clerk, L. C. Howard; register, H. E. Ingraham; surveyor, W. H. Prich- ard; coroner, B. D. Ellis; commissioner third district, P. W. Shick.
F. A. Briggs chairman central committee, A. S. Harper secretary.
April 6, 1878, delegates from various Greenback clubs met at Parsons for permanent organization, and elected an executive committee, of which J. W. Briggs was made chairman and S. M. Bailey secretary.
August 20, 1878, grove near Labette City; R. M. Donelly chairman, S. M. Bailey secretary. Probate judge, W. A. Starr on first ballot over Noah Guymon; county attorney, J. A. Ball on first ballot over A. B. Hacker; superintendent, J. Covalt, by acclamation; district clerk, J. K. Russell, by acclamation; representative Forty-sixth district, J. M. Bannan.
August 21, 1879, Labette City; J. O. McKee chairman, J. W. Breiden- thal secretary. Sheriff, J. O. McKee, by acclamation; treasurer, W. H. Porter on second ballot over John Hoffman, W. P. Wilson, and Noah Guymon; county clerk, S. M. Bailey on first ballot over W. P. Wilson; register, Lewis Goodwin on first ballot over Nelson Curl and J. J. Mc- Feely; coroner, Moses Steel, by acclamation; surveyor, W. H. Godwin; commissioner second district, J. C. Murphy.
M. Snook, chairman central committee.
August 14, 1880, Parsons; D. Doyle chairman, W. H. Potter secretary. Senator, George Campbell; clerk district court, J. K. Russell; probate judge, J. M. C. Reed; superintendent public instruction, M. T. McCarthy. J. J. McFeely chairman central committee, L. Garneau secretary.
October 16, 1881, Mound Valley; J. J. McFeely chairman, George Campbell secretary. Register, John W. Breidenthal on first ballot over W. P. Wilson, T. J. Finely, and W. J. Millikin; treasurer, A. H. Mc- Cormick on first ballot over W. J. Millikin; county clerk, T. J. Finley on first ballot over J. Reasor and T. L. Cotton; sheriff, W. P. Wilson on first ballot over John Hoffman; coroner, William Rowe; commissioner first district, D. Doyle.
J. M. Bannan chairman central committee, John W. Breidenthal sec- retary.
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POLITICAL.
October 7, 1882, Oswego; J. J. McFeely chairman, C. L. Albin secre- tary. District clerk, J. K. Russell, by acclamation; probate judge, J. J. McFeely, by acclamation; county attorney, no nomination; superintend- ent public instruction, J. Covalt on first ballot over Angelia Bishop and Mary Bradbury; coroner, W. J. Millikin, by acclamation; representatives, Thirty-fourth district George Campbell, Thirty-fifth W. P. Wilson; com- missioner second district, M. Breidenthal.
J. M. Bannan chairman central committee, J. W. Breidenthal secretary.
October 23, 1883, Mound Valley; J. W. Breidenthal chairman. Treas- urer, L. Garneau; sheriff, J. C. Murphy; register, W. Miller; county clerk, J. W. Fleming; coroner, U. Osborne.
J. W. Breidenthal chairman central committee, L. N. Thompson sec- retary.
October 27, 1884, Parsons; representative Thirty-third district, W. H. Porter.
GREENBACK DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.
Forty-fourth District .- August 17, 1878, Parsons. James H. Martin nominated. - September 25, 1880, Parsons. James H. Martin represent- ative, and A. H. McCormick commissioner.
Forty-fifth District .- August 14, 1878, Altamont. H. C. Blanchard. -October 16, 1880, Oswego; Thomas Wilson chairman, George S. King secretary. Joint convention of Democrats and Greenbackers. J. C. Murphy on second ballot over D. Doyle.
Forty-sixth District .- 1878, Chetopa; John M. Bannan .- October 15, 1880, Kingston. W. P. Wilson.
TEMPERANCE CONVENTIONS.
September 24, Oswego, 1874: adjourned to October 6; C. Humble, chairman, Nelson Case secretary. The convention indorsed the follow- ing nominations that had been made by party conventions: Willard Davis and J. G. Parkhurst, county attorney; J. D. McCue, district judge: H. C. Blanchard, probate judge: Mary A. Higby, superintendent public instruc- tion; J. G. Coleman, coroner; representatives, William Dick - district, Henry Tibbits Forty-third, J. C. McKnight Forty-fourth; J. J. Woods was nominated for senator Fifteenth district. The matter of indorsing S. L. Coulter for probate judge and H. C. Cook for clerk district court was left to be acted on by a committee after investigation was had as to their temperance faith.
August 15. 1876, Parsons; M. G. Brown chairman, C. T. Smith secre- tary. Senator, M. G. Brown: county attorney, Nelson Case; probate judge, S. L. Coulter; clerk district court, H. C. Cook; superintendent public instruction, Hettie Coleman.
Angust 24, 1882. on call of the Oswego Temperance Union, a meeting was held in a grove near Labette City; Rev. John Elliott chairman, J. M. Bowman secretary. Resolved to form the Labette County Prohibition Union. Favored only temperance men for officers, and demanded en- forcement of the prohibitory law.
PROHIBITION CONVENTIONS.
September 30, 1891, Parsons; W. S. Newlon chairman, G. W. Marley
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
secretary. Treasurer, W. S. Newlon; sheriff, J. B. Jones; register, Mary Scott; county clerk, T. O. Emerson; commissioner, C. B. Bennett.
August 6, 1892, Parsons; W. S. Newlon chairman, G. W. Marley sec- retary. Senator, J. M. Magie; representatives, Twenty-sixth district G. W. Marley, Twenty-seventh B. F. Lucas; probate judge, O. F. Walker; clerk district court, James Beggs; superintendent public instruction, Mary Scott; commissioner second district, W. E. Snyder.
W. S. Newlon chairman central committee, G. W. Marley secretary.
UNION LABOR COUNTY CONVENTIONS.
September 15, 1887, Parsons; W. H. Utley chairman, W. J. Bryant, F. W. Dauth and A. W. Mackie secretaries. Treasurer, W. H. Porter on second ballot over H. Leib, Alexander Duncan, A. H. Mickey, John Rich- ardson, Frank Briggs; county clerk, W. J. Millikin on second ballot over A. H. Mickey, C. C. Robbins, Milo Hildreth, A. Moore; register, J. K. Rus- sell on second ballot over B. F. Rolls, Thomas Lawrence, C. F. Turner, W. F. Grierson; sheriff, W. P. Wilson on third ballot over William Cook, Ed. Foyle, J. R. Duncan, Frank Briggs, Wm. Orr, D. W. Butler; sur- veyor, C. C. Robbins on first ballot over John M. Hart and Levi Fergu- son; coroner, A. R. Clarady on first ballot over Peter Hogan; commis- sioner first district, S. N. Woodruff.
W. H. Utley chairman central committee, W. H. Porter secretary.
August 21, 1888, Chetopa; J. W. Breidenthal chairman, Geo. Campbell and A. A. King secretaries. Senator Tenth district, George Campbell on second ballot over A. J. Hixon, W. J. Gillette, R. W. Wright; clerk of the district court, L. F. Dick on fifth ballot over A. W. Mackie, R. S. Lybarger, J. M. Morgan, J. R. Hill; probate judge, Nelson Abbott on third ballot over C. T. Bridgman, J. M. C. Reed, J. W. Evans, R. S. Lybarger, S. T. Cherry, J. R. Hill, John Richardson; county attorney, Jess Brockway on second ballot over J. J. McFeely, M. Byrne, G. W. Hendricks, C. C. Robbins, R. S. Lybarger; superintendent public instruc- tion, Mrs. Lucy Best, by acclamation.
Wm. Cook chairman central committee, Nelson Abbott secretary.
September 7, 1889, Parsons; J. W. Breidenthal chairman, L. F. Dick secretary. Treasurer, W. H. Porter, by acclamation; sheriff, Wm. Cook on second ballot over E. A. Richcreek, J. R. Duncan and W. P. Wilson; county clerk, A. H. Mickey on fourth ballot over J. A. Jones and W. J. Millikin; register, J. K. Russell on first ballot over F. C. Turner, C. L. Albin and George Campbell; surveyor, A. B. Bushnell, by acclamation; coroner, Wm. Rowe, by acclamation.
Wm. Cook chairman central committee, J. R. Hill secretary.
UNION LABOR REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.
Twenty-eighth District .- September 8, 1888, at Parsons. A. J. Hixon nominated by acclamation. - June 11, 1890, at Parsons. James Tanner nominated by acclamation.
Twenty-ninth District .- September 8, 1888, at Oswego; A. W. Mackie chairman, A. A. King secretary. George Pfaff on first ballot over Harmon and Milo Hildreth .- July 29, 1890, in connection with People's county convention at Parsons. P. A. Morrison.
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POLITICAL.
Thirtieth District .- September 1, 1888, at Edna; J. H. Reasor chair- man, E. H. Breidenthal secretary. R. S. Lybarger on first ballot over C. W. Holman and Levi Ferguson .- July 29, 1890, in connection with People's county convention at Parsons. Alexander Duncan.
PEOPLE'S PARTY COUNTY CONVENTIONS.
Parsons, July 29, 1890; E. A. Richcreek chairman, A. H. McCormick and Harry Mills secretaries. Clerk of the district court, J. A. Jones on second ballot over I. M. Waldrop, R. A. Johnson, L. F. Dick, J. M. Mor- gan, W. N. McCoid, W. H. Porter; probate judge, E. A. Richcreek on first ballot over J. H. Reasor, A. J. Hixon, J. W. Harrah, John Richard- son; superintendent public instruction, Mrs. Lucy Best, by acclamation; county attorney, J. R. Hill on third ballot over M. E. Williams, W. J. Gillette, G. S. King; commissioner first district, G. A. Cooper; represent- atives, Twenty-ninth district P. A. Morrison, Thirtieth Alexander Duncan.
E. A. Richcreek chairman central committee, Harry Mills secretary.
September 3, 1891, Parsons; E. A. Richcreek chairman, Harry Mills secretary. Treasurer, Martin V. Davis on second ballot over John Rich- ardson and Ben Johnson; sheriff, William Cook on first ballot over A. B. Funk, J. R. Duncan, A. Sharp; register, A. W. Mackie on first ballot over George Blank, F. T. Deinst, W. N. McCoid; county clerk, D. H. Martin on first ballot over W. J. Millikin, I. N. Watson, I. M. Waldrop; surveyor, A. B. Bushnell; coroner, J. Miller.
Harry Mills chairman central committee, A. W. Mackie secretary.
August 9, 1892, Parsons; J. F. Hill chairman, L. F. Dick and Harry Mills secretaries. Senator, John H. Riley, by acclamation; probate judge, George Campbell on third ballot over E. A. Richcreek, A. J. Hixon and H. Summers; clerk district court, Jesse M. Morgan on first ballot over A. W. Jones and R. A. Johnson; county attorney, M. E. Williams on first ballot over H. G. Webb; superintendent public instruction, Lucy Best, by acclamation; commissioner second district, J. A. Jarboe.
William Cook chairman central committee, D. H. Martin secretary.
PEOPLE'S PARTY DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.
Twenty-sixth District .- June 20, 1892, Parsons; Dr. E. Tanner chair- man, H. C. Sourbeer secretary. J. L. Humphrey on first ballot over A. F. Neely and Daniel Pfaff.
Twenty-seventh District .- August 13, 1892, Chetopa; G. A. Cooper chairman, M. E. Williams secretary. P. A. Morrison on first ballot over John Ford.
SENATORIAL CONVENTIONS.
Sixteenth Senatorial District .- October -, 1866, Republican conven- tion held at Iola. Dr. J. W. Scott was nominated over J. C. Carpenter and J. S. Waters.
The Democratic convention was held at Humboldt, and Col. Wil- loughby Doudna was nominated.
October 15, 1868, Republican convention met at Erie; R. W. Wright was chairman, and J. C. Redfield secretary. J. C. Carpenter was nomi- nated on eleventh ballot over E. R. Trask and A. A. Aiken.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
October 24, 1868, Democratic convention convened at Osage Mission, and F. M. Frost was nominated.
September 29, 1870, Republican convention was held at Humboldt; J. M. Beardsley was chairman, and P. I. B. Ping secretary. J. H. Crich- ton was nominated on tenth ballot over J. W. Dowe and G. P. Smith of Allen county, A. Miller of Wilson county, J. C. Carpenter of Neosho county, and H. W. Martin of Labette county.
October 6, 1870, Democratic convention met at Humboldt. J. M. Rich- ardson, of Labette county, was nominated over Moses Neal and others.
September 21, 1870, Settlers' Protective Association held a convention at Prairie du Chien, in Neosho county; G. W. McMillen was chairman, and George T. Walton secretary. Major H. C. Whitney was unanimously nominated.
JUDICIAL CONVENTIONS.
In 1867 N. F. Acres and John R. Goodin were opposing candidates for judge of the Seventh judicial district.
October 10, 1870, Republican convention met in Oswego, with four del- egates each from Montgomery, Labette and Crawford counties, and five from Cherokee; T. E. Clark chairman, W. W. Jones secretary. On the 64th ballot the delegates from Labette county changed their vote from W. P. Bishop to W. M. Matheny, and nominated him over W. P. Bishop, John T. Voss, and Thomas Harrison, as a candidate for judge of the Eleventh judicial district. H. G. Webb ran as an independent candidate.
In 1873 B. W. Perkins, H. W. Barnes, J. M. Scudder and J. G. Park- hurst were opposing candidates, each running independent.
In 1874 a "Reform Convention" convened at Parsons, September 23d, with J. H. Waterman chairman, and C. O. Stockslager secretary. J. D. McCue was nominated on second ballot over J. N. Ritter, A. A. Fletcher, and B. F. Purcell. B. W. Perkins again ran independent.
September 12, 1878, a Greenback convention assembled at Parsons, and nominated J. F. Broadhead. Opposed to him at the polls were B. W. Perkins and W. B. Glasse, each running independent.
On October 3. 1882, a Republican convention met at Cherokee; J. R. Hallowell chairman. On the 264th ballot George Chandler was nomi- nated over W. B. Glasse, John N. Ritter, and John T. Voss. Opposed to him W. M. Matheny ran as an independent candidate.
In 1886 George Chandler was an independent, with no opponent.
A Republican convention assembled in Independence October 1, 1889, with S. L. Coulter chairman, and W. T. Yoe secretary. John N. Ritter was nominated by acclamation. J. D. McCue ran independent.
A Republican convention was held at Parsons on September 11, 1890: George W. Wheatley chairman, W. H. Coulter secretary. A. B. Clark was nominated by acclamation. Opposed to him was J. D. McCue, as an independent candidate.
POLITICAL CONVENTIONS OF A MISCELLANEOUS CHAR- ACTER.
FARMERS' CONVENTION. 2
A Farmers' convention was called for and was held on October 17, 1873, at Labette City. It was a secret session. The following nomina- tions were made: Probate judge, Davis Vulgamore; sheriff, F. G. Bur-
.
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POLITICAL.
nett; treasurer, C. F. Smith; register, I. W. Patrick; county clerk, Sam. WV. Collins; coroner, A. S. Spaulding; surveyor, S. R. Southwick; repre- sentatives, Forty-third district J. L. Williams, Forty-fourth Isaac But- terworth; commissioners, first district D. J. Doolen, second H. M. Debolt, third William Thornborough.
GRANGE CONVENTION.
On October 10, 1874, a Grange convention met at Labette City, which soon divided into two sections : one elected N. Cooper chairman and C. W. Stephenson secretary, and denounced political action; the other elected J. J. Woods chairman and C. Merwin secretary, and nominated the following ticket: Senator Fifteenth district, John F. Hill; probate judge, S. L. Coulter; clerk district court, H. C. Cook; superintendent, Mary A. Higby; representatives, Forty-third district S. M. Canady, Forty-fourth Henry Tibbetts.
"LABORING MEN'S CONVENTIONS."
One was held at Parsons, on September 20, 1875; B. D. Roberts was chairman part of the time, and Isaac Butterworth a part; J. L. William- son secretary. The following ticket was nominated: Representatives, Forty-third district M. W. Reynolds, Forty-fourth F. B. McGill; treas- urer, William Dick on third ballot over A. J. Cary, George Caldwell, and Fred Perkins; sheriff, Nixon Elliott on second ballot over W. C. Church, J. J. Freeman, and S. B. Abbott; register, R. C. Taylor; county clerk, L. C. Howard, by acclamation; coroner, D. B. Crouse, by acclamation; surveyor, Wade Prichard on first ballot over George Thornton; commis- sioners, first district J. F. Hill, second C. M. Monroe, third J. H. Martin.
J. L. Williams was chairman of the central committee.
On October 9, 1877, at Keeler's school-house, a mass convention was held, of which Samuel Newell was chairman, and Newton Guymon sec- retary. A ticket was nominated as follows: Treasurer, A. J. Cary; reg- ister, Wash Knapp; county clerk, T. A. Fellows; coroner, Dr. W. S. Newlon; surveyor, Wade Prichard; commissioner second district, H. M. Debolt.
"PEOPLE'S MASS CONVENTIONS."
A convention with the above title was held in the Methodist church in Mound Valley, on October 20, 1881; J. M. Cavaness was chairman, and T. C. Cory secretary. The following ticket was nominated: Treasurer, Andy Cary on first ballot over G. S. McDole; register, J. M. Cunningham on first ballot over J. W. Breidenthal and Thomas O'Hare. The Republi- can nominees for sheriff, county clerk, surveyor and coroner were indorsed.
Another "People's Mass Convention" was held on October 10, 1884, at Altamont; B. R. Van Meter was elected chairman and S. M. Bailey secretary, and the following nominations were made: Senator Ninth dis- trict, W. J. Conner, by acclamation; county attorney, H. G. Webb, by acclamation; clerk district court, C. L. Albin on first ballot over J. M. Cunningham; probate judge, J. M. Cunningham, by acclamation; super- intendent public instruction, J. Covalt.
A "FARMERS' AND LABORERS' CONVENTION"
Was held at Altamont on August 20, 1886; A. M. Fellows was chairman, and J. W. Breidenthal secretary. After electing delegates to the State convention and calling a county convention for Altamont on September
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
8th, it adjourned. On September 8th the convention mnet as per adjourn- ment; J. J. McFeely was chairman, and J. W. Breidenthal secretary. A ticket composed of the following was nominated : Superintendent, Alice Metier; probate judge, A. T. Shrout; county attorney, H. G. Webb; clerk district court, W. J. Millikin. A. M. Fellows was made chairman of the central committee, and R. S. Lybarger secretary.
October 9, 1886, another "Farmers' and Laborers' Convention" met at Parsons, and nominated W. H. Utley as representative for the Twenty- eighth district.
ELECTIONS.
The rapid growth of the county is in a measure indicated by the in- creased vote cast from year to year. The first election held in Neosho county was in 1864, at which there were but 35 votes cast in the whole county. At this time there was probably no one in what is now Labette county who had the legal qualifications of an elector, but had there been there was no provision made for the casting of votes. It was not until July, 1866, that the Commissioners of Neosho county established voting precincts in what is now Labette county. Our citizens might have par- ticipated in the election in November, 1866, had they been disposed to do so, but, as I have elsewhere stated, there was a mutual understanding between those residing in what is now Neosho county and those residing in what is now Labette county, that the latter would refrain from voting for the officers of Neosho county, and that at the ensuing session of the Legislature the county should be divided. However, at that election the people in the south half of the county voted for a full set of county offi- cers for themselves. Of course this vote was without any legal signifi- cance. No record of the result was kept, and I have been unable to ascertain anything in reference to the number of votes cast. C. H. Bent, who was elected to the Legislature at this time, was the only officer elected who was permitted to perform official duties by virtue thereof. I might here state that at this election there were something over 300 votes cast in Neosho county. For State Senator, J. W. Scott received 225 votes, and Willoughby Doudna received 82 votes. This is probably the average vote between the two parties in the county. The first legal election held in Labette county was on April 22, 1867. At this election a full set of county officers were elected, to serve until the ensuing regu- lar election in the fall; and the question of locating the county seat was also voted on. The record of the canvass of this vote has been lost, and I have now no means of ascertaining the number of votes cast; but some time thereafter there was published what was said to be the correct vote on the question of locating the county seat, from which statement it ap- pears that the entire vote cast on that subject was 380. This may fairly be presumed to be the total vote of the county at that time.
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POLITICAL.
At the November election in 1867 the canvass does not show the total number of votes cast, nor the votes cast for each candidate, except for the office of Judge of the District Court. For this position N. F. Acres received 202 votes, and J. R. Goodin 192 votes. On the question of locating the county seat there were cast 397 votes. This was probably the highest number of votes cast at that election. At the election held November 3, 1868, each precinct in the county returned its vote. The Presidential Electors received 783 votes ; 617 of which were cast for the Grant Electors, and 166 for the Seymour Electors. The candidates for the several State offices on the two tickets received substantially the same proportion of the votes. The political lines were not as strictly drawn on the county offices.
On November 5, 1869, the board met to canvass the vote cast on the 2d of that month. For some informalities, which presented an excuse but did not amount to a reason for their action, the Commissioners re- jected the vote of every precinct in the county except those of Oswego and Hackberry. If it had required the rejection of either of these to enable them to count in the parties whom they desired to have elected, it may be presumed that on some pretense it would have been done. By the course pursued a set of officers were declared elected who had been over- whelmingly defeated at the polls, and those who had been elected by a large majority of the votes actually cast were deprived of their positions, some of them for a year and some of them during their whole term. I do not mean to say that every officer declared elected had been defeated ; no record has been preserved of the complete vote, and I have no means at hand of ascertaining what the vote of the entire county was; but cer- tain it is that the Sheriff, Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and a part of the Commissioners who were elected were compelled to contest for their offices or to be deprived of them entirely. Mr. McCue, who had been beaten for County Attorney by a large majority, but who was declared elected, refused to qualify, and Mr. Waters, who had been elected but counted out, took the office without opposition. Some of those who had been counted out contested for the office, while others declined to go through the trouble and expense of a litigation. After a protracted con- test through all the courts, the true result was finally ascertained, and those who were determined to secure their rights even at a sacrifice were finally awarded their offices.
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