USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 60
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457
POLITICAL EVENTS ; 1868-1889.
First Cleveland Troop, Second Troop, Fourth Regiment, O. N. G., four companies; Fifteenth Regiment, O. N. G .; Duquesne Blues, colored ; Palmer Guards; Sixth Regiment, O. N. G., four companies; Columbus Cadets ; Shelby Light Infantry ; First Regiment, O. N. G., five companies ; Cleveland .Grays; Seventh Regiment, O. N. G., eight companies; Thirteenth Regiment, O. N. G., two companies; Third and Sixteenth Regiments, O. N. G., each one company ; Fourteenth Regiment, O. N. G., and Governor's Guard. National Senatorelect James A. Garfield was given a complimentary reception in the Senate Chamber January 14. Speeches were made on this occasion by Messrs. Foster, Garfield and Ex-Governor Bishop. A Blaine Club was organized January 22, and a meeting in the interest of James G. Blaine as a candidate for the Presidency was held February 20, at the City Hall. This meeting was addressed by John Beatty, R. C. Hoffman, J. C. Covert, I. F. Mack, F. B. Roney and others. A Sherman Club was organized about the same time, with F. C. Sessions as President. A State Convention of Prohibitionists assembled at Naughton Hall March 5 and nominated a State ticket. The Repub- lican State Convention met, at Comstock's Opera House April 28; temporary chairman, William McKinley; permanent, Benjamin Butterworth. Delegates to the National Convention were appointed and resolutions were adopted favoring John Sherman for the Presidency. Nominations: Secretary of State. Charles Townshend ; Supreme Court Judge, George W. Mellvaine; Supreme Court Clerk, Dwight Crowell ; Board of Public Works, S. R. Ilosmer; School Commissioner, D. F. De Wolf. The Democratic State Convention assembled at Comstock's Opera House May 6; temporary chairman, Frank II. Hurd ; permanent, George L. Con- verse. Delegates to the National Convention were chosen, and instructed to favor the nomination of Allen G. Thurman for the Presidency. Another Democratic State Convention was held at Cleveland July 22 and nominated : For Secretary of State, William Lang ; Supreme Court Judge, M. D. Follett; Supreme Court Clerk, R. J. Fanning ; Board of Public Works, W. J. Jackson ; School Commis- sioner, J. J. Burns ; Electors-at-large, R. P. Ranney and J. F. Follett. Secretary Sherman visited Columbus April 2, and was the guest of Governor Foster, at whose residence he was honored with a soiree and reception. Hon. Allen G. Thurman returned from Washington, at the close of his services in the National Senate, April 25, and was serenaded at the Neil House. The Republican National Con- vention was held at Chicago from the second to the eighth of June, inclusive, and nominated James A. Garfield for President and Chester A. Arthur for Vice Pres- ident. The Democratic National Convention assembled at Cincinnati June 22, and nominated W. S. Hancock for President and W. H. English for Vice President. A State Convention of the Greenback Labor party was held at the City Hall July 28, and nominated a State ticket. Its resolutions favored payment of the war debt with legal tender paper currency and declared for woman suffrage. A Repub- lican meeting of August 31 was addressed by John Sherman ; another of Septem- ber 13 was addressed by John Beatty ; another of September 30, accompanied by a large parade, was addressed by James A. Beaver, James G. Blaine, and others. A Democratic meeting of August 28 was addressed by T. W. Bartley ; another of September 3, by A. G. Thurman and Charles E. Hooker ; another of September 21, with large parade, was addressed by George Hoadly, Franz Sigel and J. C. S. Blackburn; another of October 9 was addressed by W. B. Cockran and S. S. Cox. A Republican jollification over the results of the election took place November 3.
1881.
Hon. John Sherman was nominated for National Senator by the Republican caucus January 11. Hon. Allen G. Thurman was nominated by the Democratic
458
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
eaucus for the same office January 12. Mr. Sherman, the Senatorelect, was for- mally received by the General Assembly and State officers at the Senate Chamber January 19. Meetings in the interest of the Irish Land League were held in Co- lumbus February 18, June . 17 and October 24. J. S. Robinson resigned the office of Commissioner of Railways and Telegraphs February 25; his successor, by appointment, was Hylas Sabine. The Republican State Convention was held June 8 at Cleveland ; chairman, John Sherman. Nominations: Governor, Charles Foster ; Lieutenant-Governor, R. G. Richards; Supreme Court Judge, Nicholas Longworth ; Attorney-General, George K. Nash; Treasurer, Joseph Turney; Board of Public Works, George Panl. The Democratic State Convention was held at Comstock's Opera House July 13; temporary chairman, J. E. Spear ; per- manent, T. E. Powell. Nominations : Governor, J. W. Bookwalter ; Lieutenant- Governor, Edgar M Johnson ; Supreme Court Judge, E. F. Bingham ; Attorney- General, Frank C. Dougherty ; Treasurer, A. P. Winslow ; Board of Public Works, John Crowe. The Prohibition State Convention was held at the Board of Trade Room August 4; a State ticket was nominated. The Greenback-Labor party held a State Convention at the City Hall June 15, and nominated a State ticket. The assassination of President Garfield was referred to in the various pulpits of the city July 3, and prayers for the recovery of the President were offered. The assassination was first announced in the morning papers of Saturday July 2, and caused, for a time, a virtual suspension of business. Deep anxiety on account of the event was felt throughout the community. On July 4 the festivals usual to that anniversary gave place to publie mourning and devotional services in the churches. The death of the President was announced September 20, and in con- sequence of this sad event the schools were dismissed, and the public buildings dressed in mourning. Resolutions of sorrow and condolence were adopted by numerous military and social organizations. On September 26-the day of the President's funeral at Cleveland-a meeting of citizens was held and numerous addresses appropriate to the occasion were delivered. The day was further sol- emnized by the firing of minute guns, closing of the schools, and suspension of business. A Lodge of Sorrow was celebrated by the Masonic bodies in joint assembly, and a memorial meeting was held at the Turners' Hall. An alleged disturbance of a Republican parade on Chestnut Street September 30 caused some excitement and discussion.
1882.
A socalled Sunday Law Mass Convention of the State was held at the City Hall May 2; temporary chairman, S. H. Hurst ; permanent, Richard Smith. Resolutions were adopted favoring more stringent control of the liquor traffic, and measures for the total suppression of the traffic on Sunday. The Republican State Convention was held at the Opera House June 7; temporary chairman, D. A. Hollingsworth ; permanent, R. P. Kennedy. Nominations : Secretary of State, Charles Townshend ; Supreme Court Judge, John H Doyle; Board of Public Works, C. A. Flickinger. The Democratic State Convention was held in Columbus July 20; temporary chairman, J. F. Follett ; permanent, George H. Pen- dleton. Nominations : Secretary of State, James W. Newman ; Supreme Court Judge, John W. Okey ; Board of Public Works, Henry Weibel. A Woman Suf- frage State Convention was held in Columbus August 2, and a State Association organized. A Democratic " jollification" over the results of the election took place October 20.
459
POLITICAL EVENTS ; 1868-1889.
1883.
The Republican State Convention was held at Comstock's Opera House June 5 ; temporary chairman, S. P. Wolcott; permanent, John Sherman. Nomina- tions : Governor, J. B. Foraker ; Lieutenant-Governor, William B. Rose ; Supreme Court Judges, William H. Upson. and John H. Doyle; Supreme Court Clerk, Dwight Crowell ; Attorney General, M. B. Earnhart; Auditor, John F. Oglevee ; Treasurer, John C. Brown; School Commissioner, Daniel DeWolf; Board of Public Works, Leo Weltz. The Democratic State Convention assembled at Com- stock's Opera House June 20; chairman, John McSweeney. Nominations: Gov- ernor, George Hoadly ; Lieutenant-Governor, John T. Warwick ; Supreme Court Judges, M. D. Follett and Selwyn Owen ; Supreme Court Clerk, J. W. Cruikshank ; Attorney-General, James Lawrence; Auditor, Emil Kiesewetter; Treasurer, Peter Brady ; School Commissioner, Leroy D. Brown ; Board of Public Works, John P. Martin. A State Convention of Prohibitionists met in Columbus, June 14, and nominated a State ticket. A State Convention favorable to the pending constitutional amendment prohibitory of the liquor traffic met at the City Hall, July 24, and organized a State Association. A large evening meeting was held in the Capitol Square. On Angust 21, a Tariff Club was organized by L. Sanial, an agent of the New York Tariff League. State conventions of colored citizens were held in Columbus, September 20 and December 26. A Democratic " jollification " over the results of the election took place October 19.
1884.
Henry B. Payne was declared elected National Senator, January 16, and on the following evening gave a banquet to his partisans at the Neil House. Governor George Hoadly was inangurated January 14. All display was avoided except an escort of Democratic clubs. The ceremonies took place in the rotunda. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Johnson. William Redmond, a mem- ber of the British Parliament, delivered an address on the rights and wrongs of Ireland at the City Hall, February 3. The Republican State Convention was held at Cleveland, April 24-25; temporary chairman, C. H. Grosvenor ; permanent, William MeKinley. Nominations : Secretary of State, James S. Robinson ; Supreme Court Judge, W. W. Johnson , Board of Public Works, C. A. Flickinger; Elec- tors at-Large, John Beatty and J. M. Comly. The Democratic State Convention was held at Comstock's Opera House, June 24-25 ; chairman, E. B. Finley. Nominations : Secretary of State, James W. Newman ; Supreme Court Judge, C. D. Martin ; Board of Public Works, John H. Benfer. The Prohibition State Con- vention was held at the City Hall, June 18, and nominated a State ticket. A pre- vious convention of the same party, at the same place, March 6, had appointed delegates to the National convention, at Pittsburgh. The Republican National Convention was held at Chicago, June 3-6, and nominated James G. Blaine for the Presidency and John A. Logan, for the Vice Presidency. The Democratic National Convention was held at Chicago, July 7-11, and nominated Grover Cleveland for President and Thomas A. Hendricks for Vice President. The Pro- hibitionist National Convention, at Pittsburgh, July 23-24, nominated John P. St. John for President and William Daniel for Vice President. A socalled Second Amendment Convention was held at Columbus June 25, and organized an " Ohio Voters' Union." On September 25, a Democratic meeting, accompanied by an extensive parade of Democratic clubs, was addressed by A. G. Thurman, George
460
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
Henry
H. Pendleton, Thomas F. Bayard, H. B. Payne and others. An Ohio Democratic Club, embracing all the local clubs of the State, was organized. The largest Republican meeting of the campaign took place October 3, and was signalized by the presence of Hon. James G. Blaine, candidate for the Presidency. A parade, in four divisions, led by M. H. Neil, escorted Mr. Blaine from the railway station to the Neil House, where he was introduced by Ex-Governor Foster, and spoke from the balcony. Other speakers of the occasion were Channing Richards, C. A. Boutelle, W. H. Gibson, John Beatty, Allen Miller and Stewart L. Woodford. On October 9, Mr. Blaine was again in Columbus, and sojourned over night with his relative, F. Ewing Miller. A Republican " jollification " over the results of the October elections took place October 24. The Democrats " jollified " over the out- come of the National election November 12.
1885.
A State Convention of Democratic Clubs was held at Gumble Hall January 8. On the same date a banquet was held, in honor of the anniversary at the City Hall. Among the distinguished Democratic speakers of these occasions were A. G. Thurman, J. W. Denver, Gibson B. Atherton, Samuel F. Cary, Joseph HI. Outhwaite, Durbin Ward, W. J. Gilmore, HI. B. Payne, G. H. Barger and Thomas E. Powell. A Republican County Convention, held at the City Hall June 6, selected delegates to the State Convention and instructed them to vote for the nomination of John Beatty for Governor. The Republican State Convention was beld June 6, at Springfield; temporary chairman, J. D. Taylor; permanent, Amos
Townshend. Nominations : Governor, J. B. Foraker; Lieutenant-Governor, R P. Kennedy ; Supreme Court Judge, George W. McIlvaine; Treasurer, John C. Brown; Attorney-General, J. A. Kohler ; Board of Publie Works, Wells S. Jones. The Democratic State Convention was held at the Grand Opera House August 20; chairman, John F. Follett. Nominations: Governor, George Hoadly ; Lieutenant- Governor, John G. Warwick ; Supreme Court Judges, C. D. Martin and Gibson B. Atherton ; Treasurer, Peter Brady ; Attorney-General, James Lawrence : Board of Public Works, Henry Weible. On August 20 the Republican State Central Com- mittee met in Columbus and nominated William T. Spear as Supreme Court Judge to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Judge Okey. The same committee met September 3 and nominated T. A. Minsball for Judge in lieu of Ilon. G. W. Mellvaine, then lying in mortal illness. The Prohibition State Convention was held July 2 at Springfield. A political association styling itself the Garfield Club was incorporated July 22. On July 30 announcement was made of the appointment of Hon. Joseph Falkenbach as Consul to Barmen.
An attempted fraud in the count of votes cast in the city at the October election of this year was a cause of much excitement and prolonged controversy. The fraud consisted in the surreptitious alteration of the tallysheet of precinet A, in the Thirteenth Ward, by changing the figures in such a way as to add three hundred votes to the number cast and recorded for each Democratic eandi- date. This, with similar frauds attempted in Hamilton County would, if success- ful, have given the Democrats a majority in the General Assembly, and enabled them to elect a United States Senator. In Columbus the frand was committed by abstracting the returns from the safe of the County Clerk on Saturday night and altering them during that night and the following Sunday. After alteration tbe returns were replaced in the safe. This crime cansed great indignation, which was by no means confined to the Republican party. Democrats and Republicans alike made diligent efforts to detect and punish the perpetrators of the fraud, and
461
POLITICAL EVENTS; 1868-1889
in this they were zealonsly seconded by the great ability and legal acumen of the Hon. Allen G. Thurman. Nevertheless, no satisfactory results were attained. Strong suspicions were formed in the public mind as to the identity of the guilty persons, but as yet no one has been positively convicted of the crime. The case illustrates the difficulties peculiar to popular government in the prosecution and punishment of purely political offenses.
1886.
Governor J. B. Foraker was inaugurated January 11. The inauguration parade, led by Henry M. Neil, Chief Marshal, included a large number of politi- eal and military organizations. The ceremonies took place in the rotunda. In the evening a reception was held in the Senate Chamber. On Jannary 12 Hon. John Sherman was reelected to the National Senate; on January 14 he was received by the General Assembly in the Senate Chamber. A meeting at Com- stock's Opera House January 15, under the auspiees of the National Land League, was accompanied by a parade of Irish societies, and was addressed by Bishop Watterson, John Beatty, D. J. Ryan, H. J. Booth, T. E. Powell, and others. A Board of Elections, created by statute, held its first meeting March 1. A Parnell Society was organized March 3; President, M. A. Daugherty ; Secretary, James Caren ; Treasurer, John Beatty. On May 5 the Democratic Senators absented them- selves in order to prevent the Republicans from having a quorum wherewith to seat the Hamilton County members who had been counted out in the tallysheet frauds. The fugitives were contemptuously called " squaw Senators." They re- turned May 19 from a soujourn in the Southern States. The Democratic State Convention was held at Toledo August 18; chairman, E. B. Finley. Nomina- tions : Secretary of State, John McBride; Board of Public Works, Louis Ludwig. The Republican State Convention was held at the Armory, on West Spring Street, August 28; temporary chairman, E. F. Noyes; permanent, J. B. Foraker. Nominations : Secretary of State, J. S. Robinson ; Supreme Court Judge, Marshall J. Williams; Supreme Court Clerk, Urban H. Hester; School Commissioner, Eli T. Tappan; Board of Public Works, William M. Hahn. Michael Davitt, the Irish agitator, arrived November 11 and was escorted by the Hibernian societies and a committee of citizens. Mr. Davitt delivered an address at the Metropolitan Opera House. During the latter part of December the follow- ing persons were indicted by a special grand jury for alleged complicity in the tallysheet forgeries : R. B. and C. R. Montgomery, Algernon Granville, Otto W. Horn, B. H. Marriott, John Francis and C. T. Blackburn.
1887.
The Democratic State Convention assembled July 21, at Cleveland ; chairman, George E. Seney. Nominations : Governor, Thomas E. Powell; Lieutenant- Governor, DeWitt C. Coolman ; Supreme Court Judges, L. R. Critchfield and Virgil P. Kline ; Treasurer, George W. Harper ; Attorney-General, William H. Leet ; Board of Public Works, Peter Murphy. The Republican State Convention was held at Toledo July 28; chairman John Sherman. Nominations: Governor, J. B. Foraker ; Lieutenant-Governor, William C. Lyon ; Supreme Court Judges, William T. Speer and F. J. Dickman ; Anditor, E. W. Poe ; Treasurer, John C. Brown ; Attorney-General, D. K. Watson ; Board of Public Works, C. A. Flick- inger. The Prohibition State Convention was held at Delaware June 30. A
462
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
State Convention of the " Union Labor " party was held at the City Hall July 4. A long platform was adopted and a State ticket nominated. The first registra- tion under the new registry law began October 13. A Republican meeting at the Fourteenth Regiment Armory October 29 was addressed by Governor J. B. Foraker. A Democratic meeting at the City Hall October 31 was addressed by General J. B. Gordon, of Georgia. Lucy E. Parsons, a Chicago anarchist, was arrested and imprisoned March 10 by Mayor Walcutt. Mrs. Parsons was released from custody March 12.
1888.
Hon. J. B. Foraker was inaugurated for the second time as Governor Janu- ary 9. The inauguration parade, which was extensive, was organized and led by John G. Mitchell. The ceremonies were attended by a large number of visiting organizations. A banquet of the Republican League Clubs was held at the Wells Post Hall February 13. The Democratie Clubs of Ohio held a delegate conven- tion at Wirthwein's Hall March 21, and organized a State League. The jury in the case of R. B. Montgomery, accused of complicity in the tallysheet forgeries, disagreed March 24. This practically ended the prosecutions in Columbus. Allen O. Myers, in whose case a change of venue to London, Ohio, was obtained, was there acquitted December 23. No further prosecutions were attempted. The Republican State Convention was held at Dayton April 18-19; temporary chair- man, J. W. Keifer; permanent, E. L. Lampson. Nominations : Secretary of State, D. J. Ryan ; Supreme Court Judge, J. P. Bradbury ; Board of Public Works, Wells S. Jones ; Eleetors-at-Large, A. H. Mattox and I. P. Lampson ; Delegates-at-Large, J. B. Foraker, Charles Foster, William McKinley and Benja- min Butterworth. The Democratic State Convention assembled at Dayton May 15 ; chairman, S. F. Hunt. Nominations : Secretary of State, Boston G. Young ; Supreme Court Judge, Lyman R. Critchfield ; Board of Public Works, James Emmit ; Electors-at-Large, W. D. Hill and W. W. Ellsbury ; Delegates-at-Large, T. E. Powell, C. S. Brice, C. W. Baker and L. F. Holden. The Democratie National Convention assembled at St. Louis June 5 and nominated Grover Cleve- land for President and Allen G. Thurman for Vice President. The Republican National Convention assembled at Chicago June 19, and nominated Benjamin Harrison for President and Levi P. Morton for Vice President.
When Judge Thurman was first apprised of his nomination for the Vice Presidency, he was quietly reading in his library. Laying aside his book, he stated that he had not sought the nomination, or desired it. Being assured that it had been made without opposition, he said : " You are mistaken. There was vigorous opposition in this very house. Mrs. Thurman opposed it, and she is a pretty strong factor around here." Telegraphic congratulations soon began to pour in upon the "Old Roman," as Judge Thurman was politically styled, by the score. During the days immediately succeeding the convention a great many persons, including delegates from distant States, called to congratulate him person- ally. The formal notification of his nomination was communicated to him at his residence, by a committee of the National Convention, June 28. Among the polit- ieal organizations incident to the canvass were the Old Roman Guard and the Harrisonians of 1840.
1889.
A joint legislative committee appointed to revise the tax laws of the State was addressed January 9, by Henry George and Thomas G. Shearman, of New
463
POLITICAL EVENTS; 1868-1889.
York, and Thomas L. Johnson, of Cleveland. A conference of delegates of single tax clubs at which these speakers were present, was held at the Wells Post Hall, January 10. A meeting of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association was held in the Masonic Cathedral, January 14. Lincoln's birthday anniversary was celebrated by a banquet of the Ohio League of Republican Clubs at Wirthwein's Hall, Feb- ruary 12. Benjamin Harrison, Presidentelect, passed through Columbus, en route to Washington to assume the duties of the Presidency February 25. He was greeted at the railway station by local political clubs and a large crowd. The Republican State Convention assembled at the Metropolitan Opera House June 25-26 ; chairman, W. C. Cooper. Nominations: Governor, J. B. Foraker ; Lieu- tenant-Governor, E. L. Lampson ; Supreme Court Judges, Franklin J. Dickman ; Treasurer, John C. Brown ; Attorney-General. D. K. Watson ; School Commis- sioner, John Hancock ; Supreme Court Clerk, Urban H. Hester; Board of Public Works, W. M. Hahn. Contemporaneously with this convention a state assembly of the Ohio Republican League was held at the City Hall. The Democratic State Convention was held at Dayton, August 27-28; chairman, M. D. Harter. Nom - inations : Governor, James E. Campbell ; Lieutenant-Governor, William V. Mar- quis; Supreme Court Judge, M. D. Follett; Treasurer, W. E. Boden ; Supreme Court Clerk, I. J. C. Shumaker; Attorney-General, Jessie M. Lewis; School Commissioner, Charles C. Miller; Board of Public Works, Frank Reynolds. A Republican meeting, held at the Board of Trade auditorium October 25, was addressed by Senator Sherman ; a Democratic meeting at the same place Novem- ber 1, was addressed by A. G. Thurman, Isaac P. Gray, Isaac M. Jordan and George L. Converse.
Las. M. Montgomery
The Municipality.
30*
CHAPTER XXX.
COUNCIL, MAYORALTY AND POLICE-I.
The Borough of Columbus began its corporate existence pursuant to an act of the General Assembly passed February 10, 1816. Some of the circumstances incidental to this new birth among the infant cities of Ohio have been narrated in Chapter XIV of the preceding volume. The act of incorporation fixed the boundaries of the borough, specified the duties and mode of selection of its officers, and empowered its collective functionaries, as "a body corporate and politic to purchase, receive, possess and convey any real or personal estate for the use of the said town of Columbus," provided the annual income thereof should not exceed four thousand dollars. The officials thus empowered were nine in num- ber, chosen by ballot and designated as " the mayor, recorder and common council- men of said town." The law required that they should be " suitable persons "-a very important provision - and that they should also be " citizens, freeholders or housekeepers, and inhabitants.". Three of the nine retired annually, the full term of service being three years. They might suc and be sued and were authorized to have a common seal, which they could alter at discretion. They were further authorized to appoint an assessor, a town marshal, a clerk of the market, a town surveyor, and such other subordinate officers as they might deem necessary. They could award fees to the recorder and other corporation officers for their services, and might impose fines for refusal to accept such offices. They had power to levy taxes within the borough, except on State property, which was specifically exempted, but no tax might exceed the rates prescribed for county
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