Townsend The Choice Of The Adrian Convention

Wayne Made the Nomination Unanimous after Washtenaw Had Cast Her 22 Votes for Him

Adrian, May 29, 1:56 p. m.--Townsend was unanimously nominated when the convention re-assembled at 1:30.

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 29, 1:56 p. m.--The convention reassembled at 1:30. On the eight hundred and first ballot, Jackson gave Townsend their full vote. Lenawee still held to Smith, while Monroe gave five to Smith, three to Bacon and eight to Townsend.

Washtenaw being called, the chairman arose and cast her twenty-two votes for Townsend and the convention immediately went wil and amid the uproar the chairman of the Wayne delegation moved to make the nomination of Townsend unanimous, which was immediately done.

CANDIDATES AND DELEGATES ARRIVE

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, Mich., May 28.--The congressional convention is on. Most of the delegates and candidates arrived yesterday. The rear guard of the procession coming in this morning. The headquarters of the candidates are at the Gregg hotel, while many of the delegates are quartered at the same hostelry. The delegates are all adorned with beautiful badges signifying the locality from whence they came and in many cases showing their choice of candidates.

Mr. Wedemeyer, accompanied by "Billy" Judson and Capt. John Haarer, were the first on the ground yesterday. Wedemeyer looks very confident. He spent much of yesterday renewing acquaintances among the delegates and otherwise making a campaign which would signify that if he goes down in defeat it will be with colors flying.

"Billy" Judson, the same as usual, flitted hither and thither among the crowd. Now button-holing one delegate and again another. He had full pressure on.

Congressman Smith, was giving the glad hand to everyone whom he met. He is all smiles and with a graciousness which would suggest that he had been taking lessons in the art of political coquetry, for some time past. His lieutenatns are all here. Grant Fellows, of Hudson, is slated to nominate him, while his wife's father, Banker Watts, is working like a Trojan in his behalf.

Townsend arrived yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock from Jackson. This morning a lot of his camp followers came on the scene and they are making a lively hustle for their chief.

The delegates have been piloted about the city by "Uncle" Joe Bennett, of the McKinley club. Yesterday he took them to his gardens and when they returned to the hotel each one of them work souvenirs of their visit in the forms of beautiful bouttonieres of lillies of the valley.

It is expected that a large number of ladies will be present at the convention. At least this is the story that was circulated yesterday afternoon. If it proves to be a fact, it is said here that it will be the first time in the history of Adrian that women have attended a political gathering of this nature.

ADDITIONAL DELEGATE GIVEN TO WAYNE

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, Mich., May 28, 12:30 p. m.--At the meeting of the congressional committee the Wayne delegation was delighted by being allowed an additional delegate, making the number fourteen. The former apportionment gave Wayne but thirteen and the county convention elected only that number. The fourteenth was promptly at hand, however, and only too anxious to assume the duties of the place.

Gen. Fred W. Green, of Ypsilanti, the recently elected chairman of the county committee of Washtenaw was agreed upon by the committee for temporary chairman of the convention. This, along with various other signs and protents, was taken to indicate the Wedemeyer's chances of landing the nomination are brightening. Some of these indications are almost too intangible to express, yet make a strong impression.

About midnight last night there were persistent rumors to the effect that negotiations were being carried on for votes fo Bacon. He seems to be regarded as possessing a barrel, but whether the bung has really been drawn may not be definitely stated.

Congressman Smith's friends appear to be emulating the congressman himself, who stated some time ago in an interview that he would have to run again as everybody was for him. His friends have made almost as sweeping claims for him about the Washtenaw delegation. But these claims are so manifestly exaggerated that they have tended to weaken him, for they have convinced some that he has not the strength he has been supposed to have.

Indications at this time point to a two days' convention at least. Smith's supporters are anxious to bring the convention to a close of its business as early as possible as a long drawn out session is regarded as inimical to his interests. Sentiment appears to be that in a long convention the race is likely to be between Wedemeyer and Townsend.

The redoubtable Dr. A. W. Smith is on the ground an is not trying to help on the cause of his namesake to any appreciable extent. In fact the feeling between the two men is so intense that on casually coming together they proceeded to indulge in the hottest kind of a war of words. It resulted in nothing worse that a big "blow."

CONVENTION IS CALLED TO ORDER

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 28, 2:15 p. m.--The convention was called to order at 1:30 o'clock by Secretary Wells, who called upon Gen. Fred Green, of Ypsilanti, to act as temporary chairman. Ford, of Wayne, was selected as temporary secretary. The following Washtenaw delegates were appointed on the committees:

Permanent organization and order of business, William Judson. Resolutions, Horace G. Prettyman.

Credentials, A. J. Waters.

B. D. Kelly, of Washtenaw, was appointed one of the vice presidents and Frank Creech one of the assistant secretaries. The convention adjourned until 2:15, standard time, in order to give the committees time to perform their duties.

A. F. Freeman, of Manchester, has been selected to present the name of W. W. Wedemeyer to the convention.

{From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 28, 3:22 p. m.--Jackson led in the nominations, Charles Smith, law partner of Townsend, presenting his name to the convention. Lenawee followed, the nomination speech for Smith being made by Grant Fellows, of Hudson.

Circuit Judge Harry Lockwood, of Monroe, presented the name of Burton Parker as the candidate of that county.

Washtenaw's candidate was W. W. Wedemeyer, who was presented to the convention in a ringing speech by A. F. Freeman, of Manchester.

A. M. Salliotte, of River Rouge, nominated M. R. Bacon, of Wyandotte.

The convention then proceeded to an informal ballot which resulted as follow: Smith 27, Townsend 26, Wedemeyer 22, Parker 16, Bacon 14. Necessary to choice 53.

{From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 28, 3:40 p. m.--Five additional ballots on the nominations have just been taken with no change from the first.

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 28, 4 p. m.--Up to the sixteenth ballot there has been no change in the voting. Not pat to be a material change tonight.

IT'S NOW BETWEEN TOWNSEND AND SMITH

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 29, 12:22 p. m.--Chaos still reigned when the convention assembled. The balloting stood the same as yesterday. After the five hundred and thirty-first ballot, Monroe caucused, giving Bacon 5, Townsend 6, Smith 4, and Parker 1 vote. Two ballots later Parker's one vote was cast for Smith. The balloting remained in this condition until the six hundred and fourth, when Monroe caucused again, giving Bacon 3, Townsend 8, and Smith 5 votes.

There is an evident misunderstanding between Jackson and Wayne on manipulating the Monroe vote, awaiting a break in Lenawee. Lenawee is sticking to Smith until some other county than Monroe breaks. If Lenawee breaks Wedemeyer will probably have the majority of the votes of that county. No change in the condition of the voting to the eighth hundredth ballot. The standing now is Townsend 34, Smith 32, Wedemeyer 22 and Bacon 17. Washtenaw has been giving 15 minutes to confer.

WASHTENAW SECRETIVE AFTER A HOT CAUCUS

[From a Staff Correspondent.]

Adrian, May 291:26 p. m.--Wastenaw caucused for fifteen minutes and then asked the convention to give them a longer recess. The convention adjourned until 1:30. Washtenaw was quite secretive after the caucus, which was a hot one. They claim to be for Wedemeyer, but at this hour it looks like Townsend.

EARLY LIFE AND PROGRESS OF CHARLES TOWNSEND

Charles Elroy Townsend, attorney at Jackson, Mich., was born on a farm in Concord, Jackson county, Mich., Aug 15, 1850. His parents were James Weeden Townsend, a farmer, and Eunice Saline Townsend. His father's ancestors went with William the Conqueror into England in 1006 and settled there, and his mother's people came originally from Scotland into England. his father was very poor and heavily in debt and he worked on the farm for his father and at times for neighbors, till about nineteen years of age, when he borrowed enough money to carry him through school at Jackson and one year at Ann Arbor.

In 1878 he hired out to teach a district school in District No. 6 of Concord and taught there for fifteen months, when he was elected principal of the high school at Parma, Mich., and remained as principal at Parma from September, 1880 till January 1, 1887. In November, 1886, he was elected register of deeds of Jackson county and was nominated and re-elected four times successively.

In 1896 he refused a nomination for register of deeds and formed a law partnership with Charles A. Blair and Charles H. Smith, under the firm name of Blair, Smith & Townsend, and on Jan. 1, 1897, entered into partnership business which continued since that date. He is attorney for the Cincinnati Northern Railroad Co., attorney and vice president of the Jackson State Savings bank, and attorney and director of the Pandora Corset company.

Mr. Townsend has been a republican since 1856, and cast his first vote for Garfield, was a delegate from the third congressional district of Michigan to the republican convention at Chicago in 1888, and has since been delegate to nearly every state convention of the party. He is a member of the republican state central committee, to which position he was elected in 1898. He is a Knight Templar adn a Shriner in Masonry and is a member of the Elks and of the Jackson County club. He was married on Sept 1, 1880, to Rena Paddock, of Concord, but has no children.