THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: A black cat, a bouquet and a broom for Sandy Row election candidate

The News Letter had reported that Major J H McCormick, the Unionist candidate, and Colonel Woods the Independent candidate, had both toured the St Anne’s Division the previous night as part of the their respective election campaigns for the forthcoming election.

Sandy Row had “seethed with excitement” throughout the evening, reported the paper’s correspondent.

They told how when Major McCormack’s procession passed along Sandy Row cheers and counter cheers went up from both supporters and rivals. During his tour of the St Anne’s Division Major McCormick was also accompanied by several bands and he was also followed by a “great crowd” of supporters.

The procession was delayed for some time when it reached Boyne Square where he was presented with a mascot of a black cat with “due formality”.

The Major’s procession then carried on along Hope Street into Great Victoria Street and then turned up the Grosvenor Road for a tour of the northern part of the division.

It was later on the tour of the division that that the Major was presented with two further gifts from his supporters.

One was a bouquet of flowers and the other was a broom with which, the donor said, Major McCormick was to “sweep the opposition out of St Anne’s”.

Meanwhile, Colonel Woods, in a speech at City Street, denied allegations that he was “taking Liberal money”.

He claimed that these rumours had been circulated to damage his election campaign and that the electorate would not be fooled.