Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-01-20
he meeting then adjourned.


Sformy Meeftag-Lfreiy Contest for the Presi-
to organize an opposition CIub-fhey are pre-
rented-1he Police clear the Hall.
The petty war between the different factions
of the Republican party in the First Ward cul-
minated last evening in one of the most bolster
Gus meetings, at Stevens school house, that has
ever been witnessed in this city. The hall was
so densely packed that standing room was i'm
possible, the adherents of the rival candidates
for the Presidency OF the club being ranged on
either side of the main aisle. Metropolitan
stars were seen looming up all through the au-
dience, while a squad of police, under Sergeant
Bull, occupied the platform to be on hand in
any contingency.
Jerome johnson, president of the club, called
the meeting to order, and stated that the first
business i'm order was the report Of the Exec
utive Committee, who reported two full tickets
Of officers, one headed by Henry Himber, and
the other by VIM. Andrew Freeman, and recon
sdering that each ticket be voted on as a whole
by rising vote. 1t was moved to adopt the
report, ant then commenced the fun.
Walker White rose to speak, amid the most
deafening cries of "Sit DOWN. "Order! ~ 1--WE
have got you dead, and you know it!'' which
continued for over five minutes, when Henry
Himber appealed to the audience to allow free
speech, but they seemed unwilling to hear any
boIy.
Walker White finally got the floor and said he
was opposed to the adoption of the report. He
saw before him not only voters, but about two
hundred boys. lCries were now heard "kick
'em out, "put 'em out, like to see you do ii,
:'dainn you, try it on,''l and the confusion here
lasted for nearly fifteen minutes, when Walker
White resumed, saying: "The very class of men
who are trying to bluff you of are the men,
tCries Of "Order, Order."l You hear cries Of sit
down, and who are they? They are set Of
rebels. [Cries of "tbat won't do, "get down
you black imp ego back to the plantation, -
during which benches breaking down made con-
fusion worse confounded. Mr.. Himber hoped
that White would have three minutes to finish
his speech, as it made no difference what he said.
White then said he didn't ask any favors. He'd
finish though, in three minutes. (Cries of, "You
lie!" "You won't get through tO-night!''l 1 was
Republican when Henry Himber was cutting
the black mems threats. am the last man to
| submit to the dictatiOn of any Dutchman. Here
was Henry Himber-just look at him-(going
| through the motions of ready-aim-hre)- shoot-
| ing down Union men when Republicans were
| scarce in this city. Where does Henry Himber
he stands before the grand jury, indicted for
| riot. (The cries of thine ;! tlme!" and I" Shut
up" were here SO deafening and prolonged that
White subsidized, and Henry Himber managed to
| yell loud enough to be heard.
| Mr.. Himber said he had been among them for
three years. and was well known as a Republi-
can. tCries of " Shut up, you id Dutchman.'
/" How does your meershaum color ?''l Any
| man who said he had been in the rebel army
| was liar. He fought in the Union army, and
he would prove it to them. Here Himber
| shirt, and barring his left shoulder in frantic
| manner pointed to the scars of a bullet wound
The scar in the back, however, was more no
ticeable than in front, and gave rise to cries OF
| " Shot i'm the back 20 :" That was q Union bull
| let!' "You can't come that over us!"l
| The report was then taken up for actor
| when Sandy Lacey offered a substitute Il
| the effect that William Andrew Freeman
| was the choice of the Club for President
| which was received with cries of clay it on tn,
| table," 'put that crazy man out" The vote OF
| laying the substitute on the table was carried
Himber's party having the biggest lungs and tn,
| most of them. Finally the vote was taken OF
| the report, and amid the most uproarious con
fusion, the chair declared Henry Himber electet
| President of the Club.
Mr.. Himber jumped upon the Chairman's
| table, nimble as a cat, and folding his arms re
ceived the plaudits Of the surging mass, nov
and then bowling his head in acknowledgment
Whites and cOlOred men jumped on the tabl,
| prOmscuously to congratulate him, when tw,
cOlOred men got into melee in which one wa
| pushed of, and a general fight was about to en-
sue, but the police rushed to the scene from al
parts of the hall, and the batons were fiourishe,
around quite briskly for a while.
| Quiet being finally restored, an adjournment
was carried, but when about half the crowd Ia.
left the hall Cornelius Clark mounted the stan,
and called those present to order, and said tina
they were going to form another club at once
whether it split the party or not. Whereupol
Himber returned to the stand with a crowd q
| checkmate the movement, and the police imme
| diately cleared the hall.