Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-10-03
OWu GDffI1
Knows !
A row BROUGHT ON ny THE "MoRAL
IDEA" MoNGERs.


In eleven wards there were contested
seats, and after committee was drawn
it was engaged all the afternoon in
hearing the contests. When they re-
turned to the Convention the Secretary
began reading the names of certain in
dividuals who, it was alleged, were
entitled to seats in the Convention.
This caused vehement opposition from
several Of the committee and they
were soon joined by individuals on the
floor and in less time than it takes to
tell it, disgraeeful scene was wit
messed. Everybody appeared to be
shouting and threatening at one time,
and most outrageous din was only
terminated by motion to adjourn I'M
til 10 o'clock the next morning which
was declared passed Hunter was the
mobs candidate and as his friends
feared an adjournment, when the ad-
journment was ordered, the Hunter
delegates became frantic. The Chair
man had hardly got off the platform
before ii was packed with Hunter men
with the bold Harry in their midst.
They shouted loudly Tor Hunter, and
then in fit of desperation declared
that the Convention had not taken a
recess, and to prove that it had not,
chose Ben. Smith, of the Third ward,
permanent Chairman Then, by ac-
clamation, they nominated Harry Hun
ter; of the Third ward, for Coroner.
This was made unanimous. The po.
lice now put IN an appearance and
ordered all hands out The last seen
of the Hunter men they were going
down Ridge avenue shouting like mad
with Harry in their midst. The Con-
vention was one of the most disorderly
ever held. The Hunter men claim
that they were successful in the contest
committee, and the object of taking a
recess until the following morning was
simply to euchre Hunter out of the
nomination.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY CONTEST
The liveliest interest centered in the
contest over the District Attorneyship.
The streets in front of the hall where
the Convention was being held were
thronged with the ward and precinct
workers. The struggle had assumed
great bitterness between the friends of
Coils and Graham indeed, the Gra-
ham people threatend in the event of
Coils success to bolt That candi-
dates chances were engineered by such
able and astutc politicians and Conven-
tion organizers as ex-State Treasurer
Mackey and Ham. Disston, while
Stokley was bitter against Graham
and seemed to favor Brewster, Coils
being backed by the gas ring. The
active and leading men of the party
were delegates, and there were many
members of the police and at least a
dozen members Of Councils.
The Chair announced contests in the
Second, Eleventh, Fourteenth, Eigh-
tecnth, Twenty-third and Twenty
fourth wards. This created numerous
little breezes from delegates, who pro.
tested that there had been no contests
in their wards. When the Fourteenth
ward was reached, Ham. Disston, who
was leading the Graham faction, de-
clared that there was no contest there,
and not being recognized, he charged
that there had been fraud and he was
not going to stand it, As the roll pro.
ceeded it was found that there were
contests in the Second and Fifth wards.
Mr.. Shapley said the names of the four
delegates from his ward (tho Fifth,
including himself, had been omitted
from the list and that the election had
been square. He charged that Mr.
Kneass had taken upon himself the
the power, when two sets Of credentials
had been handed in, to decide which
was regular, and to defraud the real
delegates out of their seats. Mr. Shap-
ley's protest did not avail, and then
David Mout, from the same ward,
started some excitement by detailing
how Mr.. Kpeass had gone into his
ward and fixed up bogus delegation,
and vowed to put it through. The
speaker'svoic unexpectedly drowned
by the noise, and he was compelled to
retire. Mr.. Kneass then stated there
were regular contests in tho Second,
Sixth, Seventh, Eleventh, Twelfth,
Fourteenth, Eighteenth, Twenty.tbird
Twenty-ninth wards. The Chair then
announced that il was in order to draw
the committee, when Mr.. Diseton
shouted out
"I want to see whose names you put
in the hat ~
Mr.. Mackey charged the Chairman,
McMancs, OF the gas ring, with fraud
in arranging for the drawing of the
committee. He said "I would not
under any circumstances be guilty Of
the iniamics you have shown. You
have put the contestants on the roll
and made regular delegates appear as
contestants. wouldn't have acted in
the outrageous manner you have, and
I'm not charged with over-fairness,
either. ! don't care who wins, but |
want fair play"
In drawing committees the names of
all the delegates are put into a hat and
the number drawn out. Charlton, a
friend of Graham, declared that this
was not being done fairly, and every
few minutes he would rush to the side
of the platform to report some irrcgu-
larity, and would bo sent back with
the command "Don't let it 20 on.
You are put there just to watch this
thing" As rapidly as the committee
was drawn the names were challenged,
and suddenly from the stare came Tho |