Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-09-18

vcntion was fully organized. At 5:O5
a. IN. DIR. McSheely sprang to the
platform and nominated Gen. Butler
for Governor. Three cheers were
given forth with. Speeches followed
by McSheely and many others.
Many harngues were very violent
and nearly every delegate said he
would stay there till fOrcibly thrown
out. Another shouted ont no would
vote for Butler sin spite of the devil
or any other man." These remarks
were loudly cheered. BY s o'clock
the regulars had all walked up to the
situatiOn and at 500 the Mayor
Of Worcester arrived with . posse of
fifty officers. He appealed to them to
disperec and told them il they would
go out he would protect all In their
rights.
A delegate asked what he meant by
protecting them in their rights.
The Mayor minated that the 20.
lice Of the city should not be used to
clear the hall when tho convention
was regularly assem- led.
III. McDavit, Buffers lieutenant,
appeared on the scene and asked the
Mayor If il was true that he had post
ed blue-coated policemen In the cor
ridor andlocked the doors to prevent
egress and ingress.
The Mayor said no. Any one could
go out who chose.
Can they come in again asked
Mr. McDavit.
"No, sir" replied the Mayor.
Then said McDavit, we refuse to
leave and this declaration was an
swered with passionate peals Of ap-
plause.
When the State Central Committee
fully realized that Buffers faction
had control of Mechanics Hall they
appointed a committee to see what
could be done toward procuring q
hall. They waited upon Mayor
Pratt about 10 o'clock, this morning,
and informed him Of the state of at
fairs. After the Mayor went to the
hall he wrote to the committee az
follows:
"Mechanics Hall was taken posses
sion of this morning between A and 5
o'clock by some disorderly persons
who broke down the entrances there
to. and at lO:45 o'clock are now in
possession Of said Hall. 1 demanded
that said persons should leave said
Hall at the request of the State Cen
trail Committee, which they. refused
to do aud am of the opinion said
Hall cannot be cleared except by vio-
lence aud perhaps bloodshed Res
pectfnlly yours,
CHAs. B. PRATT, Mayor.
On RECEIPT of above the Central
Committee agreed unanimously to
adjourn the Convention till Wednes-
day of next week, at Fanueil Hall,
Boston, This action was rendered
necessary from the fact that Buffers
friends secured all the availab bio Halls
In Worcester,and tho leaders also take
the ground that after the mob pro.
ceedings which have taken place here
to-day they can 20 before the people
and lead q movement that will crush
Butler.
Al Bay State House Hon. +. w.
Bird addressed crowd in the vesti-
bule at ii 80 aud announced that as a
mob had taken possession of Mechan-
les Hall and Worcester the MAYOR
had no authority TO remove il, say
ing that a forcible atienp, might re-
suit in riot and blood shed. The
speaker gave the decisiou OF the cen.
trail committee, that the state conven-
tion DO held in Fanueil Hall, Boston,
on the 18th, when an ample police
force will be on hand 10 protect the
conventions rights. The announce
ment was received with deatening
cheers. The crowd then dispersed
and at III 40 all the accredited dele.
gates were admitted to Mechanics,
Hall.