Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-05
Friday Nights Pro-
ceedings.
BEDLAM!
Special To The Star.
CHICAGO, June s, 1880.
tSVn nc

CHICAGO, June ., loSo.
The Battle Of the Giants.
The greatest scene which ever occurred In a
national convention took place between ~ and
O'Clock this morning, amounting almost to
battle between the contending factions.
Long John Wentworth says he has never seen
anything like it in forty years, and Pixley, a
California delegate, declared that 1t looked like
scene Of terror from the French revolution.
Wild and Thrilling Scenes.
twas so prolonged and excited that the
coolest men were dazed anG stood terror stricken
in their seats. Men and women went into hys-
tericS and rushed around and shouted like
maniacs. People who heard the rush and roar
five blocks away crowded into the convention
without tickets, as the police seemed too much
startled TO detaIn any one.
1t would seem that the animal spirits and
WODdrOuS lung power OF the convention We're
reserved after al, for the closing debate on the
Is antiGrant contestants from Illinois. Mat
tiers We're comparatively quiet during the
speeches. although the speakers on each side
spoke with more than usual power. But when
Emory StOrrs OF Chicago the last of the four,
took his stand on the edge OF the press plat
form and proceeded In his peculiarly eloquent
style to laugh down the arguments OF his oppo-
nents, the enthusiasm Increased each second.
When. improving his advantage. and in voice
that Overcame the acoustic difficulties of the
hall. he spoke OF Blaine and told the supporters
OF that gentleman to nominate him Ii they
could, the tempest opened in good earnest VITA
stirring cheers and loud verbal Interruptions
from the gallery; Mr.. Storrs, turning to the
men who are cheering in the gallery tonight
are reposiDg under the soft summer sky, tired
OF politics and disgusted with its fatigues you
soldier awake by their camp-ffres, and carrying
the banner OF the sluggard forward to
triumph"
.sHeIl Broke Loose.o
At the conclusion of the closing sentence
"Hell Or something that very closely resembled
loose, beginning on the east side of the hall,
spreading to the floor and finally injecting every
part OF the vast audience until 1t seemed to
M nave gone absolutely mad for the time being.
The adherents OF both the renowned candidates
We'd with each other In roaring like wild bulls,
or perhaps 1t might be true to say like an i'm
mense band OF wild Indians sounding their
ferocious war whoops at a gigantic scalp
dance"
The delegates from the different states and
territories seized their banners and waved them
on high While every body on the floor and In the
galleries waved handkerchtefs, or hats or um-
DrellaS, or Sticks or whatever they could lay
hands on to Indicate their preferences. The
continued roaring, which lasted three-quarters
OF an hour without official Interruption, sounded
like the storm OF the battle field itself.
Conspicuous among the leaders of the scene
were Roscoe COnkliDg, Long John Wentworth
and John Logan On the floor. and Bob IngerSol
and Mr. CoDger On the platform. The flashing
eyes and scarlet faces of the excited multitude
showed TO what pitch OF passion the once cool
and digni1ed republican party had come.
Wild Women, Too.
Even womanhood for time lost its delIcacy
and dignity, and showed as much insanity.
standing on chairs and fiOuriShing symbols, as
the men themselves. They were few, of course.
In proportion to the number OF women who sat
ther eaWed and amazed by the Titanic uproar
Ten thousand people were on their feer.
standing upon tables and chairs and the backs
OF the benches, waving handerkerchiefs, canes
hats. umbrellas overcoats shawls papers In fact
could that c0116 ha
add to the confusion and excitement The
fags, with which the building is decorated were
on their bonnets, and swung them by their
strings; and crazy men pulled their coats from
their shoulders and waved them in the air The
noise was taS absolutely 40 deafentng; and no one
knows, I'LL he hears 1t, how much noise 10000
people can make, shouting at the tops of their
lungs. pounding the floor with their feet, and
banging the resonant pine benches with boards
TORN from the packs and arms. 1t was bedlam,
and beyond bedlam. 1t was like nothing that was
ever seen or described, and any attempt to de-
scribe 1t would be failure.
one woman on the stage, Mrs. Deane, OF
New jersey, crazed with the excitement. tore
down fags and shook them In the air She
finally climbed to the pedestal Of the Goddess
OF Liberty that stands behind the chair
mans desk, and there conspicuOusly to all the
audience she swung her flags and bonnet, and
screamed with all her voice She was finally
taken down by Sergeant-at-Arn Strong, Cover
ana placed In seat, but her histories returned
and she snatched the flags from the men who
Dad them and sprang to the pedestal again.
Sne was second time taken down ana com
peiied TO keep her seat, but was finally taken
from the building before she could be controlled.
My Lord Roscoe Unbends.
Senator Conkling stood upon a chair and
waved the banner. which, hanging upon pole,
was placed to mark the seats of the New York
delegation. When his arms were tired with
holding this heavy banner he waved his hat in
one hand and his handkerchief in the other
The d1gnff1ed gentleman In the New York dele
cation shouted with the Senator In the Penn
sylvania delegation. General Beaver waved his
crutches in the air. and Senator Cameron sWnno mo
bis hat, standing on top OF Chair. Long JohS
Wentworth's huge body and conspicuous heal
rose up among the Illinois delegates like giant
among pigmieS. He stood upon a chair for
twenty minutes, with his cane In one hand ana
his old brown hat on the end OF It. and his red
hemmed handkerchief in the other forpetttnc
all parliamentary decorum.
Reporters Cool, as Usual.
The delegates began to sing John BROWN
and "Rally Round the Flag" and In all that
yelling. rapping, swaying crowd the only men
who kept quiet were the reporters. who were
compelled In the midst of the deafenino turmoti
TO attend 10 the business OF fur nishing the news
Tor the publ1c. IL was midnight when the firsf
thunder peal was heard, and ff was half an honr
after O'Clock when the chairman bepan To