National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-22
A BOWEN BEDLAM.
THE USUAL POLITICAL CIRCUS.
Lively Howling Of Local Statesmen. Royal Bob y
Defeated by Say-les 1.-THE Districts Newly
elected Representative on the Republic
can National Executive Committee.

Pursuant to a call signed by majority of the
members of the District Republican Central Com
mittee a meeting was held at Shea's Hall last
evening, oStensibly to consider business of great
! importance-really to elect member on the Ma,
! tional Republican Executive Committee to look
after District Interests Long before the door was
opened crowd of local politicians assembled and
! discussed with considerable energy and forcible
expletiyes the qualifications of their avoriteS for
the position. Prominent among the throng were
ningham, and Bernard West, all busily engaged
working up a boom for Bowen while his opponents
were doing quiet, but, as the sequel proved. in
effectual work. At halfpast seven o'clock Chair
man Reed
OPENED THE CIRCUS,
and the animals soon began to be unruly in their
presentation of two sets of credentials from the
Sixteenth District for delegate to fill the vacancy
caused by the death ofC. W. Swaggart the Bowen
delegate being Daniel Turner and the opposition
A. J. Robinson Perry Carson and Isaiah Wash
ington obtained the floor about the same time to
speak in behalf of their respective candidates. the
Congo negro set down" Washington retorted by
saying that he was better than cattle belonging to
Bowen, who was chronic ofticeseeker, and al
ways had gang ready to choke off free speech.
The partisanS of both speakers then took hand
in the controversy and points OF order and queS-
tons of privilege were showered upon Chairman
trying 70 rap the meeting TO order. Both men
yelled themselves hoarsc. and finally fell back ex-
nauSIeU, cOllenIlng themselves Win glONeriHg
fercely at each other When the confusion had
subsidized somewhat committee of seven was
agreed upon TO take charge of the report upon the
credentials. They retired into an adjoining room,
and. after heated discussion, returned with a re-
port favorable to Daniel Turner. This was first
blood for the Bowenites and they howled like
hyenaS when the chairman submitted his report.
Another dispute followed over proposition to
admit the melancholy W. c. Chase as a proxy for
stick. while the other side wanted him to produce
some written authority for the request Chase
asked to be allowed to make a statement, but the
meeting was not in humor for it unless he had
authenticated documents He sadly acknowledged
hlS deficiency i'll this respect and vote taken
to lay the subject of proxies Oh the table. There
were thirty for and twenty against, SO W. Calvin
BUTTONED Up HIS ULSTER
and retired to the SchOol-houSe at Uniontown to
air his eioQuence.
Two questions had been disposed of and har-
mony was apparently restored, when Isaiah
Washington moved the appointment of COM
mittec To report a suitable person for the posi-
ton of District Commissioner. Before Washing
ton had taken his seat, Henry Himber arose,
said this motion only made for fun, and asked
Washington To withdraw it. Washington, inter
rupting, said he would not permit Himber or any
such cattle TO impugn his motives and demanded
vote on his proposition. y hubbub enSucd, in
which Perry Carson. Andy Gleason, Washington,
and Himber vented their spleen i'll a series of
choice expressions, while Chairman Reed pounded
vigorously upon the table i'll vain attempt to pre-
serve order.
voice in the year ofthe hail stated that the meet
GS tlStEil WIS u OF themselves,
and advised the expulsion of the unruly element.
The indetatigablc MarcelluS West was everywhere
visible fomenting the strife, and for fully five min
uteS the scene in the hall was a most disrraccful
one. The cOlOr-line was drawn closely the ad-
herents of Bowen Yieing with each other in making
the l0udcSt noise Order WAS eventually restored,
and NaShInStons motion was laid On the table.
READY FOR NONiSATIoNs.
The chairman announced that he was prepared
to receive nominations for the position of delegate
on the national committee.
Is there vacancy on that committee from the
District" inquired Isaiah Washington.
There certainly is" replied the chairman
[ Loud cries Of Sit down, Washington Are you
never satiSfied?"l Perry Carson leaned over and
shouted Look at that niger; wen soon make
him sick Several delegates asked if the election
of DIR. PurviS to fill the vacancy was not regarded
as legal, TO which the chair replied that he /
would decide otherwise, and ordered the elec- |
ton 70 go on. Mr.. Barker moved the appointment !
of a committee of five 10 make nominations for !
the vacancy
This appeared to give great dissatisfaction to the
Bowen element and pandemonium broke loose |
again \ compromise was finally agreed upon by |
which the name of each delegate from the several |
legislative districts called and he was allowed
to place his candidate in nomination. COnsderl- /
bic time was wasted in this manner, but it ap- !
peared that the only formidable opponent to !
Bowen was Colonel Robert e. ngerSOll. He was !
Endorsed by the better element of the meeting, |
but ii WAS soon evident that the B0wenitcs in
the majority, and thencefOrward matters were /
more properly. rollcall showed that !
out of sixty-siX delegates ffty-Onc were present.
lStldn washington threw anOtner DOmDSheil /
into the Bowen camp, by moving that majority |
of all the delegates be necessary 10 Il choice This
brought Andy Gleason and Marcelll,s West to their
fees. and they fought hard for the adoption of Il |
motion making majority of those present neces-
Sary to choice. The tWOmOtonS were somewhat /
confused when vote was taken, but the chair
decided the latter one adopted, and the delegates
once more resumed their seats.
The chair stated that there were two names in
nomination, MeSsrS ingersol and Bowen, and
advised the delegates to be quiet while the roll
was being called. as il was impossible 10 transact
business i'll such tumult.
BOWEN ELECTED.
The ballOting proceeded without incident until
he name OF General Whitaker reached, and
when he voted for Bowen the strikers immedi-
ltcly set up their peculiar yell. which is cross
between the bray of ackaSS and the yell of an
Indian, while Carson, Gleason and Himbcr stood
Ipon the chairs and checrcd and flung their hats
n the air.
General WhitaLers example proved contagious,
and several doubtful delegates fastened To join the
ranks of the BoWenites. and when the vote was
it stood Bowen, 80; msersoli, q. The
'hair decided Bowen the choice OF the meeting,
consisting of Perry Carson Henry Himber Andrew
ileaSOn, 4. Z. Cunningham, and \. K. Manning
o wait upon him to-day and inform him Of his
election.
Ii was impossible to transact any other business
when the result was announced, and amidst a
miniature Babel the meeting adjourned
This Is the second delegate elected by the local
as representative to the National Com
nittee, DR.. Charles j. PuryiS having been elected
Onle weeks since at a meeting held at the National
teteTan Union hall on New York avenue. The