Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-15
THE CHATHAM REPUBLICANS.


Exciting Scenes in the County ConVen-
tion-The Delegates Divided-A Col
lision Between Opposing Factions
Averted by BoIt-The Custom House
Delegation TO Brunswick and Atlanta
Elected by Votes from Six Districts
The Boilers Claim the Regular Dele
cation.
The Chatham County Republican Con-
veuti0n. fsr the election Of delegates 10
tle District Convention at Brunswick, and
the state Convention at Atlanta, was con-
veued at Empire Hail yesterday morning
by Collector Of Customs Z. F. Johnson,
Chairman Of the Republican County CON-
mittae.
The hall was filled with about 800 people
mostly cOlOred. Among the white Kepub-
licans present. besides Collector Johnson
were Revenue Collector y. n. W llsOn'
Col. T. c. Wade, Of the I. :. Marsha
Office. Deputy Collector Of customs Jd i,
Porter, VIM. CantweH,' Of the fosl Oil-oe
Department. and John GOette.
Alter calling the meeting to order, the
Chairman read the list Of delegates from
the primaries. as reported by the Char
men and Secretaries Of the various dis
tricts.
Immediately upon the reading Of the
list Capt. L. u. Pleasant arose and gave
notice Of a contest in the 4th district. L.
=. COn0Way followed suit for the lst dis
trict; F. y. p. Erwin did the same for the
81 district: and L. II. Dixon for the Sd.
The Chairman stated that in the matter OF
contest he had no jurisdiction, that ne
simply had to preside until the election OF
4 temporary Chairman. when the matter
Of contested seats would be settled by
committee on credentials, and that, ac-
cOrding to custom. delegates whose seats
were contested could not take part IN the
Temporary organization. and consequently
the four country districts only were en-
TITLED to that honor. Capt. Pleasant
objected TO being ruled out and that the
delegates from the Ist district should be
debaTred from participating IN the
temporary organization, declaring
that no one had a right to contest
their seats. He then moved the
election Of Joseph Williams as temporary
Chairman. As Williams was delegate
from the 1st district, and his seat cen
tested. the presiding officer did not take
| kindly to this suggestion, when the mover
OF the motion proceeded TO place II before
| the meeting His friends in the back
part Of the hall, who were claimed not to
| De delegates. yOciferOusly voted IN the
| affirmative, and Williams directed to the
/ chair, which the Chairman OF the con-
mittee refused to yield. A rush was
made for the table, and the crowd piled
| together. defying the efforts OF the Chalr-
| man 10 secure order. The two opposing
| factions. led by Capt. Pleasant and
| MAJOR John II. DeVeauX, ranged on
/ opposite sides Of the hall and the ball
| opened. From this time until about a
| quarter to three O'Clock pandemonium
| prevailed delegates and outsiders
| crowded around the Chairman, Pleasant
| friends endeaYOring to force him from the
/ chair. and Deveaux's friends endeavoring
| 10 effect a compromise that would permit
| Of the transaction of business. The latter
| offered to let the country districts settle
/ the matter. which was declined. They
| then offered to admit the Pleasant dele
/ gate from the LIST district and the De
| yeaux delegate from the 4th, which
| was also declined. They then suggested
that everybody leave the hall, and that
REGULAR delegates, cOntesting delegates
| and alternates be admitted with view
| OF getting lid Of the outsiders. Finally.
| after wrangling and hObnObbing until
near O'Clock, Captain Pleasant de-
| clarcd that it was evident no business
| could be transacted, and he proposed TO
| leave the convention and let cOntesting
| delegations 90 to the First District Con-
| yeutiOn at Brunswick and TO the State
| convention.
| That faction then Dolted and elected a
| set of delegates, claiming their right to be
! represented as the only regular delega-
ton. The boiling delegation was from
the Isl and 81 districts.
The delegates remaining in the cOnven-
ton were:
SECOND DIsTRIcT.-TheO. Basch, Rich
/ ard II. Golden, J. N. HOllingswOrth, Shem
| Il. Cooper, W. d. Bayfield,, y. C..Cannell.
! FOURTH DIsTRICT.-J. II. DeyeaUX,
| VIM. Cantwell, alternate, L. W. White,
David Porter, j. e. Burke, j. b. Rey-
mods.
! FIFTH DIsTRICT-W. II. Matthews,
! John Aston, d. Z. CrittendOn, alternate,
! :. Il. Morse, John Mcintosh, Samuel a.
/ Young.
SIXTH DIsrRICT-John Sneed, A. j.
| Hines, Lawrence Putnam, John Hall.
SEVENTH DIsTRICT.-J. e. Legree,
| Fortune Washington, c. c. Waldburg,
| Hill Barnard, alternate. James Green.
| EIGHTH DISTRICT.-William Wallace,
! Joseph SeabrOOks.
/ After the boilers had left the hall tenn
/ pOTary organization was effected by the
] election of 7. c. Burke, of the 4th Dis
/ trict as Chairman. A committee Of one
/ from each Of the uncOnteSted districts
| was sent out as a committee on creden-
/ tIals, and in their report seated the
I
/ districts and the DeveauX delegates from
| the ID and 4th districts. A call OF the
| roll showed 81 delegates still in the hall.
! The convention then effected a perma-
nent organization and elected delegates
/ to Brunswick and Atlanta, and also
| formed a new county committee, and then
/ adjourned.
The following are the regular delegates
elected to Brunswick and Atlanta:
T. f. johnson, J. II. Deveaux, r. w.
| White, \. c. Collier, J. c. Burke, j. G.
| I.egree.
ALTERNATEs.-D. ). Youmans, W. II.
| Matthews. John Sneed, VIM. Cantwell,
] TheO. Basch, c. &. Waldburg.
The convention was one Of excitement
| throughout. The scenes during the efforts
| to secure an organization were almost in
/ describable. The crowds rushed and
/ iammed about the Chairman so that in
! gress or egress was impossible. Many
/ were armed with clubs and sticks, and
/ during the harangues of the OppOs-
| ing factions collision seemed
| imminent. The yells and shouts of the
| supporters Otthe respective leaders added
! to the excitement and rendered the efforts
/ of the Chairman to assume control of the
/ meeting futile. a squad of police, under
Sergeant Lee, was detailed by Gen. Ander-
son and remained outside of the hall ready
! to quell a riot, which at one time seemed
| imminent. Every emergency was pro-
vided for, but their efforts were not re-
quired, and after a permanent OrganiZa-
ton had been effected and the threatened
disorder had subsidized the detail was
withdrawn. The convention adjourned
in good order.
COURT CALENDAR.
"