The Indianapolis journal., 1888-04-21
THEY DEFEATED M'DeNAID.
The Gang, Gray and Myers Combine and
Capture the Democratic Primaries.
In the County and State Conventions These
Three Forces Will Contrsl All Proceedings
What the Other Democrats Propose

Is taking no interestiu politrrs this year than sne
primaries held last night TO select delegates 10
the State convention, to be heid next thursday,
to the county convention today. and to elect q
new coupty central committee The meetings
in nsarly every instance were poorly attended,
and In a good many wards there were hardly
enough persons present to fill all the positions.
The old-time workers, those who once won sue
cess for the party, were con spicuousy absent and
wherever they did show their heads they were
sat down upon by the agents OF the gan that
has, during the last two years, ruled the party
in city and county. With but few exceptions
the delegates were chooses. on account of pledges
to serve the interest Of the Coy gang and Gray's
supporters in the wards and where there was like
Iy to be any fight with those opposing Coyism and
Grayisgn, the gang and thu Gray-Myers crowd
combined and worked band IN hand. The spec al
object of the Coy-Sulivan crowd was tohave
delegates eelected who would support King
for sheriff and Landers for to asRker, and the
union with the friends Of Gray was to select
delegates TO the State conversation who would
support Myers for Governor, and vote for dele
gates to the national convention who would favor
Gray for the vice presidency, BY joining their
forces the two factions were enabled to capture
almost the entire delegation of the city. In
many wards the combination effected it's ends
honestly through its numerical strength. but
whsre that could not be done the means that are
in keeping with Coyism were boldly used Agents
of Coy. Gray and Myers were sent into every
ward ia the city, and tney did their work
sysrenna ticalIy and thoroughly. They were pro-
vIded with printed slips bearing the names OF
persons agreed upon BIZ tho com oiuatIou TO
renresent the ward in bol h the State and county
conventions.
Several days ago the WORD went out along the
line that none but Myers. Gray men must be al
lowed to go TO the State convention. and special
direction was given that u emocrars OF iDfiuence
who were not In sympathy with Grays candi-
dacv for the vice-presideucy must be muzzled.
AS Joeeph Z. Mcdonald 'was being urged as
delegate from the Fifth ward to the State and
national convention in tu m, it was decided TO
defeat him. Gray. it is said, urged upon his
f;iends that the defsslt of the ex-Sena-
would be the most important victory
lie could obtain in his pre- liminary contest for
rne second place ttle national ticket
MSers's friends and the Cay gang. who wanted
ceegates for King and Il ancers. came to the
Governors assistance john Osterman, resi-
dent of M-. McDonad's wa I'd, is Mr.. Landerss
most formidable competitor lin tine race for oun-
~ treasurer OsIermans AMI McDonnds inter
ests By the necessities OF the situation iden-
ticaI and hence in defeating lncDona.d the gang
would at the same time destroy Osterman In his
own ward Representing thes several interests
at the meeting were John W. Kern and John j.
Cooper for Myers and GRAY. and John 10. Sulh-
van and Thomas Tageart for King and Landers
There some difficulty in, eating a man to
run against Mcdonald who would agree to be
subservient to the dictation OF the conspirators
but they finally settled upon. Q. e McGannon
who runs small bakery on illinois street, just
above North.
When the primary meeting Svss called to order
last night, at o'clock. and the agents appointed
by the two factions were preseA and active in
their efforts to have IA cir conspiracy
bear fruit: printed slips bearing the
the crowd. and several nd en- who had
promised to assist in the sehisme by voting
of meeting. AS soon as the meeting was called
to order Frank O'Bren, . frie nd OF Senator
Mcdonald. was put IN notniua ton Tor chair
man, and the other side nominated Judge Hol-
man The temporary chat rman ignored
O'Brien's name and called for vote on that of
Holman. The vote was almost unanimous for
chairman when the man who had placed OBrlen
iE nomination said: .'Ain't You going to take a
chairman. and this everybody applauded The
same man who had nominated OBrien for
chairman then placed Senator Mcdonald 40
State convention, and 'Square Walpois
named o. G. McGannon. Some one moved to
elect Senator Mcdonald by acciamation. but
ranged that the vote should be taken by those
present passing out of the room and as they did
drop ballot in the hat William Sproni. OF
the county clerks Office waScnosen 10 noio the
hat, and then the queer process of voting began.
There was back door 70 the small tin shop In
which the meetiug was hed and as fast as
man voted he passed out the front deor whore he
deposited his ballot aud went around the build
ing and re-entered the rear door. As the little
entrance
from the rear door was not noticed sx-
sept by few. Fifty-tnree persons deposited
ballots in the hat. accdrding to count
but when It was completed it was di scovered
that G4 ballots had been cast. OF that number
McGannon received AZ and Mcdonald IL. There
was great deal of growing on the part of the
few friends of the ex-senator present, who char
acterized the affair outrage, but they did
not have the courage to make open protest.
Cannon made few remarks, in which he said
he wanted TO be understood as having prefer
ences among the candidates for Governor.
= Then, 10 order to make the defeat of McDon-
aid more stingiuR, John Kern offered resou-
tion. recognizlng in Grover Cleveland and
Governor Gray the coming candidates on the
Democratic national ticket, and inscructipg Mr.
McGann0n not TO vote for delegate to the
national convention who would not pledge him
self 70 support Gray fer the vice-pyesidency.
After the ex-senator had been disposed Of, the
meeting proceeded to the selection of delegates
20 the county conveutian. and In accordance
with the agreement. almost solid Lsnders
Gsterman who were present In larger numbers
than those of Mr. Mcdonald were very bitter IN
their dennnciation Of the conspiracy. As
worked. it may be stated that Mr..
Many. a co1ored man. residing in the
ward, was a candidate for delegate to the coun-
~ con vention. He is an Ostermaa ran and
when that fact was discovered, John e. SullI- |
van, by whom Many is employed went 20 him.
and compelled him to withdraw his name, Many |
had to comply with the demand. and SO wien he
was put in nomination he meekly arose and |
Withdrew his name.
The meetings in many wards were as 3is- !
gracefully manipulated the one in which Mr. I
Mcdonald lives, and the nights work makes |
certain the fact that the respectable Democracy |
of Indianapolis and Marion county is still way |
below par.
STATE CONVENTION DELEGATES.
The delegates to the State convention selected.
as far as reported.
Second ward--Chas. Bridges.
Thfrd-Chas. Hutchingson.
& Fourth-Theodore Oswald
Fifth. c. Mc(fannon.
Sxth-Myron d. King.
Sexenth--Jerry Casey and Chas. Roesner
Ft-,.E--EIarrv Al hnrinrsteen and II A. Di1d;uo