, 1888-07-26
A LIVELY FRACAS.
Convention Of Colored Demo
Gratis in Indianapolis.
The Clark and Turner Fac.
lions Disagree,
And the Meeting Adjourns
Amidst Much Confusion.

INDIANAPOLIS, July 25.-The Negro
Democratic National conference called by
j. Milton Turner and seventeen other
colored men convened in the rooms of the
Hendricks club of this city this morning.
Sixty-tour' delegates were present. j.
Milton Turner called the conference to or
der and proceeded to explain that the call
for a conference had been issued because he
believed it was time for the negro voters
to assert their understanding at least of
the primary principles of American SOW
%reiegnty. The elevation of Cleveland to
the presidency, he said, had brought
political emancipation which was felt by
no one more than negroes and they had
the honesty and courage to meet Grover
Clevelands administration half way.
Turner introduced Charles Ii. Shelton
OF Evansville, Ind, as temporary chair
man. Shelton was chosen by the anti
Turner Democrats at a stormy caucus
held last night. Shelton, in the course of
his speech, mentioned that it was through
aid of Democratic soldiers that he bad es-
capped into Ohio while a slave. He be-
lieved the conference would eventually be
the means of settling the negro problem
and it was the purpose of the delegates to
bltdh up MudI luC lNCDuDllCduS CdH Tue
solid South.
Noah Plummer of Massachusetts was
made temporary secretary. A resolution
endorsing Cleveland and Thurman was
adopted by a unanimous viva voce vote.
The balance of the morning session was
occupied in noisy and heated wrangles
over the formation OF the committee on
permanent organization. The afternoon
session was far more stormy than the
morning and was given up to the discus.
sion of the report of the committee on
permanent organization. The majority
report recommended Prof. Peter ii.
Clark of Ohio for permanent chairman
and Thomas Fortune of New York for
permanent secretary. The minority re-
port named j.. Milton Turner for perma
nent chairman. G. III. j. Taylor OF Kan
sas City, ex minister to Liberia, strongly
urged the election Of Clark, declaring
that a new convert TO Democracy should
not be put in charge of the ship. He
characterized Prof. Clark as the modest
negro Roman of them all. Great con-
fusion again prevailed and Turner finally
obtained the floor, and in replying to
Taylor called him a national butfoon,
which threw the conference into a state
of excitement.
Late in the afternoon the previous
question was moved, and after many abor-
tive efforts the chairman hut off the de-
bate and ordered the secretary TO call the
roll by states, on a motion to substitute
the minority. Tor the majority report.
While delegates would rise and announce
their vote the greatest confusion pre-
vailed. Turner declined to, vote, and
asked that his name be passed.
1t was nearly 6 o'clock when Secretary
P,lummer, an avowed Turner partisan,
announced that the vote stood a tie-32
for Clark and 80 for Turner. This. an
nouncement was the signal for an upris-
ing that for a few moments bid lair to
overwhelm and trample in the dust the
half dozen reporters at the press table,
including a colored lady reporter for the
Detroit Piatndealer. There was a wild
rush toward Plummer, and cries of
fraud, thief" and you re a liar, -
were roared from all sides OF the. hall.
The friends of Clark gathered around
Plummer, and the Turner men shook
their fists angrily at Plummer, d%enounc-
ing him in vehement and p%rofane terms.
Finally w. T. Scott, the Cairo editor,
who was c~onspicuously endeavoring to
protect and defend Plummer, was struck
in the face by someone. Scott drew a
revolver from his pocket and selected
Mail Agent Ogilvie of Columbus, O.,
as his victim. Matters were now at white
heat. Local spectators both white and
black at the sight of pistols made a mad
rush for the door and tumbled pell nell
down the stairs. Meantime Ogilvie and
half a dozen Others had drawn their fire
arms and bloodshed seemed imminent,
when a colored police officer rushed in and
with assistance showed the struggling
combatants into the directors room in the
rear, where they Intellectually tried to
shoot one another. Scott and Ogilvie
were placed under arrest, but the officer
was prevailed upon to release them.
Many delegates had also fled during the
fracas. Chairman Shelton finally secured
order and announced that he knew Sec
rotary Plummer's figures to be incorrect.
The true vote was 81 for Clark and 30 for
Turner, and he therefore declared Peter
H. Clark of Ohio the permanent presid-
ing officer of the conference, which then
adjourned amidst confusion until 10 to-
morrow morning.
1t is thought that Turner and his fol-
lowers will refuse to enter the conference
to morrow and will form an organization
OF their own.
A largely attended meeting was held in
the basement of the court house tonight.
Addresses were made by Peter H. Clark,
j.. Gordon street of Boston, ex- Minister
Taylor, T. II. Fortune and several others.
To morrow's session is looked forward to
with considerable interest. At a late
hour it is ascertained that Mail Agent
Ogilvie has left the city to escape arrest.
he struck Scott several heavy bloSs about
the head, and a warrant was issued for
him to night.
Tba yUb,aEu I1,abt