Telegram-herald., 1888-07-27
A VERY DARK DAY
HoT IN a NEGRO CONVENTION
fssxi0o FiEht ARISES. Blows are sereeA
.Ad Rss0lssrs Dr.~a-f~s-
deaaOsism S~igssd
Supreme


Orsd men. convened Ia Tie rooIas 0i TIE
Hendricks Club IN THIS eits yesterday. All
delegates who we're sdailtod were required
10 present credentials 70 Dr.. c. y. Mstcalf
Secretary of the Indians Board OF Health.
some q xty- four delegates were present, be-
sides thirty or forty negro spectators from
the city and dozen or two white men,
members Of the Hendricks Cluh.
J Milton Turner called the conference to
order. Thomas Fortune. 81 the New York
Sua, delegate, wanted all outsiders ex-
Guided until after the temporary orgsnizs-
tlon nad been perfected. This propositi on
Was opposed. and after prolonged wrangie
over the question. Acting Chairman Turne
finally recognized the poiRt Of order raised
that a committee had already determined
upon the temporary organization. IN sus-
tanning this point Turner adde that the
meeting had been called as Democratic
negro conference by = selection OF what was
believed to be the best negro culture IN the
United States. and there was no desire TO
conceal nything from the newspapers or
the public.
Fortune then demanded to know by what
| authority any so-called committee had ef-
| fected a temporary organization, and moved
| that the conference proceed TO appoint 3
| com mittee on temporary organization. dis
motion was taOled, and Turner. prior to
surrendering the chair. said he believed 1t
| was time for the negro voters 10 assert their
understanding. at least Of the primary prin-
| ciples of American sovereignty. The eleva-
/ ton of Cleveland 10 the Presidency, he said,
| had brought political emancipation, which
| was felt by no one more than the negroes.
| and they had the honesty and courage TO
meet Grover Cleveland administration half
/ way.
| An Ohio delegate called out, "Why not
meet Thurman the other half" which
brought out prolonged cheers and waving OF
| bandannas.
At the close of Turner's address he intro
duced Charles II. shelton, of Evansville,
| Ind, as the temporary chalsman. Shelton.
| in the course of his speech. mentioned that
IL was through the aid OF Democratic SOL
diers that ne mad escaped into Ohio while q
slave. he believed ine conference would
| eventually be the means of settling the
| negro problem. and il WAS the purpose OF
the delegates to break what Republicans
call the solid South.
Noah Plummer, of Massachusetts, was
made temporary chairman. resolution
indorsing Cleveland and Thurman was
adopted By unanimous viva-voce vote.
The rest OF the session was occupied in q
noisy and heated wrsngle over the forma
ton of y committee on permanent organi-
zation.
| The afternoon session was far more
stormy thon the morning. The Committee
on Permanent Organization presented a
| majority and minority report. Thomas
| Brown of Springfield. ILL.,, presented the
majority report, which recommended Prof.
Peter H. CLARK, OF Ohio, for permanent
chairman, Thomas Fortune. OF New York
for permanent secretary and 4. A. Payne
of Illinois. for sergeant-at-arns. Joseph
Houser. of Illinois, presented the minority
report. which named J, Milton Turner for
permanent chairman.
A motion to substitute the minority fol
the majority report brought two-thirds oil
| the delegates TO their feet anu pAndemoniun
reigned. The chairman finally recognized
large number of the delegates who vehe
mently advocated either Clark or Turner
| G.. II. J. Taylor, of Kansas City, e1- Minister
10 Liberia, urged the election OF Ozark. de
claring that new converts to Democracy
should not be put in charge of the ship
lie spoke of Prof. Clark as the mobiles
negro Roman of them ALL" Great con
fusion again prevailed. Turner finally OBJ
tanned the hoOr and, replying TO Taylor
called him a national buffoon, which threw
the conference into a state of excitement
The other speakers were William I. Scott
OF Cairo, J. T. V. Hill, of Indianapolis
Fortune, of New York, Ogilby and Ed ware
| Brown. of Ohio Dawson, of Chicago
Chairman Shelton and halt a dozen others
Late in the afternoon the previous que.
| | ton was moved, and after many abortiv
efforts the chairman shut of the debate an
ordered the secaetary 10 call the roll D.
states on the molten TO substitute the min
orlty for the majority report. While th
delegates rose and announced their vot
the greatest confusion prevailed. Turne
declined to vote and asked that his nam
be passed.
Ii was nearly o'clock when Secretary
Plummer. an avowed Turner partisan, an
| uOuncsd that the vote stood a tie-32 70
| Clark and 81 for Turner. This announce
| ment was the signal for an uprising ths
| for a few moments bade fair 10 overv helm
aud trsmpls in the dust the half-dozen re
pOrters at the press table. including
colOrsd woman representing Detroi
! paper. There was wild rush towar'
| Psummer and cries Of Fraud thief an
You're a lisrl' were roared from all side
| Of the hail. The friends of Clark gathere,
| | around Plumm mer, aud the Turner me-
| shook their lists angrily at him, deDounC
ing him in vehement and profsne terms.
. Finally W. 7. Scott IAs Cairo editor VII
! was coDspicuOusly endeavoriDg 10 defen
| Plummer. was struck in the face by som
one. This was a. Insult only blood coull
avsnge, and Scott drew . revolver from hi
poke; aud selected Mail Agent Ogilbv. 0
. | Columbus O.. az his victim. Matters ver
bow at q white heat. The spectators, bot
white and black. at the sight Of pistol
| made q Esad rush for the door and tumble
| rell-meli d0vu-stsirs Meantime Ogilb
. | aad hslf-d0zsn others had drawn their frs
. ! arms and 0iOedshsd seemed imminen
when a colorsd police officer rushed In, an
| With assistance showed the struggling con-
batsnts into the directors room in tn. rest
where they Intellectually tried to shoot OF
another. Scott snd Ozilby were plsce
under arrest. but the officer Vas prsvsiie
upon 20 release them. declaring be did .
chiefly because be Vas q c0loTed Repun
, Iiesn. Many delegates bad also fed dur
ing tie frscss.
Chairman Shelton finally restored ords
. snd announced thst ths true vote rs
| thirty.t~o soy Clark and thirty for Turns
! and be tssrsfors declared Peter II. Clark.
! Osio. the permanent presiding officer Of "a
= conference ~hicH then adisarned mid cor
| fusion iii tenorre~ EersIng. It 10 though
II srRer and bis followers vii refuse 70 snt'
. fas con fersucs tern 5Sro~ ard Vii form .
; crxzn zatio1 Of their svn-
A Isrxsiy attended ussss meeting ~
he'd n ths basement - tae court seus- :
ptzht Addresses ~ers made bT fster
| Clark J. t-orson stree of Bcsroa. sx-kir
, isfer fsvIcr. 4 T. Fertune ard sever
: otoers
Ataists kcur Is wss lssrns6 that kz
: Agent 0giInv ksd lsft TIE city 70 s-cs,
> | srrsst ~ str5cK Scott seTtrsl s-svy Ro~
/. ssout The hex6 and usrrsat wss issu.
= f3r ain tonies'
o FiAeeu ef 80 coiorsf deiezates rsse q
= fnk1rma5 e.ll en- Geaersi Hsrriso. ees.