Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-01

RioVous DELEGATES.
A Cslsred Convention ct Indianapolis
Opeas n . Lively Manner-A squabbls
0ver tho Organisation Of the Body in
Which Blbws Arc Struck and Revolvers
Ara Drawn.
lNDtANAFo1ls, 5nd., July 26.-Jhe negro
Democratic National conferences called by
]. Milton Turner and seventeen other col
pred men, convened In the rooms Of the
Hendricks Club In this city at IL O'Clock q.
M All delegates who we've admitted were
required to present credentials to DR.. G.
N. Metcalf, secretary of the Indiana State
Board OF Health. Some ,sixty-fou dele.
gates were present &s: %r5,
J. Milton Turner called the conference to
order. Thomas Fortune, of the New York
Sun, delegate, wanted all outsiders ex-
eluded until after the temporary Organize
ton had been perfected. This prop.
osition was opposed, and after q pro
longed wrsngle over the question
Acting Chairman TURNER finally rec
ognized the point Of order raised that
committee had already determined upon
the temporary organization. I'm sustaining
this point Turner added that the meeting
had been called a. 'Democratie negro CON
ference by selection Of what was be-
lieved to be the best negro culture In the
United States, and there was no desire to
conceal any thing from the newspapers or
the public.
Fortune then demanded to know by what
authority any so-called COMMITTEES had
Effected q temporary organization, and
moved that the conference proceed
to appoint q committee on temporary
organization. His motion was tabled,
and Turner, prior to surrendering
the chair, said he believed it was
time for the negro voters to assert their
understanding at least of the primary
principles of American sovereignty. The
elevation Of Cleveland to the Presidency,
he said, had brought political emancipa-
lion, which was felt by no one more than
the negroes, and they had the honesty and
courage to meet Grover Cleveland's Ad-
ministration half way.
At the close of Turner's address he in
PRODUCED Charles II. Shelton, of Evans
vile, Ind, as the temporary chair man.
Shelton, in the course Of his speech, men
toned that it was through the aid of Demo-
cratic soldiers that he had escaped into
Ohio while slave. He believed the con-
ference would eventually be the means of
settling the negro problem, and it was the
purpose Of the delegates to break what
Republicans call the solid South.
Noah Plummer, Of Massachusetts,, was
made temporary secretary. A resolution
indorsing Cleveland and Thurman was
adopted by unanimous viva-voce vote.
The rest of the session was occupied In q
noisy and heated wrangle over the forma-
ton OF a committee on permanent organi-
cation.
The afternoon session was far more
stormy than the morning. The committee
on permanent organization presented q
majority and minority report. Thomas
Brown, Of Springfield, ILL.,, presented the
majority report, which recommended Prof.
Peter 81. Clark, of Ohio, for permanent chair
man; Thomas Fortune, Of New York, for
permanent secretary, and E. A. Payne, of
Illinois, for sergeant-at-arms. Joseph
Houser, Of Illinois, presented the minority
report, which named j. Milton Turner for
permanent chairman.
A motion to substitute the minority for
the majority report brought two thirds of
the delegates to their feet and pande
i
recognized q large number Of delegates
who vehemently advocated either Clark or
Turner. c. II. j. Taylor, Of Kansas City,
ex-minister to Liberia, urged the election of
Clark, declaring that now converts to De-
mocracy should not be put in charge Of the
ship. He spoke of Prof. Clark as the
'noblest negro Roman Of them all.' Great
confusion again prevailed. Turner finally
obtained the floor and, replying to Taylor,
called him National buffoon, which threw
the convention into state Of excitement.
The other speakers were William T. Scout,
of Cairo; j. T. v. Hill, of Indianapolis;
Fortune, Of New York; Ogilby and Edward
Brown, of Ohio; Dawson, Of Chicago;
Chairman Shelton and half dozen others.
A roll-call was ordered, and it was near
ly o'clock when Secretary Plummer, an
avowed Turner partisan, announced that
the vote stood q tie-32 for Clark and 50
for Turner. This announcement was the
signal for an uprising. There was wild
rush toward Plummer and cries of Fraud !!
thief! !" and "You're a liarv' were roared
from all sides Of the hall. The friends OF
Clark gathered around Plummer, and the
Turner men shook their fists anQrily at
him, denouncing him in vehement and pro.
fame terms.
Finally w. T. Scott, who was conspicu-
ously endeavoring to defend Plummer,
was struck in the face by some one. This
was an insult ouny blood could avenge,
and Scott drew revolver from his pocket
and selected Mail Agent Ogilby. Of Co.
lumbus, O., as his victim. Matters
were now at q white heat. The
spectators, both white and black,
at the sight of pistols made mad rush for
the door and tumbled pell-mell down.
stairs. Meantime Ogilby and half-dozen
others had drawn their firearms and blood
shed seemed imminent, when colored po
lice 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 Ogilby were placed under arrest,
but the officer was prevailed upon to re-
lease them, declaring he did so chiefly be-
cause he was q colored Republican. Many
delegates had also fed during the fracas
Chairman Shelton finally restored order
and announced that the true vote was Sc
for Clark and 80 for Turner, and he there.
fore declared Peter H. Clark, of Ohio, the
permanent presiding officer of the confer
ence, which then adjourned mid confusion
until morning It is thought Turner and
his followers will refuse to enter the con
florence and will form an organization OF
their own.