Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-30
POLITICAL WAR CLOUDS.
C. L. Magee CoIored Club Organized After
Some fractional Ructions-Closed Meet.
ing In the Franklin School.

A C. L. Magee CoIored Club Organized After
Some Fnctional Rucfions-Closed Meet
ing In the franklin School.
The colored population on the Hill was
busy last night, and proceedings were SO
mixed as to be rather unintelligible to the
uninitiated. According to representations
made BY one side Broadax Smith ct al
wanted to organize Finn club in the
Thirteenth ward. Colonel Robert Smoth-
ers, Thomas Gatewood and other prominent
colored men opposed the proposition, some
of them, at least, holding that Broadax and
his party were nothing more nor less than
independent Democrats. A representative
of the Smothers crowd stated that they had
intended to meet in the Thirteenth ward
schoolhouse. but were prevented by the
Vaccinations of the Broadax party, and that
they went to private house and effected
their purpose by organizing c. L. Magee
club of Simon-pure, unadulterated RepuD-
licans.
A call was made at the Thirteenth ward
schoolhouse, but it was dark. Mr.. Lawton,
one of the Board of Directors, was seen,
and he stated that the board had granted
permission to colored people to hold a
meeting on Thursday night. He said he
he was the fourth who had given consent,
thus making majority. Mr.. Lawton did
not appear to know to which faction per-
mission to occupy the house had been
granted.
Now comes another version of the affair
which does not "consist" with the above.
1t is as follows:
The meeting of colored Republicans of
the Thirfaon tb rvord Had hu NRrnodavD
Smith and Robert Smothers, was not held
at the Thirteenth ward schoolhouse last
night as announced. When Smith, Smoth-
ers, Joseph Marks, Joseph Allen, Wash.
Walls and number Of others went to the
schoolhouse they found it locked up. They
met 7. j. Gatewood, Scott Tapir, William
Gatewood and some more colored residents
of the ward, who have announced themselves
from other wards coming into the Thirteenth
ward and organizing Thirteenth ward
club. A wordy war resulted between the
two factions, and at one stage. it is alleged,
revolver, which was IN mans coat
pocket, was showed against William Gate
wood. The Gatewood clique, it was stated,
had managed to induce the school directors
to have the schoolhouse locked up, and
hard names were freely exchanged. No
blood was shed, however, and the Smith
Smothers delegation withdrew. They pro-
ceeded to the house of Joseph Marks, No.
6 Reed street, where the G. L. Magee Club,
of Pittsburg, was organized. There was an
attendance OF fully so persons, it was stated,
at least 80 of whom we're claimed as resi-
dents of the Thirteenth ward. Robert
Smothers acted as Temporary Chairman.
In the meantime Gatewood, Tspir ct al
triumphantly announced that the Colored
Political Association of the Thirteenth
ward will hold meeting in the school
house Thursday evening, and that visitors
would be present from the Workingmen's
Political and Protective Association.
The cause of all the trouble is that Smith
and Smothers have been organizing clubs in
the various wards, and Gatewood and others
oppose outsiders organizing club in their
ward. The end is not vet.
On the way back from the Thirteenth
ward a reporter called at the Franklin
schoolhouse and found a considerable body
of colored men excitedly discussing some
thing he could not make out. As soon as
he got fairly into the hall he was asked if
he haG the password, and, being unable to
give it, he was invited to vacate. The dis
missal was as courteous as proceeding of
that kind could well be, but it was en-
phatic nevertheless. One gentleman fol-
lowed the reporter out, but another member
brought up the rear as though fearful the
first might give something away. Several
members were subsequently tackled, but
they did not shed anysaight on the hatter
further than to state that it was club
meeting and private. They talked generally
about political exigencies, etc., especially
the latter, but there was no luminosity of
consequence in the explanations.