Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-31
4 REGULAR CIRCUS.
The Republican Convention Last Satur-
day Battle of the Bosses.


day a Battle of the Bosses.
The republican county convention
held in this city last Saturday to select
delegates to the state and congress
siOnas convention was rocky in the
extreme. In this however, it did not
differ much from their conventions in
the past[it was 1.-THE same thing over
again." the bosses did all the talking,
air the manipulating, and most of the
voting. 1t differed from former con-
ventlOns in that there was a fight
between the old bosses as to which
should rule the roost.''
In the first place that trio of willy
beSses, Caraway. Chapman (of Pawnee)
and Nimocks, began some days OF
weeks beforehand to manipulate the
strings so that they could sname the
delegates and hold the delegations in
their vest pockets, lat least they are so
charged and circumstantial evidence
leans that way). Directly this scheme
was discovered the balance of the
select thought that the afOremen-
toned triune had got about enough of
the fat things of the land, and began
laying plans to checkmate the post
master, the railroad attorney and the
member from Pawnee. AS a result,
the anti-Chap. fellows captured the
town delegation almost eltire, and
enough of the county delegations. with
the assistance of General Wash Sowards
to give them the balance of power. Of
course ''corcus" of the town men was
held the evening before the convention,
| and plan of action outlined, with the
assistance and approval of the chair
man and secretary of the county CELL
| tral committee.
The convention was called to order
by Chairman Keeney at IL o'clock pur-
| suant to call of the committee. At
| that hour there were but few delegates
in from the country, and the spokes-
man for the triune moved an adjourn
ment until O'Clock. The motion was
voted down, and an adjournment
taken for ten minutes. At I1:39, Cap
tain Keeney called the meeting to
order, and Judge Sim Clayton read the
call. n motion was made to elect a
temporary chairman, and then the fun
began. General Wash Sowards and
Major Geo. Miltimore were placed in
nomination. 1t appeared that the
S.f bo1
their mouthpiece (he was all mouth
and little ''peace") and he. the mouth
piece, commenced to hasangue against
time and all protests, evidently with
the hope that later on: more of the
country delegates would: come in and
rally to the support of his side. He
persisted in calling for ''roll call of
townships" OH every motion even before
there was any roll or any organization
whatever. The chair decided that only
the delegates present were entitled to
vote in the temporary organization.
The mouthpiece and his side took an
Keeney to the town forces; and his
decision was sustained. \ motion to
adjourn to o'clock was lost. Nimocks
demanded Il ''call of the roil.'' Con-
when the ayes and nays were called for
NimOcks told the minority faction mot
to Vote and they didn't.
a motion was made to suspend the
rules and elect General Wash SOwards
as temporary chairman by reclamation.
NimockS demanded "a call OF the rolll''
and kept pounding the air and walking
the floor like an escaped lunatic. The
motion to elect Ganeral Wash Sowards
as temporary chairman prevailed by a
city majority, and he was escorted to
his seat with dexterity and eelat.
When the General had gained that
position of great honor, he gave the
boys little ''chin music;'' he said that
'9ne man power had sent the repub-
lican party to DavS Jones' locker" and
several other things not quite SO much
to the point. (Nimocks here called for
ia call of the rolI.'') James Brady and
l.. j. Gum were elected as secretaries.
with the usual interruption of the
mouthpievc i'll his demand for IA call OF
tha roii.''
Four committees of five delegates
each were appointed on credentials
rules and order of business. permanent
organization. and resolutions, and while
the moutky member was demanding
"a call of the ron'' the convention
adjourned to O'Clock.
AS the convention held all afternoon,
from O'Clock to 6, we will not attempt
to follow it in detail. A great part OF
the time was taken up by the triune
! mouthpiece, who posed as the champion
of the country contingent; impugned
the motives of the chairman of the
central committee; charged fraud
and "caucusing" to the town dele
gates, and finally became SO obstreper.
Gus that the chairman, General Wash
SouardS told him tn ssSit down and