The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-23
County Attorney Boone's Unbridl:d Tongue
Brought Down Upon His Heal an
Avalanche Of Wild Kisses.
Tom Fitch Made Series Of Bad Blunders
Which EternalIy Ruined HIS Fame
sa Ward Statesman.
Captain Osborn Crushed His Enemies at
Every Point While Sam Amidon Out
witted The Opposition With Su-
peror Taotics-The Defeated
Candidates are Sore and
the End is Not YET.

One of the hardest battles ever fought
in a Democratic convention was that
fought yesterday in the alleged Demo.
cratic convention held in A. o. L. W. hall
on North Market street.
1t was probably the prettiest political
battle ever fought in this county within
parliamentary lines. Iu it there was
a terrible amount of bad blood
| shown on both sides and there is no oues-
| ton but what blows might have been
struck had it not been for the importance
| of the issue at stake and the necessity for
the forces on each side to keep as cool as
| possible. Only one man called another a
| liar, which is al unprecedentedly small
breach of courtesy at Sedgwick county
Democratic convention. The fight turned
out exactly as the EAGLE predicted in it's
two last issues. Every prophecy the EAGLE
made was fulfilled in every particular.
The fight as stated so frequently in these
columns was over the organization of the
central committee. Tom Fitch's candi-
dacy for the postoffice required the con-
tinuance of the old committee, while the
interests of the other candidates for the
oHiiAC pOSbIOu Ic1uitCo LAC appOlut~
ment of a new committee. The Beacon
attempted to dictate the policy of the con-
vention in Fitch's interests. and, hence,
the forces arrayed on Fitch's side were
dubbed the Beacon ring" The forces in
opposition to this ring, by reason of being
led by Sam Amidon were styled the Ami
don ticket" but, to speak more properly,
the ''antiring" would be the right name
for it. To come down to the very meat in
the COcoanut there was one ring in and an
other ring out, and the ring out wanted
to get in and evict the old ring. In other
words, two rings fought to determine
which of them should have the dispensing
of the meagre federal and county patron
age.
SCENES BEFORE THE BATTLE.
The EAGLE has faithfully kept its read
ers posted on the movements of the battle
up till l. o'clock Friday night. Nothing
remains then to be done at present but
to give the details of the battle yesterday.
As early as Z o'clock the leaders were
down town and every fresh delegate that
arrived from the country was met and
buttonholed before he had time to hitch
his team or get a drink. Senator Ed
O'Bryau did disastrous work for the
Beacon ring among this class of dele
gates. Up till Friday afternoon Ed took
no part in the fight and intended to steer
clear of it altogether, but the Beacon came
in the afternoon with mean fling
at him. In speaking of the Fourth
ward primary election it said in
a very sarcastic manner that of
the thrty-four candidates for delegates
the constituents of the ward entirely
overlooked ana forgot O'Bryan. This
hurt O'Bryan and he at once stuck
knife in his boot and went cunning for
the Beacon crowd with firm determine
ton to have their scalps dangling from his
belt before Saturday night. Gracious,
but how his Irish was up when he came
down yesterday morning. He displayed a
remarkable amount of influence among
the country delegates and there is no ques
ton but what he was the main cause of
downing the ring on the organization
The ring leaders acknowledged that he
turned five of their most solid country
delegates and with two OF OF these five
they could crush the opposition in the
temporary organization Cap Osborne
was also out early and did some terrible
hard work against the ring as did Amidon,
Haymaker aud David Smythe On the
other side Tom Fitch was out early and
he looked as happy as boy
going to pic nc. Willard /
Boone was also down town early. but he
WAS nervous and il many ways demon
strated fatal excitement. Edwin White /
Moore did not arrive so early, but when be (
did arrive he did some good work for the /
of the rule of the old ring.
At 10 o'clock there were crowds on every 4
corner and excitement ran high. Two /
leaders passed some boiling hot words and /
came very near exchanging blows.
THE BATTLE OPENS.
II was Just 1915 when Willard Boone
entered the hail flushed, excited aud uerv-
Gus. He walked up to the chairman's /
stand, took of his coat and vest, put them /
under chair, adjusted his galluses aud /
after running his fingers through his
hrir animated his readiness
for the fight At 1915 Albert Christman,
Al Amidouian whip, pulled of his coat,
winked at the EAGLE reporter and be, too.
ntimated his readiness for the fght. AT
0:46js Sam Gilbert pulled off his coat. al
usled his necktie. stroked down hrs beard
and remarked that Il vas getting niEhty
lor Al 1876. sam Hewey pulled of us
'oat aud rest and said nothing. At I0.;7
Bob Carson pallsd CT MS coat aud vest aud
hen everybody knew thai ihe long roll
vas about to be sounded. At Ig.ss Captain
osborn peeled of his cost aud the excite
nent Increased At 1875 j " R0ss TOOK
II his coat and at 1859 Tom Fitch took off
us hat and walked deliberately 70 lhe
hair Ell . Bryan walked Fieh; across
he chaisman's desk and pat himself IN
o~igion 70 watch tlie tactics Of the ooposl-
los Al II O'Clock Mr- Fitch hit the desk
Tilh has savel and called the Convention 20
rider . a short speech ia watch he gave
he history OF the fgsIou deal ard expIaines!
0 the eonventioa srEizs il would be neers-
airy for the delegates 70 do.
George ) Wilson read the call, while 4
). Whisssitl- assisted