The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-12
BEFORE THE TROUBLE BEGAN.

~
Crowd ON the Floor Dominated by Office
holders and Gambiers.
TomIinson Hall, last night, was free from
all decorations. The usual banners and
notices retailing simon-pure Democracy
end Jeffersonian simplicity were absent.
and even the pictured face of the. TO the
Democrats. immortal Grover Cleveland
was absent. One half of the hall
was reserved for the delegates,
it being that nearest the stage.
Four and five policemen were stationed in
each aisle at the division line to keep the
rabble back, and a hard time thoy had do
ing il. Every one wanted q front seat.
The curious Gro wd Game early and the del
eHAtes came late. The galleries filled early
In the evening. ana here and there o wom-
an, vigorously nslng a ian as an antidote
to both heat and tobacco. could be seen.
A couple of enterprIsiDg gentlemen had
set up stands IN the lobby of the
hall. Mt which was sold weak lem
onade. peanuts and other things de-
strucgive TO the digestive organs.
The usual plscards told the seats where
the ward delegates were TO sit. but despite
that there WAS q great deal of wrangiinG
and pickering over them. Once II man Was
seated he had TO get I'D every other minute
To give or receive Instructions. and the
confusion that ensued was tremendous.
Every now and then when some familiar
figure would edge and shove It's way
through the slsles the crowd would break
out with "Hello. Jim" Hello. Olaf"
There's Nike" or Here comes Patsy" as
the case might ne.
The stage had been arranged with tier
after tier of chairs. rising one above the
other. and IL was there that she particular
bright hghts OF the free-trade and wildcat
money party sat. Conspicuous IN the front
row wac Controller WoolleD, and not lar
from him Was that other financier. John L.
Erenzel- John W.. Kern and Dora johnson
were side By side. and Bud Swift, easier IN
spirit than ut the last convention. was also
In the front row. high up, near the roof.
SAT 3 group OF tho city employees, anxi0nsly
watching To see which way their jobs
would swing. There were but few of them.
however. Nearly all OF them had gotten on
she delegations and the board or inspectors.
and varIOns other fuuctIoneries who draw
pap from tho city treasury swarmed about
the floor.
The "nabob" element from the northern
wards got in the hall early. and the vacant
CHAIRS were oppressive in their mum bers.
but along towards = o'clock some OF the
delegates from the southern wards. having
torn themselves away from the last round
of beer at the noighboring saloons. began
10 file In with big cigars tuning like little
smoke-stacks from q bone factory, So strong
Was the aroma OF the "twofers." The man
who continually talks about cleaving the
wi OONA
~ 3 loss for an adjective. The man who
has asphalt IN front of has louise on the
north side touched elbows with the dele
gates from the choice precincts of Irish
hill.
The man with q coat on was an unknown
quantity. White sleeves. blue sleeves,
black sleeves and all sorts of sleeves were
arranged along the galleries. and two ladies
had the temerity 10 enter this smOke-sat-
urated temporary domain. of Democracy.
The man who sold lemOD in the corridor
was almost driven to bankruptcy, for the
Sullivan men ali drank across the street
and the DOwniDgitcs did not drink at ali.
Olaf Olsen stumbled up the aIsles. firm in
his Ingenious belief that he had q chance
of being nominated. Phi HOtfbauer, the
sa~loODkeep per teamster. looked IN 90 tho
throng from a side door. Ball Iron and
other sports from the levee were button.
hoiing delegates for Sullivan and Buskirk.
Joe Litter was a delegate from his own
ward. There WAS not q city rmpioye
absent when Chairman Taggars ped
his gsvel on the table. and they were all
porspiring. afraid that some %untOward cir
cumstance might snatch victory from them
and give their jobs TO some other fellows.
The sullivan police pulled ont delegates
and jammed In Delegates. but gave little
heed To th- Quarreling delegates in the cor
ridor. Abrams was red in the face. iahbing
and beseeching men to give him their votes.
He Was the most concerned delegate on the
floor save Olsen. who. after the delegates
began TO get seated. was dreadfully afraid
be would get ANONYMOUSLY lost in the
ahufle