Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-10
To Select Delegates to the State Convention on the 18th.
THE HALL MADE TO ECHO
With Language More Caustic Than Eloquent. Antagonists Kiss and Make Up and Business Proceeds.
 A@SsA+

third floor of the Erswell building yester- day, commencing at noon and ending at 23O. The meeting was in response to call issued some time ago by Capt. R. r. Kolb, Rev. S. M. Adams and a number of other populites throughout the state The call stated that delegates should be selected at the county mass meetings yesterday to represent said counties in a state conference to be held here next Wednesday. One clause in the call read as follows:
 We suggest that this representative conference be held in the city of Bir- mingham on Wednesday, November 13, 1895; and that the white men who favor honest elections and the free coinage of silver at 16 to l. and who oppose bank control of the currency, in every precinct in the state meet together on Saturday, November 2, 1895, and select one delegate to represent the precinct in this confer- ence; and that mass meeting or county conference be held at the court house in each county on Saturday, November 9, 1895, to select five additional delegates for each member the county is entitled to in the house of represe to represent the county"
 The meeting was attended by about seventy-five people and had been in ses- sion put a snort tine when Ine De- tween the leaders began.
 First came little spat, in which Cap tain Kolb was the central figure. Dr. Green wanted an explanation from him as to his attitude on the question of fu- sion. Captain Kolb undertook to make statement, but was interrupted by points of order and other questions arising.
 The liveliest spat, however, was be- tween P. G. Bowman and H. P. Burriss. in " R0wman denounced r. tain statement made by MT. Burrss as an "unmitigated lie" and MT. Burriss told Mir. Bowman he had uttered statements that were false. After half an hours wranglng the matter was dropped.
 The Meeting Organized.
 On motion of P G. Bowman Jerry Fountain was elected temporary chair man and Ben Meyers temporary secre- tary.
 c. P. Zimmerman moved the appoint ment of committee of five to select del- egates to the state conference. which meets in this city on the 18th.
 H. P. Burriss offered as an amendment that the delegates be selected from the various portions of the county and the amendment was accepted by MT. Zim- merman, and as amended the motion pre- vailed and the chair appointed on the committee G. P. Zimmerman of Birming- ham, 2. T. Carwile of Ressemer, A. L. Sharrit of Lewisburg, M. c. Ragsdale of McCalla and P. G. Bowman of BIrmng- ham.
 P. G. Bowman moved that tbirty-hve delegates be selected to the state confer ence, that is five for each representative and senator the county has in the legisla- ture.
 H. P. Burris offered a substitute that only thirty be selected. On referring to the call 1t was found that it provided for c laIa r.,. al, ,tatf fx, the lower house of the legislature, and MT. Bowman's motion was withdrawn. The committee retired to make up Its re- port.
 Dr. Green wanted to know how Cap tain Kolb stood on the question of fusion and cooperation. He said there had been some talk of the matter and he wanted Captain Kolb to explain his position.
 Col. Robert Chisolm objected, saying he thought the matter too delicate to be discussed at the meeting.
 Chairman Fountain ruled the whole matter out of order unless Captain Kolb desired to make personal statement.
 H. c. Burriss suggested that Captain Kolb should he permitted to make statement at any time he thought proper
 Judge Horne moved that the meeting proceed to the transaction of regular bus mess.
 Captain Kolb said he thought he could settle the matter in a minute. He said he intended to bring the matter before the conference on the 18th on a question of personal privilege He said there was nothing secret about the transa actions of the Weekly Tribune, and he requested all who so desired to call at his office and he would show them his books.
 On motion the whole matter was laid on the table.
 Captain Kolb arose to a question of md !. .io to show his books to any populist sub scribers and explain to them how the money to fight the battle in Alabama was raised and what became of 1t. He said he was a populist from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet and he in- tended to remain so. He said no one regretted more the division in the pop- ulist party than he and unless they got together there was no hope of victory He wanted the matter settled for lief ferson county at this meeting and for the state on the 18th.
 The committee. after being out some time, submitted the following names as delegates to the state conference:
 M c. Ragsdale, z. T. Carwile. Mark Wins. Dick Scott, Len Button, P. J. Baird, R. M. Bennett c. Q. Ellis w. B. Mitchell, H. H. Waldrop, Tom Huey. Babe Fields, G. A. Sloan. J. J. Sullivan. J. w. Belcher. J. R. Griffith, Dr. Roberts, M. ii. FitZpatrlcK, Jere Fountafn, G. B. Grove, Clarence Spencer, A. J. Reed. B. l.. Williams. Tom Huffman, John Shu- gart. Gurley Burgin. G. P. Zimmerman, John Wilson. M. M Gwinn.
 Dr. Ragsdale submitted a minority re- port, substituting the name of Capt R. F. kolb for that of M. c. Rsgsdale.
 H. P. Burriss moved as a substitute that the report be tabled
 P. G. Bowman opposed the motion to table. saying the names of thirty good and reputable popullsts were on the list; men who had been working for the pop uiist party when the man who made the motion to table was going over the state with the McRae and Guise letters show ing them to the people.
 MT. Burriss denounced the statement as unQualifedly false
 Mir Bowman said he had been so in- formed. He had not heard him discuss it.
 A rather exciting discussion occurred here and an encounter between Mir. Bow man and MT. Burnss seemed imminent and several men rose to their feet. Later on Dr. Green, Dr. Ragsdale and others arose and said they would leave the hall unless the personalities between MT. Bowman and Mir Burriss ceased They both agreed 1t should and Mir Bowman resumed his speech. Several had already left the room