Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-09-28

In 1878, when General Butler was the
Creenback candidate for governor. his
| supporters captured the convention hail
and adopted similar plans for holding il
until the convention organized, but even
| that contest was not so replete in unique
and sensational features as the fight
iraugurated Friday night by Mr.. Will
Jams and his followers
When the silver men announced that
night that they intended to remain in
the hall until the convention was over.
a large force of police began to form on
one side of the hall and in the streets
near by, and it was rumored that the
delegates would be elected by the Off
GERS. But representatives of the silver
men conferred with General Martin of
the board of police and in spite of the
efforts of the gold men to secure an or
der for the election of the opposition
delegates, the bluecoats were instructed
to withdraw, and the waiting silver men
proceeded to kill time by speechmak-
ing. card playing and singing
Then the managers of the building re-
quested them to disperse, and when they
refused. policemen We're stationed at
the doors, under orders to allow any
who wished to go out. but not to permit
any to return. Caterers bearing a lunch
ordered by the silver cohorts We're re-
fused admission, and then the tired and
hungry politicians began to exercisa
their ingenuity in an effort to smuggla
refreshments in to the building The
most tragic and serious incident of the
night resulted from these persistent at
tempts to secure supplies.
James Hughes. 2S years of age, dele
gate from Someryille. being electrocuted
in an effort to get out of the hall by a
fire escape in the rear, for the purpose
of obtaining food. Hughes climbed over
the rail of the fire escape and was pre-
pairing to jump to the ground, Is feet
below, when his foot slipped. and in
trying to save himself he seized a wire
dangling near. The wire was a live one,
and with an agonized cry. he fell sense
less on the fire escape. and then tumhlsd
to theground, where he died before any
one could reach him. Surrounded by a
curious throng, his body lay on the pave
ment for half an hour, until the arrival
of the medical examiner
Meanwhile the news of the accident
reached the sleepy delegates within the
hall, and they were aroused to the high
est pitch of excitement when Hon. j. II
Mellen announced it from the platform,
and declared that it was a murder for
which the gold members of the state
committee were responsible. There were
several speeches in criticism of the COM
mittee, and resolutions on the death of
Mr.. Hughes were finally agreed upon
to be presented to the convention. The
gathering soon quieted down again, and
while card playing was resumed by i
many, the majority went to sleep. Soon
after break was made in the lines Of
the enemy at some unknown point, and
large baskets of sandwiches and cans Of
coffee were carried into the hall. Evi.
IDENTIFY there was q secret entrance LIZ
which delegates could return to tn. hail /,
also, for the number slowly increased |
toward o'clock, and an hour later Hon. !
r. w. Coakley reported that rollcall
showed that $50 delegates with creden-
tials were present. At 2:30 a. m. there
were, apparently, not more than 300 in !
the building.
Shortly after I O'Clock Nathaniel Rob-
inson of the state committee, gold man,
anneared at the hall and asked themana-l
Continued on page ~ J