Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-18
The Republican Convention.


 The Jefferson county republicans, as spectator remarked yesterday afternoon when the convention had full steam up, had h-l of harmonious time.
 Following on the heels of the demo- cratic convention came the republican and populist conventions yesterday. It was the general opinion yesterday, as 1t has been all along, that fusion would re- suit among the two parties on the county ticket at all events. This proved to be the case. Not only that but fusion and the police were employed to restore something like harmony among the re- publicans, who split like repellant cleo tric bodies over Moseley and Reed and Vaughan and Mckinley. Excitement was intense on this issue. For weeks past Dr. R. A. Moseley representing Reed, has been at work among the col ored constituency. On the other hand, William Vaughan, Esq, has been as earnest and untiring in behalf of Mckin- ley. Both factions were thoroughly or ganized and the enthusiasm was worked up to a fighting point. This was fore shadowed in the recent beat meetings and actually demonstrated yesterday in the county convention by open hostilities that lasted several minutes and would perhaps have resulted in serious conse- quences had not officers of the law put in timely appearance.
 Strategic Maneuvers.
 The convention was called to meet on the third floor of the Erswell building al 12 o'clock. Tickets of admission had been issued by Chairman Hanley of the county executive committee to delegates to the convention. Where contests had been made it seemed that none but anti Mckinley men had been furnished with tickets. The Moseley men reached the hall first and Louis Shoenfeld was sta- toned at the door to take up the tickets. When the Mckinley men arrived at the |. .l.@ Iafa fhn m ah for the convention, Shoenfeld denied ad- mission to all who didn't have tickets. This almost precipitated row, and, de- spite the fact that Shoenfeld raised chair to strike, he was in very unpar- hamentary manner
 Rudely Dashed Aside.
 and the Mckinley men poured into the room. crowding it to the wall. Both factions yelled like savages for Moseley and McKnle The chairman of the executive committee was absent and the secretary tried to call the convention to order, but his efforts were futile in the deafening din. The air grew close al- most to suffocation and odors rose as pungently as though main sewer had burst somewhere. Fractional zeal was diplayed with every expression of voice and gesture. Perspiraton oozed from every pore and the motley crowd, with hoarse exclamation. glaring eyes and 
 Officers Perdue and Newman were pres ent and their services were required later. When Vaughan entered he was hustled by his followers to the rostrum, but the Moseley men gained foothold there, too, headed by their leader Nose ley and Vaughan waved to their fac tions who shouted defiance in return, each at the other. It became a question then of who had the rostrum-Vaughan or Moseley-and an effort to decide this on muscle brought on
 A Free for All Fight
 Both sides cried, Put them down! Put them off!' and, contrary to anything in Cushing's or Jefferson's manual a dash was made for the rostrum. Instantly a dozen pairs of woolly heads and brawny arms were putting. striking and pulling for supremacy. The fight was waged hottest on the rostrum over the luckless heads of the press representatives. who, interested only in professional way, narrowly escaped injury by the fighting, tumblng mob. Nearly all of the white men who were present were armed, and when the fight was at it's thickest glis- tening revolvers were half drawn for a serious crisis, that seemed most immi- nent One of the patrolmen, seeing that nothing could be done in the struggling mass of humanity without assistance. blew a whistle call for assistance from the window just as the burly form of Of ficer Walton pushed towards the ros- trum, scattering the fighters right and left as he came. When he reached the rostrum, where the fight was warmest, he caught Mckinley and Moseley ne groes alike and hurled them from the stand. Once or twice 1t looked as though one or two would offer resistance, but the brave officers determined manner and heavy club checked all such att tempts. When Chief of Police T. c. Me Donald and four officers entered the room in answer to the police call, Of ficers Walton. Perdue and Newman had