Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-16
CLARKE DELEGATES BOLTEO
u RE
They Held a Lively Convention
of Their Own
IN THE CLARKE CLUB ROOMS
But Sixty-four of the Regular Delegates En-
rolled Themselves.
OBJECT TO BEING CALLED BOILERS
No Contesting Delegation Was Selected
Merely Because They Were Certain
OF Not Being Seated by the
State Convention.
OBJECT TO BEING CALLED BOILERS


o'clock for the purpose of selecting thirty
Clarke delegates for the convention at
Montgomery William Jackson called the
meeting to order. He stated that no con-
vention had been held by the democrats
and in that view he deemed 1t necessary
TO proceed in the selection of delegates.
On motion o. W. Ward of Bessemer was
nominated chairman. He took his seat
followed by applause. He said:
Gentlemen: In taking my seat 1 want
to say that of all the meetings that L have
ever attended today's meeting was the
most extraordinary.
Here the speaker was interrupted by
voice from the audience suggesting that
none but Clarke men be admitted to the
meeting. Other voices, however, called
that all delegates, Clarke or Johnston, be
admitted and the latter suggestion was
adopted The motion to appoint SER
geant-at-arms was withdrawn.
The chair said: Il am at a loss to know
what to do in this meeting tonight. l
have never in my life bolted a conYen-
ton Now we are confronted with con-
ditions that are appalling to behold
We tonight have been driven from
convention of democrats, where we were
invited as delegates. AS to what we are
Ito do or what is best to do, | am at
loss to know. With that said. will try
to advise with you, and declare the meet
ing open for business"
Mr.. Miller did not consider the meet
Ing bolt. He did not want it called
Clarke convention, but wanted Johnston
| delegates also to participate.
Mr.. George Huddleston was elected
| secretary of the meeting He accepted
his seat with the declaration that he was
present in the convention as democrat
for the party's veal. He declared he
was not present as a bolter, but would
pledge himself to do all in his power to
elect the nominees of the party.
A Bessemer Delegate S6t
wanted to know on what platform the
delegates to the Montgomery convention
would. stand Would the delegates fbe
recognized? He did not relish appear
ing in the light of boilers. Said he; We
want a foundation to stand on. Let's
find out first whether the surrounding
circumstances bear us out. II they do
not let's run away from this movement.
Otherwise, let us stand shoulder to
shoulder before the world and uphold our
| principles. The chair ruled the speaker
| out of order, unless the convention
| should grant the speaker time to speak,
| which was not done. sz
A. j. Krebs of Bessemer wanted to dis
cuss the situation more at length He
| wanted atbasis of action defining whether
| or-not it was prudent or not to proceed
II. Fl. Brown was called for, but said he
did not know what was best to do under
| the circumstances.
Mr.. Hard thought that If sufficient
| number of delegates were present 1t
would be well to proceed. Otherwise he
| thought it best only to pass some ringing
resolutions of indignation over the treat
| ment which he declared was received in
| Seals hall.
B. j. Dryer favored sending a delega-
| ton to the convention in Montgomery as
| a contested delegation of the county con-
vention If these are recognized all
| right If not, he favored retiring grace
fully and supporting Johnston. (Cries of
| no, NOD
| KEEPER of Bessemer favored passing
| ringing resolutions of Indignation against
| the meeting in Seals hail. after which he
| thought the delegates should dispense.
| He would not support Johnston he said
under any circumstances, but he did not
| want to be considered a bolter, as he
| thought all would be so considered who
| participated in the Clarke convention.
| He did not want to act without a head.
| He attached significance to the absence
| of Clarke leaders, such as Messrs. Kettig
| and Percy.
| f. B. Powell said: The democratic
| convention did not meet today. This is
| the only democratic convention that has
been held today. Your actions are the
| only actions that will be sanctioned by
| the democratic convention in Montgom-
| cry. Only the democratic executive
| committee met at Seals hall today. The
| chair ruled that a roll call was in order
| to test the strength of the convention.
| The following delegates were enrolled.
| though all were not present:
Parsons, Ne: 3-W. B. Dowell, r. B.
| Ragsdale, S. H. Strickland, d. l.. Dryer
| and W. M. Doyle.
| Aarons precinct, No. Nv. r. Gwin,
| Bart Patton and T. G. Altman.
| Beat 3S-Dr. ]. NJ. Miller, ]. F. Hewlett,
| r. j. Hayes, G.. A. Chewing.
| Beat 7-Lucien Brown, Lewis Owens,
| Sam GLASGOW, Joe Martin, George Stoves.
| Beat 22-Henry Miner, J. d. Whitfield,
| ]. l. Kimmons, Z. A. Pashell.
| Pratt Mines, No. 29-J. b. Arid, ]. d.
| Mckinney J. S. Kellon, A. ]. Riley, ]. A.
| Rhodes w. L. Rogers, Henry Sewber, w.
| d. Haley, D. b. Sullivan, Tom Doogan,
William Bradley, Joe Pady, p. j. Rogers,
| j. b. Stages.
Bessemer No. 3s-S. R. Haskell, Sam
! Lefkovits, JohE Handy, C. A. Ivey. n IA.
| Mckinney, A. j. Krebs, e. A. Little, w.
| A. Cameron, N. H. Sewall, ]. r. Jones.
| e. H. Atchison, o. W. Ward, J. A. Ne
| Cullum, s. r. Jones. John L. Chapman,
]. A. Hendricks, William Jackson. James
| II. Hard, A. A. Randle, Lewis Forst, J.
| A. Kirk F. Jacot.
! Scott, Sill DAILY.
Beat 40, Huey-w. ]. Bass, ]. c. Huey,
| L. w. Saulter.
Total GA.
Mr. Walker Percy asked to say word
| in regard to himself. Said he: 1 only
| want 10 say q lew WORDS. L want TO come
| over here to tell you that had / known
how you felt all the harmony of all the
parties in the world could not have pre-
| vented me from standing with you. AS
some of you know 1 was engaged this
| afternoon in fighting before a partisan
committee. The proposition that 1 asked
you to stand by believed was the very
best thing to be done under the circum-
| stances. | did not believe at that time
that we could get thirty delegates. Had
known that the Bessemer delegation
| wanted a fight l would have stood by
| them if had been the only one to do so.
DIR. ]. nj. Miller of Blossburg, who had
previously Interrupted the speaker. did
| so again with the remark, You ought
| to have been posted" Mr.. Percy replied
! warmly that he had asked the chairman
| of the Clarke. club. DR.. Miller asked the
chairman to rule Mr.. Percy out of order.
Not sustained. - - -
j DR.. Miller-May ask you who had the