The record-union., 1896-09-27
POLITICS LIVELY
IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
SilYeriteS Take Possession Of the Demo-
cratic State Convention Hall.
Camp There All Night Locking the
Doors on Intruders.

Camp There All Night Locking the
Doors on Intruders.
Locked-Out Delegates Hold Two Con-
ventions in Separate Halls-George
F. Williams, an Out-and-Out Sill
verite, the Nominee for Governor
A Delegate Loses HIS Life While
Trying to Effect an Entrance to
One of the Meetings.
BOSTON, Sept 26.-One of the most
remarkable political incidents in the
history of Massachusetts was enacted
in Music Hall last night and this
morning. A meeting under the direc;
advice of Hon. George Fred Williams,
the free silver leader Of the State,
seized the hall and took possession of
-
which Candidate Bryan had spoken.
Their purpose, as openly announced,
was to remain in possession of the hall
until the Democratic State Convention
assembled, this determination being the
result of the charge made by Mr.. Will
Jams that the State Committee leaders
intended to pack the hall in the inter
est of the men opposed to the Chicago
platform and candidates.
The Democratic State Central Com
mittee was in session at the Quincy
House making up the committees tor
the convention when the Williams men
seized the hall, and when the news of
the affair reached the committee it
caused sensation. The charges made
by Mr.. Williams rejecting upon the in
tegrity of the committee were vigor-
ously denounced, and his claim that he
had demanded Of the committee that
credentials serve as admission tickets
to the hall, and this demand had been
refused, was branded by members Of
the committee as false.
At the conclusion of the meeting in
Music Hall last night Secretary Deni-
son of the Bryan-Sewall- Williams Club
requested that the delegates present
who were to participate in to days
convention should remain in the hall
and formulate plan of procedure in
the convention. He said the friends of
Mr.. Williams We're determined that the
machine should not capture the con-
vention in the morning.
James HI. Mellen of Worcester urged
the delegates present to remain in the
hall, and defied Mayor Quincy and
the agent of the building to eject the
delegates and their friends. He would
hold the hall peaceably, but if required
would use force. Other speakers fol-
lowed with expressions of adherence to
the Williams cause, and 600 persons re-
mained in the hall
Some fifty policemen who had been
on duty at the rally were lined against
the west wall Of the auditorium Tim
othy w. Coakley, strong anti-ma-
chine man, declared to the delegates
that the officers of the law had no
power to evict them from the hall.
Meanwhile Alderman John III. Lee
and John H. Sullivan of the State Com
mittee had gone to police headquarters
the vacating of the. hall.
Mr. Denison of the Bryan-SewaIl-
Williams Club also called at head
quarters, and an animated discussion
over the seizure of the convention hail
was indulged in. Some very vigorous
language was used by the opposing
gentlemen. 1t was finally stated by the
police officials that they had no au-
thority to interfere with the persons
who were in the hall The policemen.
therefore, left the hall, and the dele
gates and their friends cheered wildly.
Several speeches We're made in denun-
citation Of what was termed an effort
of the State Committee to freeze out
the Williams men,
AT 12:3O a. m. Mr.. Mudgett, agent of
the hall, took the platform and an
nounced that the lease of the hall to
the Bryan-Sewall-Will Club. un-
der whose auspices the Bryan rally had
been held, expired at i o'clock. and he
asked that the hall be vacated. His re-
marks were greeted with yells of pro-
test, and the delegates did not leave the
hall.
1t was shortly afterward announced
by Mr.. Coakley that a supply of sand
Wiches had been ordered and would be
quickly at hand. and more speech max
iny followed. Agent Mudgett decided on
plan of energetic action. He secured
the services of two officers, who, with
one of his assistants, were stationed
at the door of the hall They were>in-
structed to permit any person inside
who wished TO do so to leave the hall.
but nobody was to be allowed TO enter.
Many Of the delegates came out to get a
brea tn of fresh air, but when they tried
to re-enter the hall they were bIuntly
refused admittance. Protests were Of no
avail. The lockedout supporters of
Williams had to remain outside. This
was also the fate of the man with his
load of sandwiches and coffee. Mr..
Mudgett would not allow him to go into
the hall with his foods
About 1:3O o'clock the gallere lights
and many others in the hall were turned
off by the agent leaving the big audi
torium in state of almost entire OBJ
scurity
Mr. Coakley, Mr.. Mullen and others
t,-:ed to enliver the occasion with
speeches. but there was general desire
to rest their tired limbs and many of the
delegates sought to get a nap on the
hard settees.
About 2 o'clock committee was del
egated to make a final desperate at
te mpt to get some food to the famished
delegates by any means possible. The
committee returned in short time with
q large supply of eatables. They again
besought the officers at the door to per-
nit them to carry the food into the hall,