The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-27
The Silver Democrats in Mas
sachusetts Victorious.
THE GOLD MEN DEFEATED
George Fred Williams Nomin-
ated For Governor.
ENDORSED BY THE PoPuLlsTs
Perhaps Never in the History of the
Bay State Democracy Have Such
Sensational Scenes Been
Witnessed.

Boston, Mass, Sept. 26.-The silver
Democrats, who "held the fort" all
night in Music Hall, to-day, nominated
George Fred Williams for Governor.
j. C. Callahan, of Holyoke, was nom
mated for Lieutenant Governor; DIR.
Jos. H. Potts, of Lynn, for Secretary
of State: Thomas S. Watson, of Brain
tree, for Treasurer and Receiver GEN
eral; for Attorney General, John d.
.O'Donnell, of Braintree; for Auditor,
Morris B. Cavanaugh, of Quincy.
The Populists also met in conven-
ton here and endorsed the nomination
of Mr.. Williams.
Not for eighteen years, at least, II
ever in the history of the Democratic
party in Massachusetts,, has the day OF
a State convention dawned with SO
many sensational preliminaries to the
formal organization of the assembly
of delegates and so much uncertainty
as to the development of the conven-
ton itself. As a result of the refusal
of the State committee, which is con-
trolled by the gold standard men, to
admit delegates TO the convention hall
by credentials alone and not by ticket,
and the sensational speech last night
of George Fred Williams, daylight
found over five hundred silver dele
gates intrenched in Music Hall, where
the convention was TO meet at IL
O'Clock. determined TO remain until
the meeting adjourned, in spite of all
opposition. while the State committee
and the gold men were in conference
at the Quincy House trying to formu-
late a plan to get the belligerents out
of the hall and meet the emergency.
The gold men failed in every effort
to secure an order for the eiectment of
the silver men who proceeded to kill
time by singing, card-playing and
speech-making.
Then the manager of the building
requested them to disperse, and when
they refused policemen were stationed
at the doors under orders to allow
any one who wished to go out, but
not to permit any to return.
The most tragic and serious Incl
dent of the night resulted from at
tempts to secure supplies, James
Hughes, delegate from Someyille,
losing his life in an effort to get out
of the hall by a fire escape in the
rear. Hughes was preparing to jump
to the ground, fifteen feet below, when
his foot slipped, and in trying to save
himself, he seized wire dangling
near. The wire was a live one and
with an agonized cry Hughes fell
senseless on the fre-escape and then
tumbled to the ground, where he died
before any one could reach him.
The news of the accident reached
the delegates within the hall, and they
were aroused to the highest pitch of
excitement when j. I'll. Mellen an
nounced it from the platform and de-
'clared that it was a murder for which
the gold members of the State COM
mittee were responsible.
At Z o'clock a. m. Secretary Robin
son, of the State committee, made an
other effort to have the manager clear
the hall but failed. He then went to
the Quincy House, where the distribu-
tion of tickets of admission to the con-
yention to the delegates holding Gre
dentia1s was made.
Most of the delegates at once went
to the hall carrying their tickets. Hun
dreds crowded the streets in front
of the entrances to the hall, but the
doors were not opened. Il. w. Coax
lev, of Boston, one of the silver leaders,
appeared at window of the hall and
said:
"Fellow Democrats, there are 700
duly elected delegates with credentials
in their pockets, sitting in semi
circle around the platform, holding
the fort on the inside. We are locked
in and you are locked. Mr.. Geo. Fred.
Williams is at the American House,
leading the fight there, and shall see
to it that you will participate in that
fight. We, on the inside will wait
patiently. Now, what / want you to
do, fellow Democrats, is to organize
where you stand, elect chairman and
appoint committe to go TO the Amerl-
can House, and thus assist Geo. Fred.
Williams in his fight"
The crowd answered this appeal by
electing David F. Moreland, of Woburn,
as chairman, and from a nearby win
dow sill that gentleman called the
meeting to order.
The committee sent to Mr.. Williams
soon returned with the information
that he was coming and few minutes
later a carriage drove up with Mr.. Will
iiams inside, calmly reading a news
paper.
At the same time, about 100 silver
delegates, wearing blue badges marked
delegate State Democratic conven-
ton, Music Hall, Sept. 25, 1896" ap-
peared at the head of the street The
crowd was becoming restless and Mr..
Moreland again addressed it.
He said that no one knew why the
delegates who had tickets were not
admitted to the hall, but undoubtedly
he would have some knowledge as soon
as the committee that had been sent
to call on Chairman Corcoran returned.
t'When we get inside" he declared, 1--WE