San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-09-26
IN CLASSIC BOSTON.
POLITICS OF DEMOCRATS THERE
ARE LIVELY.
In a Struggle for Possession of Meeting
Hall by the Gold and Silver Dem
OCrats One Man is Electro
cuted-RiOt May Follow,

years at least, if ever in the history of
the Democratic party in Massachusetts
has the day of a state convention
dawned with so many sensational pre-
liminaries to the formal organization
of the assembly of delegates, and so
many uncertainties as 10 the develop
ments of the convention.
AS q result of the refusal of the
state committee, which is controlled by
the gold standard men, to admit del
gates to Convention hall by credentials
alone, and not by ticket, and the SEN
sational speech of George Fred Will
liams, the silver leader and candidate
for the Democratic nomination for
governor, daylight found over five
hundred silver delegates intrenched in
Murrie hall where the convention is to
meet. At IL o'clock they were deter
mined to remain until the meeting ad-
journed in spite of all opposition, while
the state committee of gold men were
in conference at the Quincy house try
ing to formulate a plan to get bellig-
erents out of the hall and meet the
emergency.
When the silver men announced last
night that they intended to remain in
the hall until the convention is over,
a large force of police began to form
on one side of the hall and on the
streets near by, and it was rumored
that the delegates would be elected by
the officers. But representative sill
yer men conferred with General Mar
tin of the Board of Police and in spite
of the efforts of the gold men to secure
an order for the election of the oppo-
sition delegates, the blue coats were
instructed to withdraw and while wait
ing the silver men proceeded to Kill
time by speech making, card playing
and singing. Then the manager of the
building requested them to dispense
and when they refused to do so police
men were stationed at the doors under
orders to allow any one who wished to
go out but to not permit any one to
return. Walters bearing lunch orders
for the silver delegates were refused
admission and then the hungry polit-
clans began to exercise their ingenuity
| in an effort to smuggle refreshments
into the building.
The most tragic and serious incident
| of the night resulted from those per-
| sistent attempt to secure supplies,
James Hughes, delegate from Somer-
| Vile, losing his life in an effort to get
out of the hall by fire escape in the
rear. Hughes was preparing to jump
to the ground, Is feet below, when his
foot slipped and in trying to save him
self he seized a wire dangling near.
The wire was a live one, and with an
agonized cry, Hughes fell senseless on
the fire escape and then tumbled to the
hA cd hnfnrn
could reach him.
The delegates within the hall were
aroused to the highest pitch of excite
ment when Hon. J. H. Mellin announc-
ed it from the platform, and declared 1t
| murder, for which the gold members
| Of the state committee were response
BILE.
There were several speeches in crit
icism of the committee and resolutions
on the death of Hughes were finally
agreed upon to be presented to the con-
vention today. The gathering soon
| Quoted down again and while card
playing was resumed by many, the ma
| jority went to sleep.
Soon after a 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. Evidently there was a Sc
cret entrance by which the delegates
could return to the hall also, for the
number slowly increased toward six
o'clock and an hour later Hon. 7. w.
Coakley reported that the roll call
showed $50 delegates with credentials
present. At $3.50 a. m. there were ap-
parently no more than 300 in the build
ing.
Shortly after o'clock Secretary Nat
c. Robertson, of the state committee
of gold men appeared at the hall ana
asked the managers If they would be
ready to deliver the hall cleared of sill
yer men to the comittee at IL o'clock
the hour at which the convention was
scheduled to open. Manager Mudgett
stated that there were over 500 men in
the hall who had credentials to the con-
.vention as delegates and he did not
see how he could legally remove them.
Secretary Robertson then retired and
proceeded to the Quincy house where
| the distribution of tickets of admission
| to the convention hall to delegates
holding credentials, was begun.
few minutes before IL o'clock
Hon. Fred Williams with Secretary
Denison. of the Bryan
| Iams club, and a number of delegates
| left the American house for the Mu-
sic hall. They declared all delegates
holding credentials should be admitted
| to the hall. About the same time the
| gold men at the Quincy house were
preparing to march to the hall. The
| gold men at the Quincy house sent