Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-14
FREE SILVER HOODLUMS BREAK Up
A DEMOCRATIC MEETING.
A RI0T0US MOB AT RICHMOND.
GAG RULE IS APPLIED To TWO
SOUND MONEY SPEAKERS.
Bryan's Followers in the Ray COun-
ty Town Afraid to Know the
Truth-Messrs. Garner and
Palmer, of kansas City,
HowIed Down.

d.
Palmer returned last night from Richmond,
Nc. where they, delivered sound money
speeches under the auspices of the state
central committee of the National Demo-
cratic party. Mr.. Garner reports that the
first meeting, which was advertised to take
place in the court house yard last Saturday
afternoon, was broken up by crowd of
hcodlums, who rushed upon the campus in
gangs, shouting for Bryan and free silver.
III efforts TO appeal to their sense Of de-
cency were wasted. They charged into the
audience of respectable citizens, who had
assembled TO hear Messrs Garner and
Palmer. yelling their defiance to law and
crder, and carrying banners upon which
were printed revolutionary sentiments.
They continued their disgraeeful din until
finally the meeting was compelled to ad-
jcoru.
This disgraceful proceeding was the re-
suit of a growing sentiment among the
rabid free silverites of the locality against
free speech. They had caused IL to be
generally understood that no ''goldbug"
orators would be allowed to speak in
Richmond. and threatened to resort to vio-
lence in order TO enforce the decree"
They were afraid to let the truth be
known. They determined that the people
OF Richmond and vicinity should hear free
silver only, and to enforce the gag rule
upon every representative of the opposite
faith. The scene in the court house yard
Saturday is but a repetition of the out
rage at Carrollton. No.. where a free sill
yer mob howled down Messrs Witten and
sebree. of Kansas City, who were attempt
ing to make sound money speeches, as told
in yesterdays Journal.
Such are the methods of political thugs
and they can have but one effect-to dis
gust every respectable citizen. The out
landish conduct of the free silver rowdies
at Richmond has reacted against them 1t
has made hundreds of converts in Ray
county Tor sound money. and the affront to
Mr.. Garner. who has lived there for years.
is resented by his many friends as an in
community.
When the free silverites of Richmond
learned that 1t was the purpose OF Messrs.
Garner and Palmer to hold sound money
mteting in the court house yard Saturday
snn, sr,ernoon, they ~ at once set about to cir
!. D. Shewalter, rabid repudiationists,
and planned to hold a free silver rally in
the yard at the same time. They hired a
negro quartette TO sing and attempted to
engage the brass band for the occasion,
put, learning that that organization had
oeen enpfoyed oy the SOUND money man
ayers, attempted to bribe the musicians by
Offering them SIS if they would not play
This oner was rejected. The band played
for the sound money meeting.
Mr.. Garner met Shewalter upon his ar.
rival and offered to debate the money
question with him. Shewalter declined. He
then offered to divide time with him. This
was also declined. 1t was not a part of
the scheme. to which he was a party, to
engage in anything 50 fair. His hench-
men plotted to break mp meeting, not to
Introduced by George Schweich, Mr..
Garner arose to speak. His first sentence
was interrupted by booming of anvils
and rabble of shouts from the mob on
the outskirts OF the crowd. Shcwalter the
free silver satellite, shouted at the ton of
his lungs, but his sophistries for the once
tailed tailed, to On. hold the l6 to ! crowd. which
money meeting. For moment it looked
as though there must certainly be serious
trouble; One fellow. who led the mob. car
A young man in the sound money party,
son OF prominent citizen. maddened by
leader and slashed it into shreds with his
knife. The greatest confusion prevailed
An appeal was made to Sheriff Holman to
keep order, but he was helpless. The only
alternative of the sound money people
was to engage in a free fight with the free
silver crowd or adjourn the meeting. They
chose the more dignified course.
The meeting adjourned to meet in the
court house at 7:S0 o'clock in the evening.
InIs SecOnu meeting Was conducted wit h
comparative order. as the officers threat
ened all disturbers with arrest There
were a few extremists present who dis
turbed the proceedings occasionally with
shouts for Bryan. but on the whole COM
pared with the afternoon gathering II was
a orderly and dignified meeting. Mr..
Garner spoke for an hour and a half and
Mr.. Palmer for thirty minutes.
Before MessrS. Garner and Palmer left
Richmond yesterday dozens of the more
Intelligent free silver men were seen Ia
have discarded their Bryan-Sewall badges
They said they had renounced any PARTY
that would aim such palpable and shame
less blows at free speech.
Witfen and ParkensOn's Itinerary
I. A. Witten and John D. Parkinson will
leave Monday on tour of the western
part Of the state, speaking in the interest
of sound money at the following times and
places:
Rich Hill, Tuesday. September Is, 200
p. m.
Panama. Tuesday. September Is, 7:sc
p. m.
Nevada, Wednesday, September 1s. Loo
p. m.
Lamar, Thursday. September II. LOO y. m.
Golden City, Thursday. September II, 7:SC
p. m.
Avilla Friday. September IS, 100 n. m.
Carthage. Friday. September is. 7:30 p. m
Carl Junction, Saturday. September 10,
"ao p. m.
Joplin. Saturday. September 10, 7:so p. m.
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