The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-19
Morton and Mckinley Men Clash
in New York City.
Convention Primaries Anything
But Harmonious for Morton.
THEY HOOT AND YELL.
One Hundred Policemen at One
Precinct.
Two Separate Conventions Held
on One Platform.

or essional districts of this city, with
the exception of the Sixteenth, the
Repu blicans last night held conven-
tions for the purpose of selecting del
egates and alternates to the national
Repub lican convention. Turbulence
and confusion were the chief charac-
teristics in the Twelfth and Fifteenth
districts.
A wild scene of riot and disorder
m arked the open ing proceedings of
the Fiji teenth congressional district
convention at Rem wick hall. Over
/ 1000 excited men cheered, booted and
yelled at each other, while Police In
spector Car wright, Captain Dean,
four police seargeants and 100 rounds
men and patrolmen vainly endeavored
to restore something like a sem blance
of order. The fight was between the
Platt and Brook6eld factions, with
Governor Morton and Mckinley in the
background. The candidates for ma
tional delegates on the Platt side
were: Excise Com missioner Joseph
Murphy and David Friedsall, and the
alternates, Jefferson A Simonds and
George E. Morey. The Brookfleld
faction had for candida ties, General &.
II. Coils and Robert j. Wright, and
the alternates, George s. Sutton and
Elias Goodman.
Although the total number of dele
gates elected to the convention was
only 594, there were over 1000 men in
the hall at o'clock, when w. R.
Spooner jumped on chair and nom
mated E. S. CIinch as temporary chair
man. Spooner is Brookfieid man,
and the Platt men at once set up a
howl of disapprovaL Pandemonium
broke loose and everyone in the hall
made rush for the platform, and one
faction yelled defiance at the other.
Inspector Cartwright ordered the
crowd back, but was not obeyed, and
the police had to form q line and drive
the delegates and those who were not
delegates away from the platform.
Meanwhile Mr.. Clinch had seized a
gavel and was pounding for order.
Ex-Assemb lyman Otto Irving Wise
shouted that the proceedings were
irregular and that Mr. Clinch had no
right to preside as temporary char
man The proper person to call the
convention to order was Isaac II. New
man, who had been delegated by the
State ommitteer to do SO. Inspector
Cartwright cleared a passage and Mr..
Newman assembled the platform and
stood beside Mr.. Clinch. He called
the meeting to order while Mr.. Clinch,
on behalf of the Brooklyn faction,
continued to pound the table.
Mr.. Newman called upon James
Degnan to act as temporary chairman.
Mr.. Degpan had a hard fight to reach
the platform, but he finally managed
to get there with the assistance of the
police ard hundred or more of Platt
men. Degnan had gavel and the
two temporary chairmen banged away
for dear life, while the crowd contin-
ued to shout, cheer and yell as if they
had gone mad. No one could hear a
word of what the two temporary
L
spective factions, and the men in the
front began to climb on the platform
over the reporters tables. Inspector
Cartwright ordered another charge
by the police and the crowd was
driven back.
Frank Raymond was chosen chair
man of the committee on credent ials
for the Brookfeld people and John
Nc ConaughY was selected chairman
by the Platt side.
Mr.. Frank Raymond moved that the
roll be called, and as the name of each
delegate was mentioned he rose and
declared his vote. The Plattites had
their ballot box and Chairman Degnan
announced that they would vote by
ballot. Out of the 594 delegates the
Platt faction claim their ticket would
be elected by two-thirds vote of the
entire delegation. 1t is not likely
that the vote will be known until to-
day. The delegates were still
voting at midnight. 1t is the first
time that two separate conventions
have been held fIom the same plat
form at the same time in the history
of politics in this city, and it will have
to be determined which faction is en-
titled to have their delegates seated
when the national convention meets
at St. Louis.
There was also a split in the Thir-
teenth district, two sets of delegates
being elected,
Morton delegates were elected in all
of the other districts.