The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-13

lHc uHCAptCAtu ldI'IcIci "ieu dL
nearly midnight, after hours Of wrans-
ling, OF disorder and confusion such as
never has been witnessed before in
party convention in this state. the anti
Watts forces threw up their hands and
surrendered.
1t was not done gracefully. Up 10
within five minutes before John 7. Nc
Graw mounted the stage and informed
the convention that the names OF Smith
and Bennett would not be presented to
the convention. the bitter warfare that
existed from the very start of the con-
ventlon, wns waginG as tlerccly as ever.
There We're ordinations and rrcrimina-
tions and the aid of the sergeant-at-
arms was more than once invoked.
Leading Democrats said the scenes were
disgracful.
The cause OF the defeat OF the anti
Watts people was that they did not have
enough votes. They had gained steadi-
ly and could an adjournment have been
taken until to-day they might have sue
ceeded in their purpose. The organized
forces OF the state house ring were able
10 prevent an adjournment
Colonel McGraw's speech withdrawing
Bennett ard Smith was n0ticeably cold
and Indifferent and there was not one
word of commendation of Watts In It.
The antI-Wntts people did not join In
the demonstration that was made.
To sum 1t all UP, the Ch!ltons and their
0filcc-h0lding syndicate AZ Charleston
maintain their grip on the Democratic
party in West Virginia. The better el-
emcnt has been downed and the corrupt
machine they were fighting !nSthe inter-
| est OF the party organization is on top,
- The COTTON OF the Waits. "a ctios Eh Ssi-,
Ing apwn'Es propesHhsE from the Pop!
ul!S,s will prove n sorry thing for Mr..
Watts as the campaign progresses.
The situation at the adjournment at
1ij this morning, with regard TO the
authorship contest, was decidedly
mixed: with nine candidates before the
convention it Is impossible to predict
the result The anti-Watts people seem
TO have centred most of their support
on Boggs,, though Sommers and Brown
will get some of 1t. Boggs and SOM
mers are regarded us the leading candi-
dates. and 1t will not be surprising II
several of the candidates are withdrawn
this morning as result of combiua-
tIons and deals that will be made In tho
meantime. Geography will have much
10 do with the settlement Of the qucs-
tion.
The Populiste are very indignant at
the treatment they received at the hands
of the Watts crowd and he will setvery
| few OF their votes. even should Ralph
snyder not remain In the field. They
| are not satisfied with Watts silver pro-,
fessions and do not regard him as q SIN
Cere convert.
The scenes In tho convention In the last
| twh hours before adjournment were dis,
graceful In the extreme. 1t was howl,
ing, dIsorder!y crowd. 1t was with the
greatest difficulty that adjournment was
secured. When the final motion was
put the storm Of noes indicated that the
motion Was lost, but he disgusted chair
| man. declared the convention adjourned
and that settled IT.
There, are many sore spots left. The
anu-Watts people refuse TO talk only
| saying that II the Democracy, OF West
| Virginia wants to be run by the Charles
ton gang they hope 1t will get enough
| of It.
The opening of tie first session OF the
state Democratic c9nvention was some
| what tame and there was little en-
thus!asm invoked by the speech of
Temporary Chairman Wiley. This was
| due however, to the fact that the
crowd which packed every foot OF
| available space In the auditorium ardL
| the duorwNys was swelterlrg from slr@
| heat, and had NOT Gained down suf!i-
| cI-ntly to realize the full benefit Of the.
| delightful breeze which perTaded.i thcf
hall and made 1t an ideal convention
| place. :. 80.
Alter The delegates got cooled Off by
| theEc zop.syrs their spirits revived AND
| the usual convention enthusiasm broke
out several times during the subsequent
| preliminary proceedings. The first real
| outburst Of cheers came when General.
ST. Clair read message Of congrat-.
ulntton and. cheer Ia Candidate Bryan
| and moved that itgb be tcleE'anhod to,
| him To Madison Square Garden, New
| York. Thc sllvrritrS went Wild and
gave evidence that they had on tap
! r!enty of enthusiasm for their cause.
All fuctional troubles had been tenl-,
| porarily lNA inside. but IT was only the
calm before the storm which was erew.-l
Ing and which would burst rs soon as
| the convention should Ge; down to the
business which would involve the con-
test for supremacy and control OF, tho
state machine.
The scenes that followed on the mo-.
| tIGn to adjourn until $50 O'Clock, were
dagrNceful and az Iully described In
| the proceedings wrrc anything but
harmonious. II was the first big fight
| between the factions and was sisnth-
cant of nothing except that a very bad
| fA1lInty nyigtnI