The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-26
LVGRI9HS gone MAD.
Williams Mob in Boston
Holds the Convention
Hall All Night.
GOLD MEN WILL NOMINATE. TOO
Scenes Of Tumult and Disorder
Big Batch Of Committee
designations.

Music Hall last night and this morning.
Acting under the direct advice OF Hon
George Fred Williams, the free silver
leader Of the State, his friends seized the
hall and took possession of it after the
adjournment Of the rally at which Can
didate Bryan had spoken. Their pur-
pose, as openly announced, was to re-
main in possession of the han until the
Democratic State convention assembled
this forenoon, the determination being
the result of the charge made by Mr.
Williams that the State Committee lead
ers intended to pack the hall in the inter-
est of the men opposed to the Chicago
platform and candidates
The Democratic State Central Commit
tee was in session at the Quincy House
making up the committees for the conven-
ton today, when the Williams men seized
the hall, and when news of the affair
reached the committee it caused a sensa-
tion. The charges made by Mr. VIII
Jams rejecting upon the integrity Of the
committee were vigorously denounced.
and his claim that ne had demanded of
the committee that credentials serve as
admission tickets to the hall and that
this demand had been refused, was
branded by members of the committee
as false
Al the conclusion of the meeting in
Music Hall last night, Secretary Denni-
son, Of the Bryan-Sewall-W Williams Club,
stepped to the front of the platform and
requested that the delegates present wis
We're TO participate in today's convention
should remain in the hall and formulate
a plan of procedure in the convention.
He said the friends of Mr.. Williams
We're determined that the machine
should not capture the convention in the
morning. James II. Mellen, of Worcester
urged the delegates present to remain in
the hail and defied Mayor Quincy and
the agent of the building to eject the
delegates and their friends He said he
would hold the hall peaceably, but if re-
quired would use force He referred to
a meeting of a similar character in
Worcester about twenty years ago in the
interests of General B. r. Butler. Other
speakers followed with expressions of
adherence to the Williams cause and
some 600 persons remained in the hall.
Some fifty policemen. who had been on
duty at the rally, were lined against the
west wall of the auditorium Timothy
w. Coalxley, a strong anti-machine man.
declared to the delegates that the officers
of the law had no power to evict them
from the hall
Meanwhile Alderman John HI. Lee and
John Fl. Sullivan Of the State Commit
tee had gone to Police Headquarters in
an effort to have orders issued fos- the
vacatiag of the hall. Mr.. Dennison of the
Bryan n-SeWall Williams Club also called
at headquarters and an animated discus
esrsrz 1.
hall was indulged In. Some very vigorous
language was used by the opposing gem
tlemen; It was finally stated by the po-
lice officials that they had no authority
to interfere with the persons who were
in the hall.
The policemen, therefore, under orders
the delegates and their guests cheered
wildly Several speeches were made in
denunciation of what was termed an eff
fort Of the State Committee to freeze out
At 1890 A NJ. Mr.. Mudgett agent of
the hall, took the platform and announe-
Sewall- Williams Club, under whose au-
spices the Bryan rally had been held ex-
pired at u O'Clock, and he asked that
greeted with yells of protest and the dele
gates did not vacate the hall.
1t was shortly afterward announced by
had been ordered and would be quickly at
hand. and more speech making followed.
Agent Mudgett meanwhile had de-
cided on plan of energetic action. He
secured the services of two officers, and
those with one of his assistants were
stationed at the door of the hall. They
were instructed to permit any person
inside who wanted to do so to leave the
hall, but nobody was to be allowed to
enter. Many of the delegates had come
out into the street for breath of fresh
air. but when they tried. to reenter the
hall they were bluntly refused admission.
Protests were of no avail. The locked
outside
tried to enliyen the occasion with speech
es, but there was a general desire TO rest
their tired limbs. and many of the dele
gates sought to get a nap on the hard
was delegated to make a final attempt
to get some food to the famished dele
gates by any means possible. The commit
tee returned in Short time with large
supply of eatables They again besought
the officers at the door to permit them
to carry the food into the hall, but all
vain The policemen had strict orders
from Mr. AIudgett in the matter and they
followed them to the letter.
This was also the fate of the man with
Mudgett would not allow him to so into
the hall with his goods. The protests OF
the hungry men, gathered in a body
about the locked doors. did not move the
departed
About 80 O'Clock the gallery lights and
many others in the hall were turned of
by the agent, leaving the big auditorium
in a state of almost entire obscurlty
The people within were in very un-
comfortable mood. many Of them not
having eaten anything since the previous |
afternoon and then only scantily.
Many delegates We're leaving the hail. |
being unable 10 stand the strain longer
At last about four o'clock, those who had |
planned and worked to smuggle in some
food were successful. Big buckets of /
sandwiches We're handed in through a /
window in the ticket office, on the Ham |
flten place entrance.
Just how the supply got through the |
enemy's line at this point Is a mystery, /
but the hungry men in the hall did not I
stop TO consider this point and pouuced |
upon the eatables with q vengeance. AZ +
spirit of renewed animation seized the /
people in the hall after they had had /
something to eat and they danced sang,
played cards and made merry generally
At seven o'clock this morning there 4
were still about 1e0 delegates IN the hsll /
The convention was scheduled to meet |
at II A. M.
The Democratic State Committee took 1
its first step in The morning when Secfe-
tary N G. Robinson, of the COMMITTEES. /
Mudgett, the agent of Music Hail. for lis
delivery to him, as the renres fasige Of I
the regular organization. MIR. NfuageTt I
said he would be pleased to comply with |
tha wishes of the State Committee. but |
he could not give up the hall as It was I
already occupied. He had called ls43an /
The police, he said. and as rs action haa /
been taken he was pawerless- Robinson /
returned to the Quincy House where the I
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