New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-27
GEORGE FRED WILLIAMS.


m possession of the hall until the Democratic
State Convention assembled this forenoon, that
determination being the result of the charge
made by Mr.. williams that the State Commit
tee leaders intended to pack the hall in the in
ts,est of the men opposed to the Chicago plat
form and candidates
The Democratic State Central Committee was
In session at the Quincy House. making up the
committees for the convention to-day, when the
Williams men seized the hall. and when news or
the affair reached the committee it caused
sensation. The charges made by Mr. Wlillams'
rejecting upon the integrity Of the COMMITTED
were vigorously denounced, and his assertion
that he had demanded of the committee that
credentials serve admission tickets to the hall
ard that this demand had been refused was
branded by members of the committee as raise
At the conclusion of the meeting in Music
Han last night Secretary Denniscn, of the
Bryan-Sewall- Williams Club. stepped TO tne
front Of the platform and requested that the
delegates present who were to participate IN 70
day's convention should remain in the hall ana
formulate plan of procedure in the convention.
He said the friends of Mr. Williams were
determined that the machine sfoWo not
capture the convention in the morning
THREATS OF FORCIBLE RESISTANCE.
James H. Mellen. of Worcester, urged the dele
gates present to remain in the hall, and deheo
Mayor Quincy and the agent of the building 10
eject the delegates and their friends He would
hold the hall peaceably, but. if required would
use force. He referred to meeting OF a similar
character in Worcester about twenty years ago
IN the interests Of General b. +. Butter.
Other sneakers followed with expressions or ad-
herence to the Williams cause, and some ooo per
sons remained in the hall. About ffty pohceinen1
who had been on duty at the rally were insu t.
against the west wall OF the auditorium. Ilmothy
T. Coakley a strong Anti Machine man, declared
TO the delegates that the officers or the law hau
no power t. evct them from the haiL ,,
Meanwhile Alderman John ii. Lee anu Joiih
U Sullivan of the State Committee had gone 10
Police Headquarters in an effort TO nave orueIs
issued for the vacatng of the hall Mr.. Denhi-
son of the Bryan -Sewall- Williams Club, also
called at headquarters and an animated u,scuS
sion over the seizure of the convention hall took
place Some vigorous language was used ana IL
as finally stated by the police officials that they
had no authority to interfere with the persons
who were in the hall -.
The policemen. therefore. under orders from
Captain Gaskin, left the hall and the delegates
and their guests cheered wildly. Several speeches
were made in denunciaton OF what was termed
an effort Of the State Committee to freeze out the
Williams man. ,
At 1870 a. m Mr. Mudeett. agent of the hall.
took the platform and announced that the lease
cf the hall to the Bryan Sewall- Wllllams Club'
under whose auspices the Bryan rally had been
held expired at - o'clock, and he asked that the
hail be vacated His remarks were greeted with
veiis ri nrotest and the delegates did not leave
the hall
STARVING OUT THE GARRISON.
II was announced shortly afterward by Mr..
Coaklev that a supply of sandwiches had been
ordered and would soon be at hand, and more
snoechmaking followed. Mudgett, the agent.
meanwhile had decided on plan of energetic
action He secured the services of two officers,
and these. with one of his assistants were sta
toned at the door Of the hall They were in
structed to permit any person inside VINO wanted
10 do so to leave the hall, but nobody was 10 De
allowed to enter Many Of the delegates had
come out into the street for breath OF lresn ar
hut when they tried to re-enter the hall ADMIT
tance was blandly refused to them Protests
were Of no avail.
This was the fate Of the man with the sand
wlches and coffee. Mr.. Mudgett would not aIIow
him 10 20 into the hall. The protests OF the
hungry men, gathered in a body about the iocKed
doors. did not move the agent, ana the saho"ic"
man departed.
About 30 o'clock the gallery lights and many
others in the hall were turned off by the agent,
leaving the big auditorium in a state OF Amos. @
entire darkness. The people within were IN an
uncomf ble mood many Of them not having
eaten anything since the previous AFTERNOON NJ, .l,,
Coakey Mr. Mellen and others trieo 10 ei,e'' ~
the occasion with speeches put the!e de,asstes
eral desire to rest. and man! OF the oe'ee
sought 10 get a nap on the hard settees. .,
About 2 o'clock a committee was oees a, $50
to make final desperate attempt 10 se, aams aois
food to the famished delegates by any hleaiI.
possible The committee returned IN Snoi. %
time with a large supply or eataoles. i,
again DeSought the OffcerS at tne uooi ~ -
them TO carry the food into the halI put aii
their entreaties were in vain. - ~
Many delegates were leaving the hall. belng
una Bile TO stand the strain longer. AT last ABOUT
O'clock those who had planned and worked
10 smuggle in some food were successful SIX
baskets Of sandwiches were handed In through
& window in the ticket office on the Hamilton
Place entrance Just how the supply got
through the enemys line is mystery, but tne
hungry men In the hall did not stop 10 consider
this point and pounced upon the eatables win
a vengeance. 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 I o'clock
this morning there were still about 100 dele
gates in the hall
MESSAGE FROM GEORGE FRED.
big crowd Of delegates friendly to Mr.. Will
lens gathered outside Of Music Hall, in Winter
Pl>ce and Hamilton Place hoping to get In.
Mr. Williams was among them. He sent the
tollowing message TO the delegates inside:
0entlemen: am extremely grateful 70 the IoyaI
81 fn Who are making this great sacrince' ana
the other delegates will be with you as soon as
hail is open. Bryan Is dengnteu VIII VIII on SOni
y. ices ready and the vote prepared ana ,r, rsns
wtn a6sng I'LL our majority is In the halL Iheh
ovtselWl everything they have done ~ - Iepoi,,,
~ Tf inat the State Committee VIII h0t cdn
s@ Stntion 10 order until the hall - cleared,
sH IN advising the delegates outside the nan 70
se;h t~ nmittee tickets and go with them 10 the
.aH ..sH ~ are shut out we must call our cohVen-
nonto and proceed. Those who cannot get In
.uN outside and get In afterward AS we
nusxn