The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-26
FEELING RUNS HIGH.
Gold Delegates Today March to
another Hall
To Hold a Separate Convention
Without Silver Delegates.

Boston. Sept. 26.-Not for eighteen
years at least, if ever in the history Of
the Democratic party in Massachusetts,
has the day of state convention
dawned with so many sensational pre-
liminaries to the formal organization
of the assembly o delegates and so
much uncertainty as to be the deveI-
opments of the convention.
AS result of the refusal of the
state committee, which is controlled by
the gold standard men to admit dele
gates to the convention hall by creden,
tials alone and not by ticket and the
sensational speech of George Fred Will
halns, the silver leader and candidate
for the Democratic nomination for gov
ernOr, daylight found over 500 silver
delegates entrenched in Music hall
where the convention was to meet at
II O'Clock, determined to remain un-
til the meeting adjourned, in spite of all
opposition, while the state committee
of the gold men were in conference at
the Quincy House trying to formulate
plan to get the belligerents out of the
hall and meet the emergency.
In 1878, when Gen. B. F. Butler was
the Greenback candidate for governor
his supporters captured the conven-
tiOn hall and adopted similar plans for
holding it until the convention organ
lied, but even that contest was not so
replete in unique and sensational feat
ures as the fight inaugurated last night
by Mr.. Williams and his followers.
When the silver men announced last
night that they intended to remain in
the hall until the convention was over,
a large force of the police began to form
on one side of the hall and on the street
near by and it was rumored that the
delegates would be elected by the Off
GERS.
But representatives of the silver men
conferred with General Martin of the
board Of police, and in spite of the ef-
forts of the gold men to secure an order
for the election of the opposition dele
gates, the blue coats We're instructed
to withdraw and the waiting silver men
proceeded to kill time by speech max
ing, card playing and singing.
Then the manager Of the building re-
quested them to disperse and when
they refused policemen were stationed
at the doors under orders to allow any
one who wished to go out, but not to
permit any to return Caterers bearing
a lunch ordered by the silver cohorts
We're refused admission, and then the
tired and hungry politicians began to
exercise their ingenuity in an effort to
smuggle refreshments, into the build
ing.
JAMES HUGHES KILLED.
The most tragic and serious incident
of the night resulted from those per-
sistent attempts to secure supplies.
James Hughes. a delegate from SOmer-
vile, lost his life in endeavoring to get
out of the hall by a fire escape in the
rear. Hughes was preparing to jump
to the ground, Is feet below, when his
foot slipped, and in trying to save him
self, he seized a wire dangling near
The wire was a live one, and with an
agOnized cry, Hughes fell Senseless on
the fire escape and then Iumbled to the
ground where he died before any one
could reach him.
News of the accident reached the del
egateS within the hall and they were
aroused to the highest pitch of excite
ment when Mr.. J. N Mellen announced
# from the platform and declared that
1t was a murder for which the old
members Of the state committee were
responsible.
There were several speeches in crit
icism of the committee and resolutions
on the death Of Mr.. Hughes were final
" agreed upon to be presented to the
convention today. The gathering soon
quieted down again while card
playing was resumed by many, but the
majority went to sleep. Soon after a
break was made in the lines of the en-
erny at some unknown point and large
baskets of sandwiches and cans of cOf-
fee were carried into the hall. Evident
ly there was secret entrance by which
delegates could return to the hall, for
the number slowly increased toward 6
o'clock and an hour later MIR. T. w
Coakley reported that a roll call show
ed that $50 delegates with credentials
were present. At 2:5o a m there were,
apparently, no more than 800 in the
building.
Shortly after o'clock Secretary Ma
than @. Robinson Of the state commit
tee, gold man, appeared at the hall
and asked the managers if they would
be ready to deliver the hall cleared of
the silver men to the committee at IL
o'clock. the hour at which the conven-
tion was scheduled to open
Manager Mudgett stated that there
were over 500 men in the hall who had
credentials to the convention as dele
gates and he did not see how he could
legally remove them Secretary Rob
Ans0n then retired and proceeded to the