Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-08
THREE CONVENTIONS HELD
Two of Them Declared f. Mckinley, the Other
 wass ent.
THE VAuGHAES DELEGATION BoLTtD
Moseley's Cry z Forced Parker From the Stand at e Point of Several Guns and t ..eConvention Wound Up
 in Free Fight

Gadsden, April 7.-(Special)-Th re- publlcans of the Seventh Alabama Con- gressional district held three conventions here. today, and three sets of delegates were elected to the St. Louis convention and as many district executive commit teemen were elected. The official call for the convention provided that 1t should be held at the court house at 12 m. At that time the front and rear entrances were guarded by police, and only those delegates who had credentials from the regular county conventions were admit ted. The contesting delegations were made to stay outside.
 Owen T. Homes selected temporary chairman by the executive committed called the meeting to order and proceeded to read the official call. At the same time Charles D. Alexander mounted the stand and read another call. Alexander and Frank Morague of this city are both can didates for delegate to St. Louis the for mer for William Vaughan for state chair man and anti-fusion and the latter for R. A. Moseley for state chairman and fusion.
 The followers of Alexander elected M. F. Parker chairman and the followers of Morague seated Holmes as chairman. The Moseley crowd forced Parker from the stand at the point of several guns and precipitated a general row, which was quelled by the sheriff.
 Both factions appointed committees on credentials and while these were out speakers were called for. Several re- sponded and at one time Moseley and Vaughan were speaking within feet of each other. Moseley finally gave way and Vaughan made an eloquent plea for harmony. When he quit calls were made Tho raenandfad saying: If make speech I'll spill ev- cry drop of my blood before I'll be inter- rupted." At this point Chairman Parker called for the regular order of business and Morague knocked him from his seat and picked up the seat and carried It out of the room.
 The meeting wound up in a general fight, Tn which Parker and W. H. Stan- differ of Gadsden passed several blows, A number of pistols were drawn and the sheriff was again called upon to restore order. The Vaughan men then walked out and held convention of their own. They seated thirty-two delegates, all of whom made affidavits that they com posed the regular convention, and they proceeded to transact business They elected c. D. Alexander and John s. Cur tis delegates to St. Louis and denounced Moseley and his crowd in the strongest terms.
 The Moseley people elected Frank Mor- ague and John Ezzell delegates to St. Louis.
 The negroes held separate convention and elected delegates. They denounced "fusion or cooperation as destructive to our party. All of It's tendencies are to- ward disruption, Reorganization and so- cialism. This. we charge, Is the result of so many factions and cliques as shown by the contests In the south Thise clans are held together simply for federal loaves and fishes"
 Then followed resolutions indorsing Mckinley for president, first, last and all the time, and defending the white men for deserting the party.
 Two of the conventions indorsed Me- Kinley; the other indorsed no one. It was general republican row, and only by the interference of city and county authorities was bloodshed prevented.