Evening journal., 1896-05-13
FIGHTS IN CONVENTION
The Missouri Republicans Use
Their Fists Freely.
OHAUNoEYI. FILLEY FACTION WINS

ST. JOSEPH, Mo, May 13 Chauncey I.
Filley is away ahead as the result of the
proceedings in the Republican state CON
yention.
There was a riotous wrangle about ad-
mission tickets at the start. John l.. Bit.
finger, representing r.. G. Kerens, got
possession Of the keys to the opera house
and undertook to limit the number of
tickets given to the state committee for
distribution. The sergeantat at arms was
Filley man, however, and in the end his
friends got In and had things their own
way
Filley obtained control of the credentials
committee, Joe Mccoy being chosen chair
man and the faction having a clear ma.
jority Of the committee Filley was given
another strong advantage by the commit
tee on organization adopting rule that
candidates for delegates at large should be
voted for separately. Representative Bart
lett was made chairman. He is tilley
partisan.
An angry mob of 5000 men were bat
Ting with 80 policemen for admission to
the opera house 10 minutes before tho con-
vention met.
The mob at the entrance of the building
was rapidly increased and grew more de-
iiant The police beat them back with
their clubs At the front were the los
Kerens delegates from St Louis with
Colonel Korens, G. II. Spencer, Thomas
W. Booth and Nat Frank as their leaders,
brayely combating the police. They had
been given tickets Of admission by Bit
finger and were trying to make a rush for
the seats allotted to the St. Louis delega-
tion, which the state committee had as.
signed to the Filley delegates.
The confusion was worse cunfounded
when Major Bittinger found the proprie-
tor OF the opera house, gave him $3.50 for
tho use Of the building, was handed the
keys and locked the newspaper men and
telegraph operators in the building
scantling Used In the Melee.
An assault was made by tho Filleyites
on the back door, but they We're ropulsed
by the guard who used a seantling.
Finally a compromise was effected and
Chairman Filley led the state committee
through the front door. The mob that
choked up the street cheered liked madmen
when they saw his hat.
No Keronsites were admitted with this
crowd Filley led the small procession to
the stage and looked out on a sea of empty
seats, except the few occupied by favored
delegates
The Filley delegation from st. Louis
was the first admitted. The Kerens dele
gates held their places in the line on the
outside and set up a mighty howl when
they saw the Filley men pass the guards
at the door.
More than hundred fights occurred in
the crowd outside the building. Some of
them partook Of the nature of small sized
riots
The committee wrangles continued for
several hours, when majority and minori-
ty reports were presented by the creden-
tials committee After "A long fight the
majority report was adopted and the 10S
F'illey delegates from St Louis were seat
ed. Contests from Clay and Pike counties
were also settled in Filley's favor.
The platform favors reciprocity and
protection and demands sound money.
The delegates were instructed for Mckin-
ley for president. No other presidential
candidate was mentioned Wild applause
greeted MeKinley's name.