The San Francisco call., 1897-08-12
Wild SCENES TN
A CONVENTION
Populists of Ohio Call
Each Other BoOdlers
and Liars.
Free-for-All Fight Which Is
QueIIed by Squad of
Police.
Fusion Scheme Defeated-Full State
Ticket NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of the Platform.

COLUMBUS, ONO, Aug. IA tre-
mendous sensation was created here to-
night when Hugh Preyor OF Cleveland
former member of the Populist National
Committee, who was summoned before an
investigating committee. admitted that
he had received a check for $25 from Major
Dick. secretary of the National Republican
Committee and who is also Senator Han
na's manager in his Senatorial canvass.
He produced the check which was drawn
on the Ohio National Bank of Washing
ton, d. C.
He said the check was given 10 him in
consideration of services to be rendered
in the effort to defeat fusion with the
Democrats by the Populist State Conven-
ton. On being questioned further Dreyer
said he had kept the check instead of hav-
ing il cashed for the purpose of showing
that Major Dick was willing to debauch
the PopuIists for any good tnat might re-
suit to Mr.. Hanna and the Republican
party.
Rev. ]. A. Taylor was also called to tes-
tify. He said that Major Dick gave him
a check for $25 few days ago, but after
ward cashed the check Tor him himself SO
he could not produce 1t. The n money was
given him to come to CoIum bus and work
against fusion.
1t was also charged that P. J. Fishback
of this city and J. H. NJ. Frederick of
Canton had received money from Dick,
but both denied it and there was no evil
dence produced to substantiate the charge.
The convention was in an uproar all
day, delegates denouncing each other and
nfh
liars. Police had to be present at all ses-
sions to keep peace. The great contest
was over the question of fusion with the
Democrats. Fusion was finally defeated
and all the fusion members of the State
Committee fred and middle-ot-the-road
men put in their places. This ticket was
then nominated:
Governor, General Jacob S Coxey of Stark;
Iieutenant-Governor, Horace Whitcomb OF
Anglaine; Attorney-General, c. A. Reeder,
Wayne County; Judge Supreme Court. C. C.
Pomeroy; State Treasurer, F. NJ. Morris, Stark
County; State School Commissioner, Cyrus
Shook, Butler; member OF State Board of PUB
lie Works. ]. II. Sanders.
C. G. Pomeroy, nominee for Judge, in a
speech said that il he was elected no in
junction against anarchy or anything
else would be issued.
The platform denounces everything Re-
publican and Democratic, assails million
aires, plutocrats and politicians; de-
mands free coinage and government
by law instead Of iniunctions; in
dorses the party platforms adopted
at Omaha and st. Louis; declares 1t to
be high time that the Ohio senator
ship be taken out of the market and from
political auctioneers, who have heretofore
- Il 1
bidder; denounces owners OF public fran
chises as being unfit to represent the plain
people OF Ohio in the United States SEN
ate; extends sympathy to the striking
coal miners and the moral support OF the
party is pledged to aid them in their
struggle; recognition OF the belligerency
of the Cuban patriots is demanded, and
both the administrations of President
Cleveland and President Mckinley are
denounced Tor failing to recognize it.
The session of the convention was one
OF intense excitement from start to finish.
When the delegates were not charging
each other with corruption they were call
ing each other liars, and to break the mo-
notony fTee-for-al fight was engaged in
during the morning session, a nun ber of
blows being exchanged by the delegates,
but no one was seriously injured. A
squad of police had to be called in to QueII
the disturbance. The temper of the dele
gates was such that Chairman Seitz con-
cluded it would be the part of wisdom to
keep the officers on constant duty to pre-
ventany further outbreaks.
The trouble which resulted in fisticuffs
was precipitated by Peter Witt of Cleve-
land making the general charge that the
middle-of- -the-road people were paid
agents of Hanna, and had come with
their pockets filled with money for the
purpose of defeating fusion with the
Democrats and thus aiding the Republl-
can ticket and Hanna in his Senatorial
canvass. The counter-charge was made
by the middle-of- the-road element that
the fusionls;s were in the pay of John P
Mclean or some o: his lleutenants.