The Portland daily press., 1897-08-12

Senator's.
Columbus, Ohio, August 1.-THE Popu-
list state convention today, by an over
whelming majority, severed the alliance
made year ago with the Democracy
ON the free silver ISSUE and nominated
full state ticket headed by Jacob 3.
Coxey of "Commonweal' fame as the
nominee for governor.
The anti -fusionists swept everything
before them, capturing the temporary and
permanent organizations andsall the com
mittees. The threat of the fusionists to-
explode a bomb in the convention was
not calculated to temper the feeling
aroused among the middle-of- -the-road
delegates. The report of the committee
on rules and order of business brought
out the promised sensation. The report
provided that no speech should exceed
| five minutes regardless of the subject dis
cussed. Several delegates protested against
this provision, and an amendment was
offered to strike out of the report the OBJ
| noxious section. Peter Witt of Cleveland
denounced the committee making the
report and asserted that the convention
has been bought out by Mark Hanna.
| He claimed he had proof that delegates
had been bribed by the Republicans and
had the proof provided he was given a
opportunity to produce. As Witt waved
aloft a piece of paper which he claimed
was a check given to one of the deleg ate
| by an agent Of Mark Hanna, he launched
| into bitter invectiye against the anti
| fusionists, charging that all of them had
been corrupted by Hanna money. A score
of delegates crowded around the chair on
which Witt stood. When one of them
attempted to pull Witt off the chair, the
| latter struck at the delegates and melee
ensued in which several blows were ex-
changed and chairs raised aloft in threat
ening manner. A policeman present in
terrupted hostilities and later platoon
| of police reached the hall and the con-
vention proceeded after quiet had been
restored, with @ blue coat on guard in
each aisle. The police remained until
the convention adjourned finally.
The anti-fusionists were not dismayed
by the charges made and the report of
the committee on rules and order of bust
ness was adopted in its original form by
vote of 536 to 170. The convention effect
ed permanent organization, temporary
chairman John Seirz, being made perma-
nent. The resolutions adopted re-afflrn
the Populist platform by the Omaha and
ST. Louis conventions of the party.
At the afternoon session the following
ticket was nominated: For governor
Jacob S. Coxey; lieutenant governor
Morris Whitcomb; supreme judge, d. G.
Pomeroy; attorney general CA. Reider;
state treasurer, +. M. Morris.
The convention remained in session un-
til after O'Clock awaiting the report of
the investigating committee, but 1t was
not forthcoming and the convention ad-
journed sine die with the understand
ing that the committee would report to
Rev. J. 81. Taylor and Hugo Preyor
of Cleveland both fusionists were the
principal witnesses before the investigat-
ing committee Taylor stated that he had
heard the Republicans were spending
money to assist the anti-fusion Populists
and he determined to find out the truth
of it, He said he went to Major Charles
Dick and told him the Populists were
dissatisfied with the Democratic campaign
and suggested that the fusion might be
broken up. He referred to Hugo Preyor
as prominent Populist, whose services
would be worth securing and arranged
for a conference later between Major
Dick, Preyor and himself. He claimed,
Major Dick agreed to pay the expenses
of headquarters, literature, etc., for the
anti-fusion Populists at the state con-
vention. Major Dick asked them if they
needed any money for expenses and
Preyor said he did not. Taylor accepted
$25 and a railroad ticket. Preyor stated
to the committee that he had later writ
ten to Dick for money to pay his expen-
ses and had received check for s25
signed by Charles Dick and drawn on
the Ohio National bank of Washington,
D. c.. which was submitted as evidence.