Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-13
NO FUSION
And Coxey to Lead Say the Ohio Pops Alter
Much Turmoil

Columbus, Ohio, Aug, 1.-THE Popu-
list state convention today. by an over
whelming majority. severed the alli-
ance made year ago with the Democ-
raey on the free silver issue and nomi-
mated full state ticket headed by
Jacob Coxey of Commonweal fame as
the nominee for Governor.
The anti Fusionists swept everything
before them. capturing the temporary
and permanent organizations and all
the committees. The threat of the
Fusionists to explode a bomb in the
convention was not calculated to tenn
per the feeling aroused among the mid
-the-road delegates The report
of the committee on rules and order of
business brought out the promised sen
sation. The report provides that no
speech should exceed five minutes re-
Sardless of the subject discussed Sew
eral delegates protested against this
provision. and an amendment was Of
fered to strike out of the report the
obnoxious section. Peter Witt of Cleve-
land. denounced the committee making
the report and asserted that the CON
vention had been bought out ~ Mark
Hanna. He claimed he had proof that
delegates had been bribed by the Re-
publicans and had the proof provided
he was given an opportunity to pro-
duce it. As Witt waved aloft a pice of
paper which he claimed was a check
given to one of the delegates by an
agent of Mark Hanna, he launched into a
bitted invective against the anti fusion
lists, charging that all of them had been
corrupted by Hanna money. A score OF
delegates crowded around the chair on
md Ia kf &h&,,~1
attempted TO pub Witt off the chair. the
latter struck at the delegate and a melee
ensued in which several blows We're eX
changed and chairs raised aloft in a
threatening manner. policeman pres
ent interrupted hostilites and later
platoon of police reached the hall and
the convention proceeded after quiet had
been restored, with a bluecoat on guard
in each aisle. The police remained until
the convention finally adjourned.
The anti-fusionists were not dismayed
by the charges made and the report OF
the committee on rules and order of bus
mess was adopted in its original FORM
by a vote of $50 to 40. The convention
effected q permanent organization. the
temporary chairman. John Seitz. being
made permanent. The resolutions adopted
re-afiirmed the Populst platforms adopt
ed by the Omaha and st. Louis conven-
tons of the party.
At the afternoon session the following
ticket was named: For Governor, Jacob
C0Xey. Lieutenant Governor, MOTIFS
Whitcomb. supreme judge, ID. c. Pom
eroy; attorney general. G. y. Reider;
state treasurer. +. NJ. Morris.
The convention remained in session un-
til after o'clock, awaiting the report of
the investigating committee, but it wa
not forthcoming. and the convention ad-
iourned sine die, with the understanding
that the committee would report To the
state Committed
Rev. ]. II. Taylor and Hugo Preyor
of Cleveland, both Fusionists Were the
principal witnesses before the investi-
eating committee. Taylor stated that
he has heard the Republicans wer,
spending money to assist the anti-fu-
sion Populists and he determined to
find out the truth of it. He said he went
tosMajor Charles Dick and told him the
Populists were dissatisfied with the