The herald., 1897-08-12
BUCKEYE
POPULISTS
Sit Down Hard on a FuS=
ion Program
COXEY, THE COMMONWEALTH
CHOSEN TO LEAD THE HOSTS TO
VICTORY
Charges Made That Hanna's Money
Paid the Price of the Anti
Fusion Program
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
COLUMBUS, o., Aug. 11.-Fusion was
repudiated today by the Populists of
Ohio in a manner SO emphatic as to
leave no chance for controversy regard
ing the future policy of the party. The
Populist state convention by an over
whelming majority severed the alliance
made a year ago with the Democracy on
the free silver issue and nominated a
full state ticket headed by Jacob Coxey
of commonweal fame as the nominee for
governor.
Turbulent scenes marked the opening
of the convention this morning. The
anti-fusionists had swept everything
before them, capturing the temporary
and permanent organizations, and they
were on their mettle. Nor was the pol
icy adopted by the fusionists calculated
| to temper the feeling which had been
aroused among the middle-of the-road
delegates. The threat of the fusionists
to explode bomb in the convention was
like Haunting a red flag, and when the
convention assembled the delegates
were ready for any surprise that might
| De sprung. IIle TepOrl VI TIRE COiiihiittSc
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
discussed Several delegates Joined in
protest against this provision, claiming
that it was contrary to the fundamental
principles of the Peoples party, and an
amendment was reported to strike out
/ of he 0hpnYipIIS section FL
nally Peter Witt of Cleveland secured
recognition from Chairman Seitz and.
mounting a chair, proceeded to denounce
the committee making the report and
| asserted that the convention had been
bought out by Mark Hanna He claimed
he had proof that delegates had been
bribed by the Republicans and he had
the proof, provided he was given an op-
portunity to produce it. The matter
| could not be presented in five minutes,
nor discussed in that time, and he
charged that the committees report was
aimed to prevent it. AS Witt waved
aloft in his hand piece of paper which
| he claimed was check that had been
given to one of the delegates by an agent
of Mark Hanna, he launched into bitter
| invective against the anti-fusionists,
| charging that all of them had been cor
rupted by Hanna money. score of
delegates were on their feet in an in
slant, crowding around the chair on
which Witt stood. When one of the del
egates attempted to pull Witt off the
chair the latter sruck the delegate and
general melee ensued, in which several
| blows were exchanged and chairs raised
aolft in threatening manner. po-
liceman who was present rushed in and
| interrupted hostilities and few minutes
| later platoon of police reached the con-
vention hall and Witt proceeded, after
quiet had been restored, with bluecoat
in each aisle The police remained until
| the convention took final adjournment.
The anti-fusionists were not in the
least dsmayed by the charges that had
been made and the. report of the commit
| tee on rules and order of business was
adopted in its original form by vote of
535 to 10, which was the first accurate
showing of the relative strength of the
| factions.
The convention then effected perma-
nent organization: Temporary chair
man. John Seitz, of Tiffin and Temporary
Secretary A. S. Leightwater of New
Philadelphia being made permanent Of
fcers. From that time on the fusionists,
| lHUuSu III lH6 w SIe very iiluCil
in evidence, but their efforts resulted in
nothing except to delay the proceedings
of the convention.
The resolutions adopted reaffirm the
Populist platforms adopted by the
Omaha and ST. Louis conventions and
take issue on several matters of local
interest.
Before the morning session closed
raeO1,,tiop uas iptroducad providipo for
the appointment of committee to in
vestigate charge made on the floor of
the convention, that delegates had been
corrupted. The fusionists who made the
charge opposed an investigation by a
committee. claiming that it should be
done in open convention.
Peter Witt was, one of the five men
appointed on the committee.
At the afternoon session the following
state ticket was nominated:
Governor-Jacob S. Coxey of Stark
county.
Lieutenant-governor - Morris Whit
comb, Tuscarawas county.
Supreme Judged. c. Pomeroy
Attorney -general-C. A. Rider Wayne
county.
State treasurer-F. X. Morris, Au-
glaize county.
The convention remained in session
until after o'clock awaiting the re-
port of the investigating committee, but
it was not Forthcoming, and the con-
vention adjourned sine die, with the
understanding that the committee
would report to the state central COM
mittee.
Rev. J. H. Taylor and Hugo Preyor
of Cleveland. both fusioniets, were the
principal witnesses before the nvesti-
eating committee. Taylor stated that
he had heard that the Republicans were
spending some money to assist the anti
fusion Populie'ts, 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 pemocratic campaign. and suggest