The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-08
Convention Hall Now Guarded by Po-
lice, Who Are Charged with Hav-
lng Assisted I'm the Assault.
CAUSE OF THE BLOODY AFFAIR
DESIRE TO PREVENT FUSION WITH
DEMOCRATS AND POPULIsTS.
State Delegates of the Three Parties
on the Scene-PrOspect Of To-
Days Conventions.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Col, Sept. IA
pitched battle occurred in this city at day.
break to-day between the two factions of
the Silver Republican party of this State,
in which one man was killed and three
wounded. The dead man is Charles s. Har-
ris of Denver, an employe at Denver of the
Gulf Railway. The wounded were removed
by their friends and their identity has not
been definitely established. 1t is said that
a man named Palmer was shot in the cheek
but not seriously injured. Another man had
his hand shot nearly off and another re-
ceived a flesh wound in the arm.
The fight was waged for the possession of
the opera house, in which the Silver Repub-
lican state convention is to meet tomorrow.
An armed guard, representing the Teller
Blood wing, was in possession. An armed
force, representing the faction deposed by
National Chairman Towne, was sent to
drive the guard out of the theater. After q
hot scrimmage, in which many shots were
fired, the Tellerites fed in dismay. Harris
and the men who were wounded are sup
posed to have been members of the attack
ing force Chairman Blood, A. M. Steven
son and other leading Silver Republicans
openly charge Sheriff Boynton of this coun-
ty, and Internal Revenue Collector Frank
Howbert. Of Denver, with leading the at
tack. Sheriff Boynton states that he, Mr.
Howbert and Chief of Police Gathright did
not go to the opera house until the battle
began and then only to take possession of
the place. Five men We're arrested in the
opera house and one, it is claimed by the
police, had smoking Winchester in his
hands. The prisoners are: Walter Russell,
J. w. Lupton. j. J. Long, A G. Smith and
A. +. Monge, all of Cripple Creek. They
are charged with the murder of Harris and
informations were filed in the District Court
against them. A guard of twenty men, un-
der Boynton and Gathright, hold the opera
house and the Teller people are refused ad-
mission. In published statement Chairman
Blood intimated that l. N Stevens, vice
chairman of the National Silver party dur
ing the last presidential campaign, and 9TH
ers arranged with gang of thugs to come
from Denver and assist in capturing the
theater. Mr.. Stevens brands this statement
as absolutely false" and says he knows
nothing whatever about the opera house al
fair.
At 1 o'clock this morning the Wolcott-
Broad faction applied to Judge Lunt for a
writ of mandamus compelling Chairman
Blood, who was appointed by National
Chairman Towne to succeed Chairman
Broad, removed, and to turn the building
over to ex-Chairman Broad. The writ
was refused. "At 4:10 o'clock this morn
ing," said ex-Mayor Plumb, I'VE were in
side the opera house. There were twenty
two of us. Suddenly a fusilade of shots was
fired through both the front and side DOORS
Then in second the doors were burst open
and in rushed from seventy-five to one hum
dred men. There was constant firing in all
parts of the hall, we replying as best we
could. / saw one man fall shot through the
lungs. They carried him to the balcony and
laid him down. He died in a few minutes.
Another man was injured. We were forced
out of the building Sheriff Boynton and
Chief of Police Gathright were in the front
ranks of the attacking party
The police ard sheriff's officers claim that
the attack was made entirely by men
brought from Denver. They say they only
rushed in after the attack began. 1t is a
peculiar fact. however, that they were all
on hand. Chairman Blood has issued a
statement In which he says that rumors
had reached him that ex-Chairman Broad
l. n. Stevens and Dewitt c. Webber ar
ranged with a gang of thugs to come from
Denver and cooperate with Sheriff Boynton
the convention hall and turning it over to
the ant-Teller faction so that they may
organize and control the convention to-
morrow. Mr.. Blood says that the armed
force which entered the opera house was
headed by Sheriff w. S. Boynton and Frank
Howbert. collector of internal revenue, and
policemen in uniform and that four or five
of the men who were in possession of the
hall were arrested without any warrant or
process of law whatever and thrown into
Jail.
Ex-Chairman Broad says he was justified
in taking forcible possession of the opera
house under a lease made him Aug 80
which Manager Nye violated by turning it
over to Charles S. Sprague.
Sheriff Boynton allowed the men from
Denver who participated in the riot to leave
the city unmolested. A majority of the
mob who attacked the theater went 10 Dem
Yer by the first train. The police and other
authorities claim TO be ignorant of the
identity of the murderers. After battering
in the doors seventy-five men rushed into
the building, shooting revolvers The cell
ing is full of bullet holes. The attacking
party shot into the air with a hope OF
frightening the guards into submission
The guards were scattered in groups about
the auditorium where they could best COM
mand the entrance, and they returned the
fire. Those who participated intimate that
no less than $50 shots were fred in the opera
house within a few minutes The smoke
was so dense in a moment that all shots
were at random The attacking party final
ly reached the center OF the house and the
guards fled to the street.
Harris. who fell with a bullet through
the abdomen. died soon altar ha was shot