Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-09-07
FATAL FACTION FIGHT.
Colorado Politicians Use Guns In an
Opera House.
T0WNE CAUSED COLLISION.
As National Chairman He Had Removed
Richard Broad From Chairmanshtp
Of State Committee, and Broad's
Friends Tried to Seiso Hall.

Colorado Springs, Colo, Sept. S.-The
political war between the factions OF
the Silver Republican party has result
ed in the death of Charles Harris OF
Denver. One faction tried to capture
the opera house, which was guarded by
the Sprague faction. A rush was made
by IS or 100 Of the Broad" men from
both front and rear of the building, and
the Sprague men, who held possession,
in repelling the attack fired volley
into their assailants. Harris fell, with
a bullet through the abdomen. The
shooting took place just outside the OPP
era house door. Several arrests have
been made. The man who fired the shot
which struck Harris Is In custody. but
his name cannot now be ascertained.
The clash was FASTENED by the action
Of National Chairman Towne in remov-
ing Richard Broad from the chairman
ship Of the state committee on the
ground Of 'disloyalty to the Silver Re-
publican party and the cause 1t stands
for" 1t being alleged that he had Joined
in conspiracy with friends of Senator
Wolcott to defeat the proposed fusion
with Democrats and Populists. Charles
8. sprague, representing the Teller and
Towne delegates, obtained possession OF
the opera house, in which the conven-
ton is to meet, and refused to surrender
1t at the demand of ex-Chairman Broad.
Mr.. Sprague is editor of the Colorado
Springs Evening Telegraph.
Opera House Seized.
Harris died soon after he was shot.
Another man was struck In the cheek
by the same bullet that killed Harris.
Sheriff Boynton and Chief Gathright
took control of the opera house and
made thorough search. The sheriff
said they discovered a whole arsenal in
the building. The officers seized six
Winchester rifles and ten revolvers.
The opera house Is now in possession Of
the police, deputy sheriffs and adher-
ents of ex-Chairman Broad No one is
allowed to approach the doors.
James A. Howse, Walter Russell ]. j.
Lang and A. c. Smith of the party in
the hall were arrested. The sliding
doors which form the entrance to the
auditorium show the effects Of the
shooting. The right hand door as the
room Is entered ia perforated with the
bullets from a Winchester, and a ball
also lodged in the left door. Both were
fired from the inside Of the room and
are about as high as a mans head from
the floor.
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,
to turn the building over to ex-Chair-
man Broad. The writ was refused.
One Statement Of tho Fray.
Ex-Mayor Plumb says:
I'VE were inside the opera house.
There were 20 of U.S. SuddenlyNQ fusil
lade OF shots was fired through 10th the
front and side doors. Then in a second
the doors were burst open, and in rush.
ed from rs to 100 men.
There was constant firing in all parts
OF the hail. we replying as best we
could. I saw one man fall, shot through
the lungs. They carried him to the bal
cony and laid him down. He died in a
few minutes. Another man was injur-
ed. We We're forced out of the build
ing. Sheriff Boynton and Chief of Po-
lice Gathright were in the front ranks
Of the attacking party"
that the attack was made entirely by
men brought from Denver They say
they only rushed in after the attack be-
gan.
Chairman Blood has issued a state
ment in which he says that ex-Chair-
man Broad ]. N. Stevens and Dewitt C.
Webber arr" naed with gang of thugs
to come from Denver and cooperate
with Sheriff w. S. Boynton and the DO
Ice OF Colorado Springs in selling the
hall and turning 1t over to |
he anti-Teller faction, so that they |
might organize and control the con-
'ention.
Charles Harris, who was fatally shot,
'ame to Denver five years ago from
omaha, where he formerly held the Of
Ice of deputy United States marshal.
1e is a carpenter by trade. about 80
ears old and has wife and two chill
lren. For time he was a member of
he Denver fire department.