The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-26
Gun Play Between Fusionlsts IN a
Down Town Saloon.
WAS ALMOST A HOMICIDE
Defeated in Fusion Conference COM
Mfttee, Tom Kelly Attacks ben
Pimcus With Gun saturday,
Was Nearly Cheked "a DEATH
Party Worker. of the Fusionists-

Fusion workers IN ;he First ward are
6oing their usst 70 sustain The reputation
OF that district az tire bloody ngnttn
First" SATURDAY afternoon. whs.e the
three fusion conventions were IN races.
Ben Pincus. chisf I3eatc1anr III the First
% Eugene Way. and Thomas Kelly. for
0sriy u worker IN the First. mad des-
peraie agat in downtown saloan. Kelly
h!f Plneeis IN the face wiih she batt Of a
big. mur1ssous-opksng %-caisber Coli $
The blow glanced. ans pineus Selling his
essail4nt around the neck with strange
hold. nearly choked him 10 death.
Tho figh, occurred in the presence CT
haif-doxen patrons 81 the place, including
eeyefal prominent Democratic and Popusist
politicians. The revo.yer few from ke.!y's
grasp and struck the barkaepsr rs the
eide. wrecking water p.'cneF IN It's
fight before P!ncus' hold could be broken
I7ncus was black IN the faee and Easpfng
for breath. Ae was aimos; unconscious
The men who rushed TO his aid 10 avert
g homicide believe they saves Keliy's life
The encounter grew out of the division
OF offices in the fusion conference com
mittee, Of which Kelly vas a member.
During the late morning hours or Satur-
day, when the committee was in 4 dead
lock over the seuatorsthip In the Twenty
ninth. and the F.s.on of the legislative
Offices ~ the Flrsi yard. Kelly bitterly a.
tackled Robert Bridges ana Thomas SaTsn.
iit;cai reprcse natives on the eoaijn ttee;
4 personal encounter between hully Id
Ways Ii icnds was narrowly avertet IN 'pe
coaferenee committee roum and uu.l tie
Grst opportunity came 10 renew the fGtf
Kelly took advantage of II.
The fIsr!on workers tn the Frs, ere
much agiated over the fight between Way
and men who have been looked an IN for
msr iays as his chief supporters. aere
Is said to have been q cioge relation u days
gone by between Kelly. Way and Sheriff
d =
constantly exchanged between the ItpL-
Isis and Democratic poi:lic ans Ia the
First. as direct Result OF Eugene w :
domination OF the fusion conference COM
mittee and or the Popuist county coneeu-
ton.
How the Feud started.
The fend between Plneus and Kelly
dates from the spring campaign last year.
Kelly returned from San Francisco a Few
days prior To election. He at once entered
the service OF the Way-Calderhead eombi-
nation. Later on, and presumably rs
reward for his services, Sheriff Meyer APP
pointed him deputy sheriff. 10 the disg ist
OF a number Of Popiilss, workers IN the
the rest. P!ncus took exception 10 the sp-
pointment- His friends criticised the sher-
III. strong representations were made TO
Way against Kelly on the score thar the
Sheriff had overlooked the populists IN the
First to boost A Democrat into office.
tlonal light, which finally eliminated ias in in
keNy's dismissal from the sheIif's office.
II Is said that Kelly blamed Way is
zion. Certain it is that from tha, time
TIL the conventions met Friday. kellys
hatred of Way was IN evidence in every
new turn of the political wheel In the
First He went into the conference COM
snittee, IL is said. determined 10 break the
slate the Populist boss had put up In the
First ward. He wanted the Democrats to
get one Of the representatives in the First.
and 1t was his purpose TO secufe the nom
snation of oseph Livingston for the place
Another man with whom Kelly made an
Jack Mcguire. who was also a friend Of
pihcus Mcclure Is one Of the most in
that he actually w!elis more influence In
Ways precinct the Fifth OF the FIRST
than the boss himself.
Kelly and Pincus both worked 10 have
tho First ward. At the proper time Me
Guire was eliminated from the contest
SihGus VINO owes fea,ty 10 Way. support
ed James conway. Ways choice fer the
position. when, under the promise il is
ciaimed. or the position in the courthouse
Mcclure Withdrew from the contest In
der orders from way, IL is said, Robert
bridges and Thomas Navln he'd our in
the conference committee 20 have the sen
ntor ana both representatives, IN the Tween
sy-iifth given 20 the p0puiists. Thus Joe
Livingston was left 0us or Il and Kelly
Woke W to The conclusion Saturday AFT
erncon that Way had successfully hineke,t
him in all Of his efforts IN have i eay in
naming the fusion candidates for the. lal
isiature IN tho district
The saloon Fight.
Saturday afternoon F.ncus and a T,rosni-
ncnt Democratic lawyer and politician
stood In front ~ the bar IN Il downtown
saloon Kelly entered tho place He m
med.steiy proceeded 70 tnllgh.en the Dem
ocrai on some ~ the las8e workings u
the conference committee Kelly INDUCED
in a Scorchiag hot attack M fhe methods
of Gene Way. Nriasts anal Naysn ~
list boss
IN. no1 stand herr AID hear ans mao
abuse my friend satd plnvus - ne petD-
ocra:. he followed tHis az wlth d y. tier
Ing reflection Oh Keliys cGavacitt
II an instant biz cots revolver SHINE
in kciIy'S hand T}ekaiT crsp.4iue fae
muzxio Of the gan. b. Z Hr.yo fa~ F't,.,ts-.
head The weapon erazest Fis3cus' ca.. K
new oGt ~ kvllyS hard snt hst ,li.. eat
Keeper n he sde.