The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-17
Mr.. Burke Arraigned.
m MIDST great clamoring for
IAN an immediate hearing of the
j1( Fifteenth ward case Mr..
Ii u Horn called for candidates

In MlDSl great CldllbllnS lbl
IM an immediate hearing of the
il\ Fifteenth ward case Mr..
Ii y Horn called for candidates
for temporary chairman. A delegate
nominated e. +. Blewitt, but the lat
ter declined the honor, and Michael
Walsh, of Twentieth ward, nominated
w. ]. Burke without making any re-
marks.
d. j. Reedy was next recognized by
the chair. He walked to the centre of
the bar enclosure and in nominating
John j. Durkin, made one of the most
impassioned speeches ever heard at
political convention in this county. 1t
was mainly an arraignment of Mr..
Burke's Democracy. AS he warmed up
to his subject, Mr.. Reedy eXcorciated
Mr., Burke most bitterly. He gradu-
ally worked the convention up to a
frenzy and his every utterancc was
greeted with Outbursts of applause and
denunciation.
AS Mr.. Reedy delivered his caustic
arraignment of Mr. Burke the latter
sat facing the speaker but he gave no
evidence that the usual calm of his
demeanor was at all futfied by what
he heard.
After Mr.. Reedy concluded, Mr..
| Burke stepped before the convention
and at this time the tumult was awful.
| Nothing like it was seen in this city
since the Handley MerrifielG conven-
tiOn of more than a decade ago. Mr..
Burke said he arose on a question or
privilege, and between cheers, Kisses
and cat-calls, which prevented him be-
ing heard for minutes at time, eN-
pressed his surprise that the chairman
of the city committee should have al
| lowed proceedings so unparalleled and
| unheard from at this time from this
| ill-advised boy" referring to Mr.
| Reedy.
AS he reached this point, John J.
! Durkin broke in: It's the truth, all
right" and he. too, advanced toward
| the centre of the bar enclosure.
Thomas Murphy a South Side delegate,
who was an ardent champion Of
! Burle's. evidently thought Mr.. Durkin
meant some violence to Mr.. Burke and
| he started from the opposite side Of
| the bar enclosure for Durkin. Mr..
! Burke intercepted him and ID. j. Reedy
| and Martin Cadden grabbed Durllin by
! the coat and pulled him back into the
| TuCk of delegates that stood near the
| jury box. The chairman threatened to
| have Murphy elected if he did not keep
! quiet and there was more cheering and
| kissing, the evident purpose of which
was to prevent Burke from speaking.
! He realized that he could not get a
hearing and gave up the effort after
| again expressing great surprise at the
conduct of Chairman Horn in allowing
| Mr.. Reedy to speak as he did
Amid frequently recurring outbreaks
of disorder a vote on temporary chair
man was taken and resulted as fol-
| lows:
JOHN J. DURKIN ............ 3Ola
w. j. BURKE ................... 2f2
Mr.. Durkin's friends gave unre-
| strained vent to their joy when his
election was announced. AS he ad-
vanced to the bench. Mr. Burke met
and congratulated him, and then moved
! that the election be made by acclama-
tion This was done. In accepting the
duties of chairman, Mr.. Durkin said
he could not help being gratified at his
| selection. He expressed the hope that
the men nominated by the convention
| would be chosen for their Democracy,
and then appointed the following COM
mittees:
Contested seats-M. J. Cadden, John NJ
Casey, James r. O'Boyle, NJ. j. WALSH
| George Farming, Charles Wirth.
| Resolutions-M. f. Sando, ID. J. Rcedy,
r, p. IIoban, Fred Warnke, John Butter
man.
Permanent Organization-M. ]. Connol-
ly, T.. A. Knight, Cornelius b. McDer-
mott, 7. a. Allbaugh, John w. Mclean.
1t was $50 when the committees were
named and on motion of ID. j. Reedv
the convention adjourned for an hour
to give the committees an opportunity
to prepare their reports.