The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-21
CONVENTION AT BRIDGEPORT
DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COlI-
 MI4TEE'S MEETING.


 Doors Opened Wide for Democrats
 of Whatever AHiliation-Chairm
 Troop Resigns.
 Bridgeport, Sept. 20.-The Democratic State Central committee of Connecticut met at the rooms of the Bridgeport Democratic association at o'clock this afternoon to arrange for the temporary roll and organization of the biennial to assemble in the Park City theater tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. The committee was in session two hours and a half; took a recess of forty five min- utes; sat again for thirty minutes to adjourn until 9:30 p. m. and during these long sessions two of the four con- tested delegations which came before the committee for adjustment were set tied, in one instance to the advantage of the gold men. Of the twenty-four members of the committee but two were absent. Chairman Alexander Troup of New Haven presided.
 After reading of the call, the subject of contested delegations was taken up, and two Bristol delegations presented credentials. Former State Senator No ble F. Pierce headed one delegation and Charles Michaels the other. The com mittee after hearing the delegates de- cided by vote of IS to to seat the Pierce delegation. This delegation, four in number, contains at least two out and out silver men, but Senator Pierce, the head of the delegation, is an avowed gold man, and as a represen- tative of that wing of the party ad- vocates the abandonment of the na- tional issues for this convention and campaign. It was therefore conceded that the gold men gained at least nominal victory. The Stamford quarrel was then aired. Two strong delega- tions, one headed by Mayor Bohannon and Homer s. Cummings, silver advo- cates, the other by J. H. Swartout and Galen H. Carter, both outspoken gold men. After hearing, which was very protracted and full of bitter personali- ties between the contestants, the com mittee by vote of twenty-one to one hold that the entire silver delegation of seven headed by Cummings and Be- harmon was entitled 10 seats.
 At this point-6:30--a recess was talk en for forty-f1ve minutss and when the committee reassembled the Greenwich difficulty was presented. F. c. Bene- dict, the banker, headed the regularly credited delegation and George P. Fish CT opposed him with another complete delegation. This hearing consumed thirty minutes, at the expiration of which the committee once more separ- ated to meet at 9;30, and the discussion was postponed until that hour. Prompt ly at 9:30 the members of the commit tee reassembled. Within a short time it was announced that the gold dele gation, headed by F. C. Benedict of Greenwich had been seated by the com mittee on the ground that regularity in the caucus made that the only course possible. An unimportant contest in which delegates from the town of Can terbury were involved was speedily set tied by the seating of the delegation sponsored by Q district state commit teeman, and tne committee proceeded to the consideration of the temporary organization of the convention. After the selection of William Kennedy of Naugatuck as the temporary chairman of the convention Chairman Alexander Troup raised point which occasioned an animated debate lasting for over two hours and which finally resulted in the repudiation by the committee of the committees own call for the con- vention and opened wide the doors for all democrats of whatever affiliations, silver or gold, or otherwise. The chair man mentioned that portion of the con- vention call which provided that all delegates to the convention must be chosen by those electors who favor the reaffirmation of the Chicago platform, and asked for instructions as to the temporary organization Of the conven- tiOn.
 MT. Troup made a long statement concerning the conditions which con- fronted the committee. When an op- portunity for motions came MT. Kehoe of New Britain moved that the chair man be instructed to prepare a tempo rary roll under the call; the contested delegates whose cases have been acted upon to-day to be seated, and that the entire credentials be presented to the committee on credentials. An amend ment to this motion was offered by MT. Grady of Waterbury, which provided that all credentials, regardless of the action of the committee to-day on con- tests, be sent to the credentials com mittee, and this amendment was car ried by 8 vote of B to 5. MT. Troup announced at the close of the meeting that the passage of this amendment amounted to a complete repudiation of the committees own call. No further business was transacted, but Chairman Troup took occasion to announce his retirement from the chairmanship and membership of the committee. A vote of thanks to him was passed unani- mously and shortly before midnight the committee adjourned sine die.
 Meanwhile the various county eau cuses were held for the purpose of nam- ing district members of committees on credentials, resolutions and permanent organization. These caucuses contin- ued far into the night and up to a late hour the committees were not complet- ed. The Twelfth senatorial district in Fairfield county, including the towns of Stamford and Greenwich, split wide apart on the money issue and holding sena te causes returned Senars ta com,