Kansas City journal., 1898-03-09
CONTEST OF BRUCE CRADDOCK TO
BE TAKEN Up TONIGHT.
RESORT TO FISTICUFFS LIKELY
FRIENDS OF BOTH PARTIES WILL
BE OUT EN MASsE.
Meeting Of Democratic City Central
Committee Expected to Develop
Heated Row-PoIice Judge
Fines a Man who Was
~ Not Prosecuted.

The Democratic city central committee
of Kansas City. Kas,, will meet IN Boylan's
hall Tonight and take up the contest hled
by Bruce Craddock. who WAS defeated on
the face of the returns of the recent DEM
ocratic primaries by Charles Myers for the
aldermanic nomination in the First ward.
The committee met Monday night and re-
ceived the notice of contest and the meet
fng was a stormy one. From all reports
blows were narrowly averted and had hos
tilities been declared blood would have
flowed freely, as nearly every man present
WAS armed to the teeth. Some had revol-
vers and others had well honed razors.
Personalities were freely INDUCED in.
The police department as usual was in
evidence ready to decide the contest as
Socn as the word was given.
One of Mr.. Craddock's friends. who was
determined to see his friend given a square
deal, was arrested on the charge of carry
ing concealed weapons. In police court
yesterday morning Judge Manning fined
him SIS. City Attorney Pollock refused to
prosecute the defendant as his arrest. he
said. was purely malicious. Judge Manning
Informed the city attorney that 1t made no
difference with the court whether the de-
lined just Il the = same. Mr.. Pollock informed
the court that he would dismiss the case
IL 1t was appealed. This brought the judge
down a few degrees and he finally gave the
defendant a stay Of execution.
The meeting Of the committee tonight
will be an interesting session and If the
committee attempts TO override the rights
Of the contestant there is sure to be
trouble.
Mr.. Craddock's friends will be present
and demand fair and impartial hearing
of the contestt. AS fairness in Democratic
gang politics in Kansas City. Kas., is
q breezy meeting are unlimited
The following is a copy Of the report
filed with the central committee by the
First ward committee:
We. the undersigned Democratic COM
mitteemen of the First ward. met pursuant
to the call of the Democratic city central
committee to hold primaries but one
George Provost. a resident Of the Second
police force. assumed control and intimidat-
ed the committee and the voters.
Conspicuous among the intimidators on
the outside were w. T. Quarles, chief of
the metropolitan police force, and several
of his lieutenants. also members of the po-
lice department. The boxes to be used at
the primaries had been lying in the
booths, open TO the inspection of anybody,
the lids of said boxes being open- To make
pretense of fraud on the part of the
known, threw some tickets in one of the
boxes. Detectives Cahill and Walsh were
also present. Votes that the committee
thought illegal were forced to be accepted
I'VE. your committee. feel unwilling to
report the result of the primaries held by
Chief of Police Quarles of this city, as We
think the report should be signed by the
unable to obtain. We return to you here
with the ballots for your inspection. to
count. canvass or dispose of as you see fit.
Respectfully submitted by your commit
by proxy of G.. Mcdonald. and John
ReiSer"