Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-05

Then suddenly somebody started the
cry for HILL Hill" In an instant
Maryland. Tennessee. Louisiana, Missis-
slppi and New Mexico were on their feet
waving their standards and yelling
Hill" Dave HILL The pounding of the
cha1rman's gavel had no effect and for a
time 1t looked like a concerted movement
10 stampede for the New Yorker.
AS delegation after delegation rose in
tneir seats and the chairman's gavel fell,
WI. 1illl was compelled to rise and bow
Inns was the signal for pandemonium,
ana nothing seemed to be able to stop
'he torrent of applause. A few Kisses
were met with volleys of cheers. and fin
any part of New York's delegation
arose and joined the applauding hosts.
croker, Murphy, Van Wyck and the Tam
many delegation kept their seats, not
joining in it.
For fully 10 minutes the applause and
disorder continued. the steady rap of the
gavel having no effect Each time a new
state standard was pulled up and waved
the applause began anew. After his first
bow to the audience Hill kept his seat,
but he could not disguise the gratifica-
ton that he felt at the reception accorded
him. Friends urged him to take the plat
FORM but he kept shaking his head neg
ativcly. On the platform the chairman
and the sergeant-at-arms tried in vain to
get order.
Finally Hill himself, hoping to stem the
torrents of applause, arose. Then the
delegates and the crowd howled them
selves hoarse. "Hill,' PLATFORM" they
screamed.
Mr. Chairman he calculated. but his
voice was drowned in the fierce outburst
of applause. MIR. Chairman" he again
| tried to say, and then drowned out again
sank laughing into his seat.
Just before the demonstrati over Mr.
Hill began. Delegate Joshua w. Miles. a
former congressman from Maryland. adj
vanced toward the platform occupied by
the presiding officer, waving the Mary
land standard. There was SO much noise
throughout the hall that he could not be
heard four feet away from where he
stood He said he had risen to move the
thanks of the convention to the young
lady who had so moved the convention
by her rendition of a song. which had
been written by Maryland patriot. The
motion was announced In Mr.. Miles most
energetic manner. but it was not heard
by a single delegate and the presiding
officer found no opportunity to submit it.
When after 10 minutes order was re-
stored, Gov. Thomas administered a stern
warning to the asscmblage, stating that
the convention was here to do business
and that if the spectators interrupted the
work by unseemly disorder. the officers
of the convention would be directed TO
clear the galleries.
The call of states now began, for nam
ing the members of the various commit
tees. This was a tedious work, covering
all the caucus selection of the several
states and territories. When the name
of Carter Harrison was called, as the
illinois member of one Of the committees.
it brought out a round Of cheers and
calls for Harrison. which for a moment
threatened to be repetition of the Hill
demonstration. The names of Gov. over
meyer. Senator Blackburn, George Fred
Williams and W. ]. Stone also received
cheers.
When Augustus Van Wyck was an
nounced as the New York member of the
platform committee there was storm of
mingled Kisses and cheers and another
demand for Hill Delegates Grady and
Malloy of New York. led in the applause
for Mr.. Van Wyck's name. 1t took a Wig
orous play with the gavel to restore or
der and allow the call to proceed
After the name of the last committee
man had been given, Chairman Thomas
announced that Il motion had been made
extending the thanks of the convention
to the lady who had sung The Star
Spa ngled Banner 1t was carried.
\ delegate from Ohio secured the atten-
ton of the chairman by some violent Ses-
ticulations, and then. mounting on his
chair. moved that an invitation be ex-
tended to Mr.. Bryan to visit the conven-
ton.
At PIG p NJ, the convention adjourned
until o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
Although the afternoon session OF
the convention was to begin at
O'Clock there were not over 80 dele
gates in their seats at that time AT
the moment the convention should
have opened small messenger boy
was perched in the chairman's seat re-
freshing himself with copiOus draughtS
from the chairman's private stock of
ice water BY 40, about half of the
various delegations were in their seats
and the band was pounding out rag
time to entertain the crowd, which FILL
ed every seat and occupied every
square foot of standing room outside
of the space reserved for the delegates
and alternates.
Chairman Thomas, warm and per-
spiring. mounted the rostrum, at Abb.
The recess gave a chance to the Hill
admirers to crowd about him and for
fully 20 minutes they kept him from
leaving the hall, shaking his hand and
congratulating him on the ovation he
had received.
When the convention began re-as-
sembling the principal point of inter-
est seemed to be the New York dele
CATION and around it swarmed the
delegates from other states anxious to
see Hill, Croker. Van Wyck and the
other celebrities.
Chairman Thomas gavel fell, calling