The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-19
trouble bI ARI)AORE
Strained Relations Between
That Town and Purcell.
BAD TREATMENT CHARGED
By the Latter During Demo-
cratic Convention.

Guthrie, O. T, June 15.-There were ex-
citing scenes throughout the sessions Of
the Indian territory Democratic conven-
ton at Ardmore to choose delegates to
the Kansas City convention. The Purcell
Register complains bitterly Of the treat
ment the Purcell delegation, which was
for Marcum for delegate at large re-
ceived from a certain element at Ardmore
which favored Wolverton. Here is what
the Register SAYS:
"No greater outrage was ever perpe-
trated upon ommunity-civilized or
otherwise-than was given by the polite
ally insane pushers of a certain gang at
Ardrnore on Monday Of this week. Nay,
! it began before Monday, for no sooner
had delegations adverse to the local can
didate began arriving in town than they
were subjected to all manner of abuse
Nothing like it has ever been known Of
in political history.
! when the convention was invited to
meet at Ardmore it was presumed that
men could come to it safely, though they
prevailing locally The result proved that
the leaders in this move were SO narrow
minded, SO biased, so prejudiced and so
intent uponthe completion of scheme
of political robbery to which they had set
their minds, that all such. things as de-
cency. fairness and proper treatment Of
visitors were forgotten.
Before entering upon any account OF
/ l, s11, x-lf-
the blood boiling in ones veins, we de-
sire to say that we do not lay this crime
at the door of the entire population of
Ardmore. There were and are plenty of
people there who cried out IN shame
against those who led in the matter, and
for whose crimes the entire city must
suffer. Reputable citizens Of that city,
who started in wearing Wolverton badges,
tore them off and trampled upon them,
saying they would give any amount of
money could the proceedings of those two
disgraceful days have been blotted out.
when the Pulcell delegation, accom-
panied by the delegations from the sur
rounding country, who had thought they
had a right to their own views and had
endorsed Colonel Marcum for national
committeeman arrived in the town, the
first of the Marcum delegations to get
| there, they were surrounded at the depot
by a bowling. hooting mob, which fol-
lowed by their side until the Whiting
ton hotel was reached, our crowd march
| ing up to that point. led by the Merch-
ants band of Pulcell. While standing in
/ front of the hotel, the toughs and DULLES.
who seemed to have been given free
! license, began their tactics, but were so
vigorously received that they soon gave
up that plan, and would not attack
man unless he CHANGED to stray away
/ from the main body.
"rhe introduction Of this highly hos
! pitai5le reception was by one Of the
/ toughs attempting to snatch a Marcum
! badge from the breast of one of the band
! boys Ben Freeny promptly knocked him
| down. The bully Of Ardmore, on hand for
! just such business, tried to take a hand
! in the melee and Ed Bell knocked him
about fifteen feet into the middle OF the
street. Another man seemed to want a
little of the same medicine, showed fight
and was knocked down by Jim Gibbons.
| All of these fights occurred within three
minutes, and in each case the Ardmore
man was the agEressor, yet no arrests
were made, no attempt was made to pro-
tect the visitors, who had to protect
! themselves, and were perfectly competent
to do so.
when the train from the south came
in, bringing three coaches of Mar
cum men, the same tactics that had been
adopted upon our arrival was followed
the delegations marching to the court
house. where a caucus was to be held
through a bowling, jeering crowd Of
hoodlums and toughs, no attempt being
made to quiet them. There were not so
many fights at this time, the lesson ad-
niuistered by Purcell proving to have had
! wholesome effect.
while the crowd assembled at the
court room on Monday morning
awaiting the report of the committee to
confer with Gait, the NIcAlester and Pur-
cell hands gave a concert in front of the
building each rendering some elegant
selections a large crowd had gathered
around and were enjoying the music,
which was certainly not at all out OF place
and was given freely TO all who desired
70 listen. Though both bands were visit
0rs and entitled TO some courtesy, even
had their music been in any sense in the
nature Of a disturbance, they were not al
| -yNeo 10 continue III peace y sang OF the
hoodlums of the town, halflsrown boys,
with few men mived in, got two drums.
some whistles, etc, marched UP and tried
20 break up the concert, pressing right in
against the band boys and. while the
AfcAIester band was playing, pushing the
drums of the McAlester boys around so
as TO confuse them all that was possible.
With this mob were two men wearing the
uniform OF the Ardm0re IRE company.