Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-05

tered Into an Agreement to Avoid
a Split in the Party
Special to the Register
PARKERSBURG, w. Va, March 4.
This city never witnessed such an
exciting contest for delegates at a
county convention as was observed
yesterday at the Republican county
convention The hall proved entirely
| too small for the gathering, but the
crowd remained and the fight was Bit
ter and spirited. The convention to
ton was called for one O'Clock in the
afternoon. Long before that hour the
stairways leading to the auditorium
| were crowded with White supporters
and when the doors were finally
| thrown open over twelve hundred
White men wearing Waite bustoES
and White ribbons, surSed Into tie
rooE1 After tnat few Freer mn
| managed to squeeze into the room.
| Nearly enough men to Gll the ro0sa
again were outside and the most CT
| those who could not get in were Freer
| men.
A. B. Whites entire force were very
much in evidence.
The negro voters were in great
strength and their work for the N
ternal Revenue Collector was all illat
saved him to the county.
In order to prevent split in the
convention, the leaders of the Frec-
and White factions met and agreed
upon the officers Of the convention,
signing written agreement making
H. F. Harnish chairman, H. n Deem,
secretary, these men to be nominated
| by F. P. Meats.
| The agreement provided that the
irs. thing after the organization
should be the taking of vote by bal
lot upon a resolution iastructing the
delegates to be appointed later to
vote for A. B. White for governor,
Robert Alexander and G. A. Swear
;ugen were to be named as tellers,
| one representing each side, to count
and announce the vote on the IN
| structions, Lee Hughes and w. T
Rittenhouse to act as clerks. After
that the delegates were to be select
ed by magisterial districts, Parkers-
burg district to select "A delegates
and each of the nine country districts
| to select 3.
I at 1870 o'clock, when fully 1000
persons were outside, trying to get in,
| Chairman Barrett called the conven-
| ton to order and announced the SER
g, ants at aims. In calling the con-
vention to order Chairman Barrett
was interrupted several times by calls
for White and loud cheers for him.
! The permanent officer; ere then
seated after Chairman Thomas F.
Barrett read the agreement, which
was agreed to.
| Hon. Charles T. Caldwell then Offer
ed the following resolution:
"The Republicans of Wood county
| this day assembled in mass CONVEX
ton, send greetings to our Republican
friends and co-workers in the coun-
ties of The State.
1--WE most enthusiastically endorse
| the candidacy Of Hon. Albert B. White
of this county for the Office Of Cover
nor. For twenty years he has lived
among us, an honest and upright man
and citizen, and has ever honestly
and faithfully served his party in
West Virginia. AS loyal partisans
and friends we hereby pledge him our
, united and hearty support, and we
most earnestly solicit for him the aid
and support of every Republican in
the State and,
Resolved, That we do here and
| now before our delegates to the State
convention are chosen, instruct and di-
rect them and each of them end their
,, alternates to vote as unit for our
said candidate, the full number of
votes allotted to this county in said
convention, and that they SO continue
to vote for him so long as his name
shall remain before said convention"
On behalf Of the Republican voters
OF Wood county F. P. Meats protested
against the adoption Of the resolution
and the first cheers for Freer were
| heard.
w. N. Miller objected to Meats
making a speech but he said they
were trying to cut him off and was
permitted to say that the delegation
which would be chosen would need
no instructions. Then the room rs
sounded for Freer.
While the ballot was being taken it
| was announced that candidate A. B.
| White had received a telegram this