The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-18
Double.ileader Republican County Con.
yention Held Yesterday.
RlOToUS AND DISGRACEFUL SCENES.
Two Conventions In The Same Hall with
Lockett and Love as Chalrmen.
TWO SETS OF DELEGATES WERE ELECTED
To the state, Congregational and Sen
ntoriaI Convcntions--Pisto1 and
Knives Were Displayed.


the republican county convention sched-
uled to meet at the market hall at 10 a.
M, was slow in getting together. but
when they did assemble they made things
50 hot that one forgot the chilly atmos-
phere OF the large unheated hall.
1t was hot stuff from sia6i to finish, and
after resort to deadly weapons in the
first effort for supremacy and then a pan
demomium. two separate conventions
finally settled down in the same hall IN
an effort to transact business, one pre-
sided over hy A, T. Lockett. the other
by G. y. Love. both colored. There we're
quite number OF white delegates in at
tendance among them Messrs. 5. E. Tracy.
Seth 3. Strong. II. f. MscGregor. G. b
PECK. Judge l., s. Fawcett. Judge Henry
Cine. J. w. Fallon, George Race and some
others.
The convention had not fairly gotten
under way when the anticipated split oc-
CURED. with g. n. Love and about dozen
others organized a separate convention
with the view OF selecting a delegation. as
was charged. in the Interest OF State Chair
man Green TO further his aspirations to-
ward succeeding Mr.. Grant as National
committeeman.
1t was 1880 o'clock when Chairman j.
W. Fallon Of the republican county execu-
tive committee raped the convention to
order, saying that It had been called TO
elect delegates 10 the State convention TO
be held az Waco on March 6, and to the
congressional convention when II shall BE-
ealled. also TO the senatorial convention.
Ed Williams. In the absence Of Hannl-
bal Mobiles, the county secretary acted
IN his stead. This was one OF the hon
Of contention. and set the pot of dlssen-
uon, which afterwards boiled over. TO
simmerng.
Credentials were then called for from
the various precincts ana handed up 10
the secretary.
he chair announced the next business
man.
Cato Mitchell moved that Messrs. Fal-
lon be made temporary chairman and
Williams temporary secretary. Both Of
these cecl!ned TO serve.
pe,egate William Nj. Green unmasked a
pal cry ny saying that the charge had beer
made that Postmaster Seth r. strony hsI
ms DE the statemrn, thai only respectabi,
white delegates would be sent 10 Waco
from which the spsaker inferred that n,
coiored delegates would be permitted. Tn,
speaker was declared to be out OF orde,
IS nominations f.r temporary chairma
were beng made
Cato Mitchell then nominated for tenn
porary eh2irms1 Judee Lock Mcdaniel
sid DicRfon nomlna ca a. T. Lockett,
Greer nominated C. n Love.
Nominations were then closed.
Love sail he desired TO serve motto
that he and his friends would not longe
participate In convention manipulate
by Postmaster Strong and his janitor. A
7. Lockett but that they did not pro
pose TO leave the hall
he said 1t had been openly stated the
POSTMASTER strong hud asserted that !
fsr as possible only white delegates wnul
be sent 10 Waco, with the view of gettin
a respectable delegation. The speal5er al
not know when hor est colored men IN
ceased % be respectable
Richard Allen made the point that n
fpeaker WIS ont of order and the cha
20 ruled
Love then mounted the stage to procee
10 call his followers to order.
As he passed Ed Williams the latter re
monstrated with him,
"You cant tell me what to do" sal
Lore, Il know my rights" said he
rather defiant voice.
And you can't buldo2e me either" r.
piled Williams. at the same time DRAWN
a knife.
When Love saw the knife he INN,
dietely made for Williams with draw
pistol.
With this there was Wild rush for ii
stage Mr.. S. u. Tracy was the nrst
grab Loves pistol.
~, Sergeant OF Police Ney and several 9th,
officers who were In the hall were qulckl
o1Nthe stage and disarmed the beligerent
The greatest confusion prevailed.
Finally the Love delegates. which wei
openly charged with being in the intere
OF State Chairman Green, were assemble
he tyh ~ tba hatt a
betr~ placed on the stage. while the co,
vention proper, presided over by Chat
man Fallon. continued to do business
best they could amid the confusion III,
prevailed, and after Secretary Wllllay
had concluded the roll call he announc,
that Lockett had received 175 votes 4
temporary chairman.
In the mean time the Love faction h!
organized and announced Love as ter
porary chairman and W. Jarrold Smith
temporary secretary.
II was apparent. however, that the I5o
following was a very small minority
the convention, which was made all {
more apparent when division OF fore
was called for
In taking the chair Looket. said he W
there solely in the interest OF the repu
lican party He cared nothing for I
temporary chairmanship.
Some one suggested that the procee
ings be opened with prayer, whereup
Lockett called upon Elder Watts, who
fponded. and during the prayer that
offered order was temporarily restor
Rev. Watts invoked harmony and depl
Gated all such scenee as had just be
enacted, He prayed that Loves he
would be softened and that he aud
followers would come over TO the Lock
sids. He referred to the recent rlotc
scenes In Kentucky and when he 8
amen" Lockott and Love beth took
stage and commenced talking. at the sa
time trying 10 rap their crowds TO ord
and the two conventions were both In S
sion.
The followers OF Lockett moved over
the left Of the hall. numbering nea
nine-tenths OF all present about tive
delegates remaining with Love on
right OF the hall, All the white delega
remained with Isockett.
r. II. Williams was then made tenn
fary secretary OF the Lockett conyenti
A committee was appointed on cred
tails with W. N. Spencer as chairman
The Loclsett convention then took a
cess Ill 1 ., n.
y the nean<ims the Love conting'