The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-07
THE VACANT CHAIR
Noticeable at the Democratic Con-
vention in Lewis County.
PARTY TORN TO PIECES.
Pandemonium Took Possession of
the Meeting-Live News From the
Various Sections of the State.
snncInl nIsnatch % I'D IntellIgeneer.

Special Dispatch to the IntellIgencer.
WESTON, w. Va. May G.--The Lewis
county Democrats met in convention
here yesterday and their meeting was
the stormiest and most turbulent and
inhnrmonlous of any like gathering
ever seen here. There were all sorts OF
exciting scenes on the floor. Speakers
engaged IN unpleasant and insulting
personalities. vile names were employ
ed. oaths were frequent and loud
threats and violent demonstrations
were INDUCED In, the lie was moro than
once passed, men dared each other out
side the room to fight and the conven-
tion adjourned after three-fourths OF
the people had left in anger and dis
gust, many declaring with emphasis
that the party needed a complete defeat
at the polls and they would help do it.
one prominent feature OF the proceed
ings was 1.-THE vacant chair" once occu-
pied by Hon. Andrew Edmiston.
The fight Of to-day was wagcd over
resolution instructing for w. w. Bran
non for delegate to the legislature from
the Fourth DELICATE district. The reso-
luton was proposed as n substitute for
q resolution calling for vote at pri-
mary election on legislative candidates.
The primary election idea was advo-
Gated by the -Brannon people, led
by Or. Holt. who is fighting for tho
party leadership In this county. w. B.
McGnry. McGraw's local man and
Brannon's manager, led the fight for
hINtoV1NF Cya1
both sides from the beginning. Upon
the first vote, after both Holt and
McGary had run over In oratory. II was
easily Holt victory on an aye" md
mo" vote. but division being called
for after the vote was announcSd by
Chairman Louis Bennett Brannon took
the floor in his own behalf, recited his
long party service ard appealed for
support, threatening to withdraw from
the race II not then and there instruct
ed for, and, although Holt got In
second effort warning the Democracy
against a man who was afraid to com
nit his claims TO the voters of his
party, the convention instructed, Holt
and his followers charging repeating
and other frauds.
During their speeches Candidate
Brannon and McGary took occasion to
refer to Holt as Hopper. q "bolter,"
an intermittent Democrat" an 'assas-
sin of character" and various other
things not calculated to make n fresh
convert feel so very welcome in new
fold. Hollis reply was: 81 know / am
a new man in the party, but you will
have to have many more new men be-
fore you can hope to carry Lewis coun-
ty," and Holt is surely correct In this
position.
The result Of this convention will be
that Brannon will be the nominee OF
the Democracy from this end Of the
Fourth delegate district, and that he
win be defeated. The only hope OF the
Democrats here will lie in getting In by
q scratch possibly by several
scratches. The Lightburn Bennett con-
test case which was sent by Benefits
cousin. Judge w G. Bennett, to the
nearest Democratic Judge. away over
yonder In Berkeley county. and which
is yet unheard and undecided In Judge
Faulkners court, having been litigatcd
for over three years, still leaves in
charge OF the court clerkshlp and, by
virtue Of his position. In charge OF the
ballots cast at any election. the same
clnrk who had charge OF the ballots
when they were changed In 1896 to de-
feat the VIII of this people who elected
H. w Lightburn, still holds the fort,
and. unless q decision is scorer reached
In judge Faulkner's court. the ballots
cast in Lewis county In 1900. must pass
into the same hands again. II the emol-
umerts Of six years term Of the
county clerkship OF Lewis county
should cause great pen-marks to grow
IN the shadows Of the darkness on the
Republican ballots cast by Marcellus
White and others in 1896. Republicans
may contemplate with many we'll
founded misEivlnRF. the probable spon-
tnneous growth Of thase funEus-like
pen-marks on Republican ballots when
n United States senatorship for John T.
McGraw Is held NJ before the myster-
ious hand that holds tie pen.