Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-12
THIRD IN A TURMOIL
Friends of Mayoralty Aspirants
Clash at Republican Gathering
at the Court House.
KENNEDY MAN TAKES THE CHAIR
But Further Progress is Blocked
and Meeting Breaks UP
in Confusion.

This busts the Third ward up in
politics" was the verdict of a well
known politician of that bailiwick
anent the republican meeting held at
the court house last night to ''dis-
cuss and take action on all matters
necessary to the coming primary con-
vention." And that seemed to be the
opinion that generally prevailed
among those who were present.
The call for the gathering was
signed by the ward committeeman,
w. d. Gall and Ben Rinck. ''all good
republicans" of the Third having been
invited to assemble at the court house.
The bunch which got together filled
the lower corridor and early gave evil
dence of much enthusiasm" All
the candidates were present, ranged
in disinterested (P) row about the
edges of the crowd when Bro. Gall
barricaded himself behind a table
drawn up near the wall and called
the meeting to order.
Kennedy Man for Chair.
Declaring the first business of the
meeting to be the selection of a chair
man, he placed in nomination Fred
Schroeder, a Kennedy man, without
waiting for suggestions. Instantly
the McConochie crowd yelled "W. p.
Quaylei" and the Knox crowd shouted
.sH. c. Harris!'' I'm put Mr..
Schroeder's name first" said the chair
man, and he did. Then, in spite of
an overwhelming majority of ''noes"
he declared that the ''ayes" clearly
had it, and the fun began.
Hoots and HowIs.
Amidst boots and bowls Schroeder
took the chair and attempted to pro-
ceed with the election of secretary.
But the disorder increased every mo-
ment, and finding that it would be
impossible to make a Kennedy man
secretar- the chairman suggested the
names of w. H Jordan and Frank II
Brough. These gentlemen, however,
FASTENED to decline, and at once got
on the edge of the crowd where they
could duck if there was any DISPOSE
ton manifested to bring any pressure
to bear upon them. At this juucture
one Capt. w. j. Ransom by name
got upon chair and tried to make
speech, but there were too many con-
testants for the floor for effective
oratory.
Move Up to Turner HsII.l
Business was at standstill, and the
chairman had spilled his ink in his
agitation when the sentiment in favor
of an adjournment became so strong
that it could be heard several blocks
away. So a motion to that effect was
put and went with a whoop.
OF course, every one was too warm
under the collar to 60 home at once,
so a suggestion to hold a cooling off
meeting at Turner hall met with gen
eral approval, especially among the
so followers of the last named parties
assem- bled in the back hall on the
second floor of the building and re-
viewed the situation. Ben Rinck
acted as master of ceremonies and
trotted out the chosen ones.
Aid. Andrews being called upon
bobbed up to say that some of the
fellows over there thought they were
all school boys, but they weren't.
For his part he thought all the can
didates were gentlemen, and he wished
all of them could be nominated and.
be mayor at the same time. Boney
Johnson, sitting there with an air of
melting cemplacency, next caught
the chairman's eye, and was called on
for speech. He said he had been
in the Third ward only short time,
but he liked it so we'll he thought he
mould olr IN INIT bor
he intimated he had done some big
things in the Second when he lived
there, and he was sure he could do
every bit as large things for the
Third.
Knox Makes Speech.
Ex-Mayor Knox had seen but one
meeting in all his ripe political ex-
perience where it had been warmer
than it was at the meeting just ended.
That was up in the Fifth when the
lights all went out. He intimated
that he would hesitate to refuse the
for mayor if it were ten
dered him in real earnest manner by
the people of Rock Island. Simon
Lewis rose to say he had Just got into
politics, but he was so completely cop
tivated by the whole thing he thought
he would stay awhile. He wouldn't
object to any support as candidate
for alderman in the Third that the
voters might see fit to bestow. George
Perry rose to make pun at Calls ex-
pense. He thought the gentleman
named.
After indorsing C. I. Harris and b.
ID. Connolly as ward committeeman in
the second and first precincts re-
spectively. the meeting adjourned.
In the meantime Committeeman
Gall, with a select following, took
refuge in Sheriff Cradles office, where
they were promised ample protection.
and proceeded to carry out the original
program. Fred Schroeder was named
as chairman. E. 3. Kreis was secretary.
A committee of five reported the fol-
lowing list of delegates: b. ID. Con-