The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-25
CONVENTION SNAP SHOTS
LITTLE THINGS THAT RELIEVED
THE MONOTONY OF ROUTINE.
4 Man with Voice Like the Roar Of
demonstrations Enjoyed by
the Women.


The dry routine and serious business or
the Republican state convention, just
closed. was relieved by many funny little
incidents the humor of which was intensi-
fed by the magnetism in the air. Had 1t
not been for the little things not down on
the programme, as the phrase goes, the
long hours through which the work of the
convention dragged its slow way would
have been insufferably irksOme for even
the most enthusiastic delegate. 1t took
nearly an hour to reach a nomination In
all cases where candidates had opponents,
and while the chairman of the convention
was pounding his gavel into splinters. while
the delegates were surging and bowling
themselves hoarse, and while the counties
were pronouncing one by one their hckle
verdict, visitors and delegates in general
became as playful and as disdainful OF
seriousness as boys cooped up in school.
Very small occurrences provoked outbursts
of laughter that made the roof shake ana
drowned the ringing tones of Senator Bev-
eridge. There was a peculiar nervous ten
sion over all and through all that had to be
relieved in some way other than mere yell
ing.
One Of the features of the convention was
q man with a stentorian voice, voice ire
mendously and unapproachably bass, a
voice that paled the cheeks of the reporters
over whose bent heads it rumbled and
gently breezed the flags swinging clear at
the opposite end of the hall. The voice was
the property of a man who served through
out the greater part of the session yester-
as
1t was his duty to call the roll, county by
county Before he came to the side of the
chairman bringing his powerful possession
other assistant secretaries had made them
selves heard only with extreme difficulty.
Their ordinary voices failed to rise above
the tumult, and Senator Beveridge had to
resort again and again to the pounding of
the gaveL Finally some one found the
human megaphone." as he was termed,
and brought him to the platform. The very
first word he shOuted-'AdamS' brought
half the convention to it's feet I'm astonish-
ment that any human being could give vent
TO such abysmal notes. II was the roaring
of lion, the believing Of bull, the thun-
der of an organ, scarcely sounds from
human larynx Then everybody began to
laugh. There was something irresistlbly
funny about that bass roar that wasted
itself with such trivial things as the names
OF counties. Senator Beverage retired TO
seat behind the assistant secretary that ne
might be out OF the way of the cyclonlc
demonstration, and every time county
was called the senator smiled TO himself.
Behind him the visitors platform con-
gressmen, ladies and everybody was ask
ing. with smiling faces: who owns that
Voice?'
During the fiercest contest of the cOnven-
ton, that over the nomination for clerk
of the Supreme Court, Robert A. Brown
was sitting back of the chairman trying
to conjure success out of a mass of figures.
The roll of the counties proceeded slowly
and finally came to an end. The count
was made and Senator Beverage an
nOunced the result. Still Brown figured
on with bent head and wrinkled brow, and
several ladies interested in his candidacy
were absorbed he. Not until Mr..
Fitzpatrick, the opponent who had run
him the closest race, leaned over and
tapped him on the shoulders with the re-
mark. We'll Bob you are the man." did
he know that he had been nominated BY
this time the attention Of the delegates
had been fastened on the little scene pro-
crossing, and when everybody realized that
Brown had been informed of his victory
by his strongest rival yell of laughter
went up followed by cheers and shouts
for both men to come forward
One of the things that touched the con-
vention's funny bone was "shot' at the
delegation from Marion county made by a
nameless delegate far in the rear of the
hall. 1t was while the ballot for auditor
was being taken. Counties called before
Marion had answered quickly. When
Marion was reached. there was delay. The
chairman paused and called for Marion,
with no response. Finally Fred Joss, or
Mayor Bookwalter or Harry Gates. or
Charles Elliott, or someone else in the big
delegation yelled that Marion county was
not ready What's the matter with
Marion county?" inquired the senator.
Then the man in the rear of the hall got
In his knock" Marion has not selected
its delegation yet" he shouted. There was
just enough feeling against the Marion
delegation on the part of out-county dele
gates to seal the comment with a storm of
laughter that lasted for several minutes.
The Marion county men joined in IT.
Senator Beveridges gavel caused fear
and trembling to many during the conven-
ton, not so much through the authority
it symbolized as because of physical peril
that accompanied contiguty to the little
wooden hammer Just in front of the sena-
tor was a long table at which reporters
were seated. From time TO time men at
work would get up, and. passing rapidly
in front of the chairman's stand. would go
about some business. Their heads would
be at a level with the top of the chair
mans stand As they passed the Junior
senator would be swinging the gavel with
might and main. His vigorous blows reach
ing the table an inch from the ears of
porters, caused many of them TO duck
for fear of getting one of the thumps.
The convention soon got on to the situa-
ton and laughed gleefuly whenever re-
porter shivered as he passed the perilous
stand The senator said afterwards that
he had had an eye to all danger and aimed
his blows carefully, but ii looked dangerous
at the time.
One of the prettiest sights of the con-
vention was the flag distribution made by
the forces of John w. Dyer during the bal
loting for the nomination for treasurer. His
lieutenants brought into the hall big bun
dies carefully wrapped. They looked if
they might contain anything. When Dyers
name was placed in nomination these bun
dies We're quickly unwrapped. and in a sec
ond the north half of the hall was a blaze
of color from the hundreds of little flags
that were tossed here and there and waved
TO the right and left. Ladies in the bal
Cony took an interest in the game and
called out for flag souvenirs. Mrs. Will
liam r.. English. Mrs. Ernest Fl. Trip and
a party of friends were sitting in the bal
cony when the incident happened. and as
Mrs. English leaned over the railing an
old, white veteran who was i'm the cohort
of John w. Dyer caught sight of her He
caught up two three flags and with a
CheSterfieldian smile and bow tossed them
up TO her. She caught them with the ac-
curacy of a baseball player. and that part
of the convention which saw applauded and
cheered.
One feature of the big show-for such it