The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-02-26
THE REPUBLICANS.
Lively State Convention Held in Co.
1umbia-Capers Won Out Over
Brayton.

In the bitter and very rowdy con-
test between the ms and the outs
in the republican State convention in
Cooper and Taylor hall yesterday,
State Boss John G. Capers won a
complete and sweeping victory over
Maj. E. NJ. Brayton. The district at
rorney explained the violent charges
the latter had brought out against him
in a card published in a Charleston
negro paper to the satisfaction OF the
convention and received Ic2 votes out
OF a possible 125 for delegate to the
national convention, against 10 votes
for Brayton, who turned up at the
foot OF the class on the first ballot and
who was not even chosen an alter
nate.
There were nine nominees. includ-
ing Maj. Brayton. for the four places
as delegates The delegates chosen
were.
John G. Capers. E. H. Deas, L. W.
c. Blalock and DR.. w. D. Crunl. The
four defeated delegates receiving the
highest vote were named as alternates,
Maj. Brayton being left out.
\ remarkable feature OF the pro-
ceedings is to be found in the narrow
escape from defeat DR.. Crun had.
He had received only 43 votes on the
first ballot, 20 short OF a majority and
Capers, Blalock and Deas had gone in
before the Richland delegation was
reached in the voting. At this point
there was an uproar in the conven'
ton, but after much yelling and
crowding about the chairmanS table
order was restored after all the other
candidates had withdrawn their
names, and Dr.. Crum was named as
the fourth man by acclamatlon.
The best orators in the convention
were employed to nominate Crum and
second his nomination, and his cleo
ton was eloquently urged on the
ground that to leave him of would
be a slap in the face OF Roosevelt, who
had opened the door OF hope to the
negroes and who had repeatedly ap-
pointed Crum to his present position,
in the face Of opposition which no
other president had ever been called
upon TO face. And Capers, who had
been charged with duplicity toward
Crum. was among the first to vote for
him. This expression from, the con-
vention in apparent condemnation OF
Roosevelt was excused by the presi-
dents apologists with the explanation
that Crum's unpopularity was respon-
sible ior the small vote he received.
They say that Crum is stuck W" and
that the negroes have no use for him.
Another strange feature was that
R. r. Tolbert, who Capers had tried
to get appointed in Crun's stead, was
put up to defeat Capers for national
committeeman Tolbert was defeated
as delegate but was elected as an al
ternate.
There were three other incidents not
provided for in the program. One
was a fist fight between TWO preach
ers. who were merely visitors IL the
convention; another was the arrest
OF a delegate for carrying concealed
weapons and the third was the drop
ping OF revolver on the floor OF the
convention hall by Charleston dele
gate.
The convention was two hours late
in getting to work. the time having
been employed in log rolling for po-
sition, but as soon as the meeting was
called 10 order by Deas, chairman OF
the executive committee. 1t was seen
that the Capers faction had won out.
For Deas, the original opponent OF
Capers' dictatorship in South Caro-
lima, has become reconciled to the dis
trict attorney. and Capers' friends
nominated Deas for chairman OF the
convention. There was no opposition
from the other faction.
About 20 per cent of the delegates
we're white men and majority OF
the remainder were rnulattoes. One