Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-21


for the calling of the convention I,
order. 1t was announced by the off
GERS of the organization that all dele
cations shown on the face of the re
turns as having been elected would b
seated in the temporary organization
this giving Looney his delegates in tn
First and Fifth wards. and few scat
tering followers in the Second war,
delegation which he had gainet
through proxies, and one delegate du
~ elected in the Fourth ward.
SerReants-at-Arms Appointed.
Prior TO the time for the opening o
the doors of the convention, Chair
man Cavanaugh appointed Capt
George Lamont, Charles McHugh
Paul Kersch, J. p. Sexton and ]. ]
LaNelle sergeants-at-arms of the con
vention, and they were recognized n:
such by the representative of the po
lice department present. 1t therefore
seemed clearly understood that the
police department if it desired TO act
in good faith would enforce the posi-
ton of the Sergeants-at-arms of the
convention in any emergency that
might arise. And as a further assur
ance that the police would do Their
duty fairly. Chief Miller in his Office
few minutes before the convention
opened and in the presence of Sheriff
Heider, who was ready to cooperate
in seeing that justice and order pre-
vailed, declared to an Argus represen-
tative. the police have orders to en-
force order, and the first man, no mat
ter who he is, who raises n disturb
ance or breaks the peace will be ar
rested and removed from that hail.
This seemed all that could be rea-
sonably asked. 1t so impressed Sher-
if Heider, for he at once went home,
and yesterday morning speaking to
The Argus with reference to the con-
verSation declared, II heard Chief
Miller's promise to arrest anyone who
disturbed the convention and preserve
order in. the spirit of fairness, and
felt sure that he would do so. But it
does not seem that this was DONE"
First Breach of Faith.
Notwithstanding the emphasis that
Chief Miller gave to his promise as to
the position of the police, the first
evidence of breach of faith appeared
when the convention hail was opened
and the first appeal was made both
by Chairman Cavanaugh and the con-
vention sergeants-at-arms that the
police assist in removing from the
seats those who had no right to them.
Chief Miller had previously agreed to
recognize the province of the organ
ization to determine who were en-
titled to sit in the enclosure, and vet
when the time came to act, the ans
wer from the police was I've do not
know who are delegates and who are
not; you must settle that among
yourselves" The sergeants-at-armS
agreed to point out the delegations,
but the police had another cause for
refusing to act. The consequence was
that at the very outset, notwithstand-
ing that numbered seats had been pro-
yided sufficient for all the delegates,
it became necessary to take chairR
from the space used in the audience
portion of the hall in order that one
entire. delegation that had been
crowded back by usurpers be given
seats. And yet. when noses were
counted before the call to order, it
was plainly apparent that the regular
democrats had the convention by the
same stalwart front that had existed
since the primaries. and with any
semblance of order on the floor there
could have been but one -outcome-the
utter rout of LOoneyism.
First Overt Act.
And no one realized this fact more
clearly than Looney himself, for in
stead of sitting with his delegation he
took his position on the east side of
the hall. in the line of officers which.
under Capt. Kramer, were subject to
Looney's orders throughout. He oc-
casionally fitted about among his del
egates, but invariably returned to his
position, from which at the proper
moment he could make the dash for
the stage that was the first overt
move in his course. Throughout
LoOney was restless and desperate. 1t
was case of force and ferocity or
lose, and with the police thoroughly
in accord with his program, he but
awaited the cue to rush to the stage,
and what followed is told in the ac-
count of the convention proceedings
When it was apparent that the Po-
lice detail acting under Capt. Kramer
in the hall was determined to simply
hold Looney in the place he had
r.s,I l. 4