The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-03-16
FIRST BATTLE"
OF THE CAMPAIGN
ALDERMAN o. M. PRYOR MAKES
AN ASSAULT IN CUSTOM
HOUSE ON EDITOR OF
THE JOURNAL.

The first personal encounter OF the
present municipal campaign occurred
| last night about 1880 o'clock in the
corridor of the custom house, when
| Alderman o. M. Pryor made an assault
upon Frank L. Mayes, editor of The
Journal While Mr.. Pryor's attack
was pretty stiff one-a physical
giant, as it were, against feather
weight-no serious danger resulted,
and the cOmbatants were separated by
several gentlemen VINO were standing
by at the time.
Mr.. Mayes and Mr.. Pryor met when
coming down town on the depot car.
A few pleasantries were exchanged,
among which were several remarks by
Mr.. Pryor as to the alleged unfairness
Of the primary, and now badly he
thought the primary people were go
ing to get beaten.
When they got off the car and walk
ed to the custom house, Mr.. Mayes
took occasion to say that as the whole
primary procedure had been thorough
ly advertised and conducted in ac-
cOrdance with the law and the Gus
tom, he thought it eminently superior
in that respect to the anti-pFimary
caucus which had been held Tuesday
night without any advertising what
ever, except that alderman Pryor had
sent mis- sanitary inspectors out to-
invite those whom he desired to have
present.
This remark, while made in the best
of feeling and in the best of faith,
was possibly somewhat ill-advised as
1t evidently touched tender spot, and
Alderman Pryor heatedly replied:
THAT is not so; did not send them
out. l simply told them to ask peo-
pie to come to the meeting"
To this Mr., Mayes replied: "All
right, Mr.. Pryor. I'll take your word
for it. l knew they had invited Ger
tain persons to the meeting and
assumed you had instructed them TO
do So"
This did not seem to satisfy Mr..
Pryor and he seemed to get very ex-
cited, exclaiming, Don't say that
again." to which Mr. Mayes simply re-
piled: Cali right, Mr.. Pryor, l told
you once I'd take your word for it and
I'm absolutely responsible for what l
said"
BY this time, Mr.. Mayes had opened
his postoffice box and was bending
over it with one arm full of papers
and the other in the box, when Mr..
Pryor rushed upon him eXclaiming:
IF you say that again, say it's a
damned lie"
With that he aimed blow at Mr..
Mayes who had time only to straight
n off - l
pie with his bulky opponent, when the
orce of the rush carried them both
back toward the corner of the build
ng and down upon the flagstones of
he floor. Mr.. Pryor was on top and
vas making a desperate effort to
freak a hole in the floor with NJ.
dayes's head-at least it looked that
way to the latter-but both the head
nd the floor refused to break, and
fhen several good Samaritans gently
aised the two graphing forms from
he floor they both came up together.
The gentlemen who effected the dis
were Messrs A. NJ.
Iyer, G. M. Jones, NJ. G. Johnson and
ne or two others whose names for
ne moment The Journal representa-
i've failed to get down.
During all this time the city coun-
IL, all unconscious of the thrillingl
Gene in which one of its illustrious
lembers was playing so prominent
art. doubtless awaited his arrival.
ossibly with this thought in mind
e left the custom house with some
emark about a '15-cent paper"
though it's really only 10 cents a
eek and the angry injunction Don
Ou put my name in your paper again"
This. in short. is the story of the
First Battle" of the present municipal
It may not be edifying,
ut it is news and that is the only
terest The Journal has in giving it.