The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-25
IN A FIGHT
Tennessee Republican Conven-
tion Opens With Hours Battle.
Fists, Pistols and Even a Hatch
ct Brought Into Action.

Nashville, Tenn, March 25.-The Re-
publican state convention to elect pres
idential electors for the state and dele
gates for the state at large to the Chi
cago convention was called to order
this afternoon and promises to be the
stormiest in years. fight on between
the Evans and Brownlow fac
tions seemed to make a serious
split inevitable. Two conventions will
probably result. w. ]. Oliver, the con-
tractor, is a candidate for national
committeeman. srecial Oliver train
from east Tennessee arrived this morn
ing with 800 men and two brass bands
on board. The Oliver crowd had Sc
cured the capital and every public hall
lively times. The Evans people are in
attempt to dominate.
No sooner had the convention
been called to order at the capitol
than trouble began, resulting in a
dofien fist fgrts between members of
the Evans and BrownIow factions.
Order was restored in a few minutes
by the police. A negro and a white
man later had a set-to. They were
ton.
For nearly an hour a battle waged
1t was a fight in which hundreds par
ticipated from time to time, in a
genuine rough and tumble affair
precipitated by the efforts of the
Republicans to take charge of the
rostrum already held by the Oliver
Austin-Bro wnlow wing The Oliver
host filled the big auditorium shortly
after O'Clock. They had a key to
the hall and marched in before the
unsuspecting Evans-Ha1e guards and
took the room. They kept it and
held it straight through until the
hour for the convention and when the
Evans-Hale delegates walked into the
room at 10 o'clock the Oliver men
were in the saddle.
1t was on the advent of the Evans
corps that trouble came. During
the disturbance more than a dozen
fist fights occurred and in several in
stances pistols were drawn. One
man produced hatchet which he was
preparing to WELD when intercepted.
Newell Sanders, chairman of the
state committee, an ardent Evans
man was choked almost into in
sensibility by member of the
Brownlow faction when finally the
police restored order, the Oliver men
were in control.
AIleT OTueT 1dQ Deen IN a measure
restored the Oliver people organized
by electing State Senator w. T. Davis
OF Claibourne county as chairman
The convention got down to business
in very greatly confused manner.
The following were elected delegates
from the state at large to the national
Republican convention: Daniel Cooper
Swab of Claibourne conuty; Jesse l..
Rogers of Knox county; H. c. Ander-
son of Shelby county; Jesse M. Little
ton of Franklin county. W. J. Oliver
was endorsed for national committee
man.
The convention commended Taft.
Hughes. Fairbanks, Cannon and For
aker, making no specific endorsement
for president
The policies of President Roosevelt
were endorsed and the pernicious ac-
tivity of federal officeholders '-was
strongly condmned."
The convention adopted a resolu-
ton providing that the delegates to
the state at large and fro mthe con-
gressional districts shall submit their
claims as delegates to a legalized
primary If the delegates from the
Boilers will do the same.
The statement was made from the
chair that w. J. Oliver would put up
a certified check for $4,000 to pay the
expenses of such primary election
It was also declared that Mr.. Oliver
will submit his claims to endorses
ment for national committeeman to
a primary if the candidate for the
oposing faction will do the same. He
proposed, too, to pay the expenses
of such a primary election. The
Evans faction met in the hall where
the Oliver crowd was holding forth,
called the roll of the districts ap-
pointed a credentials committee and
adjourned until tomorrow morning.