Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-04-11
The MILITIA IS CALLED OUT
TAFT FORCES GAIN POSSESSION
OF HALL AND ORDER RoosE-
WELT MEN EXCLUDED.
BOTH LATER GAIN ADMISSION
ATTEMPTS TO PERFECT TEMPO
RARY ORGANIZATION CAUSE
GREAT DISORDER.

Bay City, Mich, April l1.-Michi-
gan republicans split today in a con.
vention featured by fist fights and the
calling out of state troops. The Roose-
welt leaders and delegates, after elect
ing a national delegation, withdrew to
carry the question of disputed dele
gates before the national convention
at Chicago. The Taft forces claimed
the regular convention and began
their organization. They also will
elect six delegates to the national
convention.
While state troops held the front
entrance to the armory against eight
cen hundred delegates and contested
delegates to the Michigan state re
publican convention today, Taft mem
bers of the state central committee
were admitted through a small side
entrance and Taft followers thus Sc
cured the first strategic advantages
over the Roosevelt men.
The Taft members, who were head.
ed by Acting Committee Chairman
Robert H. Shields of Hougnton, were
followed into the armory by Chair.
man Knox and former United States
Senator Albert j. Beveridge of Indi-
ana, who also came through the side
entrance. Knox at once voiced EN-.
phatic protest against the action OF
his committee members Dut he was
voted down.
The committee then elected Shields
temporary chairman and went ahead
with seating arrangements for the
delegates, who waited impatiently in
the street Roosevelt leaders mean
while conferred at a hotel several
squares distant and prepared to go to
the convention and seat their tempo.
rary chairman, former Secretary of
the Navy Truman Newberry of De.
troit Shields told the militia and
police to admit only those delegates
with cards bearing the signature of
Secretary Paul H.. King, of the state
committee. Knox instructed the
guards to allow no one to enter un
less he carried a card bearing his sig. |
nature.
After receiving the conflicting or
ders the guards opened the front
doors, but only the delegates bearing |
cards signed by Secretary King were |
admitted. Thus Taft forces filled the
hall while Roosevelt men strove to
gain entrance through side roors, win
dows and the basement. The oppos-
ing chairmen attempted at the some
moment to open the convention, WI
d. Gordon of Midland, a Roosevelt
man, sprang to the stage and attempt
ed to address the convention. He
was hurled from the stage by B. F.
cremer of Marquette, Taft man.
Police. and militia forced back a
hundred men who sought to engage
in the fight precipitated by Gordon
and Cremer. All attempts to quit
the excited delegates seemed useless.
Despite great disorder, both the
Taft and Roosevelt forces attempted
at the same time to organize the con-
vention. Two large policemen stood
guard over Mr.. Beveridge. who had
been swept back from his seat during
the Gordon Cremer fight.
The Roosevelt forces named these
delegates-atlarge: Governor Chase s.
Osborn, Charles Nichols, Detroit;
Sybrant wesselius, Grand Rapids; II.
F. Boughey, Traverse City; Theodore
Joslyn, Adrian; W. D.. Gordon, Mid.
land.
While Secretary King attempted so|
get vote on temporary chairman.
Gordon resumed his speech amid con