The Scranton Tribune, June 11, 1902
Collision Was a Violent One
No Fatalities Result but Many Injured
Class of Warring
Factions in the Third Legislative District Convention
Necessitates the
Summoning of the Police – Blood Flowed Freely and
One Arrest Results
The
Democrats of the Third Legislative district held a convention yesterday
afternoon at the St. Charles hotel. The complete list of the injured could not
be ascertained as many were hurried away by their friends at the approach of
the police. The most seriously injured were: William Burke, postmaster at
Minooka: cut on temple and cheek lacerations; Michael Lydon of Minooka: face
cut and knuckles skinned; James Nolan, Lackawanna: cut on chin.
The
convention was called to elect two delegates to the state convention at Erie,
June 25. The warring Minooka factions headed, respectively, by John J. Coyne
and Martin Judge, each wanted to get control of the district, and when they
failed to settle the matter according to the rules and regulations of the
Democratic party of the Third Legislative district, the rules compiled and
edited by the illustrious Marquis of Queensbury were substituted. There were
insinuations after adjournment that even the substituted rules were violated.
Delegates Must Register – Under the district
rules, all delegates must register the day prior to the convention, and
contests must be filed before 10 o’clock a.m. of convention day.
A
lot of the Judge delegates arrived at the convention yesterday afternoon
bearing what seemed to be duly attested credentials, but when these were
presented, Chairman W. W. Baylor found it necessary to ignore them as others
had registered from their districts in due time and proper form, and 10 o’clock
a.m. having come and gone, it was too late to enter contests.
The
scene that followed the announcement of this ruling would not, if transferred
to canvas, be hung among studies of still life.
The
12 x 14 hotel sample room, in which the convention was being conducted was
crowded from the walls to the very edge of the round table in the center of the
room at which Chairman Baylor and Secretary Edward Jordan had their seats. The
chairman’s ruling brought every man in the room to his feet and drew them into
a compact mass about the table.
Everybody
started to talk at once. Most of them contented themselves with calling Mr.
Baylor names and accusing him of trying “to run over the people like a bull.”
Martin
Judge alleged that the John Coyne delegates’ credentials from Lackawanna were
forged. Mr. Coyne, in measured, deliberate terms, called Mr. Judge a liar.
