The Violent Politics of the First Ward

There is every indication that the Democrats of the First Ward will have a bitter fight at the center of the primaries. The knock-down and drag-out between John W. Considine and T. J. Kelly on Sunday night is merely an outward visible sign of the feeling between the two factions. The trouble began when the ward club was formed several weeks ago. It seems that Joseph Livingston aspired to be the boss of the Democrats in that part of the city, and according to his view, the first step toward that eminence of power was control of the club. Livingston found no difficulty in mustering his forces to elect his friend, Romayne Fitzgerald, the president of the club. There were, however, some rigorous protests from those who wished to have a hand in the game, but lacked Livingston's skill. These malcontents threatened to gather at the next meeting and smash things, but Livingston was on hand with his shouters and put them down with a strong hand. T. J. Kelly, secretary of the ward club, has been particularly active in getting up interest in the precincts, and he has formed three clubs, one for the First, one for the Second and Third, and one for the Fourth. This conduct has naturally proved extremely irritating to Livingston's supporters, among whom is John W. Considine. Considine divides all men into two classes: his friends, whom he asks to drink, and his enemies, whom he 'smashes in the face.' It is not surprising, then, that he came into the Democratic Central Club room on Sunday night and saw Kelly, who is a smaller man than he. Kelly was sitting in a chair with his feet up on the stove, but before he knew what had happened, Considine had knocked him to the floor. Bystanders say that Considine was trying to kick his prostrate victim when the crowd rushed in to stop this brutality.