CAPTAIN BOYCE (of New York shouting to a yelling audience):  “What is the use of our acting like a lot of kids?  Just one minute; only one man can talk at a time and get anywhere.  Colonel Roosevelt will not take it.”

COLONEL BENNETT CLARK:  “The chair will recognize nobody until the convention is in order.  It has been moved and seconded that Colonel Roosevelt be elected chairman of this convention by acclamation.”

Cries of approval from the audience and a request for the question.

COLONEL BENNETT CLARK:  “On that the chair will take the responsibility of ordering a roll call. (Applause.) The Secretary will call the roll.”

SECRETARY WOOD:  “The motion is that Colonel Roosevelt be nominated by acclamation.  The chairman has directed me to call the roll by States.  Alabama—­”

A call for a point of order.

DELEGATE:  “After nominations have been made and closed a roll call cannot be taken.”

COLONEL CLARK:  “The chair was fully aware that he was proceeding outside of parliamentary law because it was the unanimous wish of the convention.”

MR. SULLIVAN:  “I move that a roll call be made on the original nominations.”

COLONEL CLARK:  “Colonel Roosevelt has expressed to me his absolute desire that that not be done.  He refuses to enter into a contest with Colonel Lindsley in any way.”

COLONEL JONES (Washington, D.C.):  “Mr. Chairman, the nominations were reopened.”

COLONEL CLARK:  “The chair is informed that while he was on the way up here a motion was carried to reopen nominations after the resignation of Colonel Roosevelt.  Now nominations are again in order.”

MAJOR SAMUEL D. ROYCE (Indiana):  “On behalf of the State of Indiana, I nominate Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.”

The motion was seconded.

COLONEL CLARK:  “The gentleman from the District of Columbia has the floor.  Others please be quiet.”

Here I must inject my story into the minutes again.  Colonel Roosevelt saw the convention was “getting away to a Roosevelt finish” again, to use a racing term, and he sent a hurry call to the Arizona delegation for Colonel Jack Greenway.

Jack Greenway followed the elder Roosevelt up San Juan hill.  He wears underneath his civilian coat to-day, but right over his heart, a Distinguished Service Cross won at Cantigny.

“Jack, for Heaven’s sake, tell them I won’t take it,” Colonel Roosevelt plead.

It was just at this moment that Colonel Clark, the acting chairman, was saying:  “The gentleman from the District of Columbia has the floor.  Others please be quiet....”

Colonel Jack waving one arm at the chairman and another at the audience strode to the center of the stage.

The minutes read: 

COLONEL JACK GREENWAY:  “Will you give me the floor?  I won’t keep you five minutes.