The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-17
AFTER AN ITEM.
How a Caucus was Worried.


There was q caucus yesterday at 1890
o'clock, of NUMBER limited number-of
the Republican members Of the Lsgisla-
ture.
The fact that the meeting was to take place
became known to the reporters some time
previous to the appointed hour, and, as it was
thought that the proceedings might be of
public interest, steps were taken to obtain
them. O. a4l,,t -,,3rt-.
1t was ascertained that certain room in
the third story of the Siate-House had been
selected as the place of meeting. ----- 'I' (
A look at this certain room satisfied the re-
porters that unless they we're admitted to the
meeting there was only one way to get the
proceedings, and that was by taking posses
sion OF an adjoining room. 80
The meeting room had two doors, one
opening into the hall and the other opening
into that adjoining room.
This room was locked. However, the ser
vices of a locksmith were secured, and in q
short time the reporters were in possession OF
| key.
Promptly at the appointed hour the Bull
| LETIN reporter and the Times reporter were on
Rand, and after the door OF the meeting room
had been closed they went to the door OF the
! adjoining room.
An old negro who was blind in the left eye,
and had to use glass to see out of the right,
| and who was lame in the right leg, and had
to use crutch to walk on the left, suddenly
I woke up, and gave notice that there was no
! admittance into that room.
! He was informed it was all right, but he
did not believe it, and expostuated and raved.
He wasn't much of man though, and, not
withstanding his objections, the door was IN
locked, but the Republican members of the
Legislature had taken the precaution to barri.
cade it with desk, and it would not open.
/. The afflicted colored man was jubilant, and
thanked "de good Lord"
1t was found that the desk could not be
moved, and at the same time it was found
that other steps to get the proceedings would
have to be taken ii they were to be got atsall.
! Several third-story windows of the State
House overlook the roof of building just
back of it, and one of these windows opened
into the meeting-room, another into the ad.
Looming room, and still another into a small
hall The hall window was looked out Of
and the distance between it and the roof was
calculated and set down at five feet.
Il was decided to reach the roof A step
ladder and plank were sought for, but
neither could be found, and it became evl
dent that the only way to reach that roof was
to jump. 1t was not a nice looking place tt
lump It was only five feet across, but thei
there we're three stories down to 60, if thu
roof was not reached. 1t was agreed that thu
best jumper should make the leap, and there
was trial in the hail. Tne BULLETIN re-
porter jumped first, and did not jump for
but the Times reporter did not half try, and
L - Dr. No~(a h.
the leap with the understanding that If hi
didn't make the roof, the Times would recor(
the fact with plenty of head lines in th'
largest type, and double lead the account.
The roof was, however, reached and ther
that afflicted colored gentleman hobbled off
and informed the Republican members OF the
Legislature that "a reporter am on de rufe,
and while the reporter was being sworn at b,
the proprietor of the building on who's
"rufe he was, the Republican members o
the Legislature put down the window of tn
meeting room and closed the inner shutters
The Times reporter invaded jeff Thomp
sons office, and found a stretcher. and thi
sretcher reached across with half a foot Il
spare on either side, and over this he climbed
to the roof.
Through broken pane of glass and
broken shutter, those present in the meeting
room could be seen, and they are named al
follows: Herwig, Massicot, Chadbourne
Wharton, Landry, Barch, Stamps, Twitchel
and Kelso.
The stretcher was put across to the windoS
of the adjoining room, and the windo'
raised, but the afflicted colored gentleman
came forward and nailed up the shutters.
The meeting did not do much. The Audit
orship was talked of, and committee az
pointed to wait on Gov. Kellogg and let hi II
know what the wishes of sthe Republica
members of the Legislature, in regard t
the matter, were, and then the caucus I'D
journed. ,...=--
Whittier's illustrated poem, mabel Mai