Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-02
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. .THR CAUCUS QUESTION. Fifty-Eight Signatures To
 The Call. NEARLY Y ENOUGH FOR THE PURPOSE. Promises to Sign FromTweIve
 Absentees. ONE LESS STALWART CANDIDATE. Platt's Withdrawal Announced In
 the Convention.
NEARLY ENOUGH FOR THE PURPOSE.
NEW YoRk.

! The Senatorial Fight-Platt Withdrawl | From the Contest-In Spite of Conk- nng's Remonstrances = Threatening l Vengeance Against His Tradueers-The Caucus Men Gathering Up the Sigma lures - Fffty-eight Already Secure - Enough Others Guaranteed to Assure Caucus.
 ALBANY, July 1.-As soon as the joint con- vention met to-day MT. Spinola raised the point of order that as it was ten minutes after noon and the law required the convention to meet at noon, it was not in order to proceed. His objection, however, was oEerruled by the chair. When the Lieutenant Governor an nounced that the convention would vote to fill the vacancy for the long term, Speaker Sharpe said that he had been voting for Thomas c. Platt, but at Platt's request and in the interest of the Republican party he withdrew MT. Platt's name as a candidate
 and would vote for Richard Crowley. The
 members generally that had been voting for
 Platt then changed their votes to others The
 result of the balloting was fore Conkling's va caney: Wheeler 3s, Conkling 28 Potter AS,
 Lapham 13, there being thirteen scattering
 For Platt's term Depew had AS, Cornell 15,
 Crowley 20, Herman AS, Platt 2, eight being scattered. After the ballot Senator Jacobs tried to have committee appointed to regu- late pairing for tomorrow and Monday, but after discussion his motion was laid on the table and the convention adjourned
 The half-breeds held conference tonight. It was reported that the call for caucus had obtained ffty-eight signatures and that mo- t1ces of intention to sign had been received from twelve absentees. When this has sixty five signatures an open caucus will be held and two candidates, of which one must be 8 half breed and the other stalwart who has received fifty four votes, will be given the solid vote of the signers Owing to the large number of legislators who will be absent to- morrow and on the Fourth the caucus will not be held unGil Tuesday at tue earliest. It Is more than probable that there will be no quorum in the joint convention on Monday.
 Conkling and Arthur went to New York on the 8:30 p. m. boat. Mrs. T. c. Platt and son arrived aG Albany this evening from New York. They will leave with ex-Senator Platt for New York tomorrow at 10 o'clock. This morning Platt sent for United States Mar shal Payne and told him he had made up his mind to have his name withdrawn. Payne asked why. Plstt said on account of the scandal brought against him. He said the whole thing was lie and conspiracy, and so far as 1t affected himself personally he could stand and meet it in his own way and at his own time, and he meant to fully meet it at the proper time and have the conspirators punished to the full extent of the law. But he decided it best to with draw from the contest at present for the good of the party. He did not care to have his friends stopped in every street and at every public place and have this thing thrown in their faces. He insisted on Payne going to Speaker Sharpe and asking him to withdraw his name before the balloting began on the long term. Payne did all in his power to dissuade Platt from the step, but without avail. Payne then went to Conkling and told him of Platts de- termination. Conkline at once saw Platt and urged him by every consideration to change his mind. Platt emphatically refused to do so and insisted on Payne carrying his mes- sage to Sharpe and making it peremptory This Payne did and announced the withdraw al as having been made at Platt's request.