Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-11
MRS. BELL WAS ELECTED |FLEET THAT NEVER FLEW After the Hottest Kind of Visited by Mr. George Goschen
 Fight at Portsmouth  THE CAPITOL WAS CROWDED LEGATIONS TO ENGI AND @ Exciting Ballots Were Necessary De- e Abogaton the Convention of 1884
 Contest Demanded
THE CAPITOL WAS CROWDED
Eight Exciting Ballots Were Necessary to De-
 eide the Contest.
AND PANDEMoNlUM REIGNED SUPREME
Balloting for Senator Georges Successor Will Begin on Monday Night to Give the Candidates a Chance
 for More Log Rolling.

Jackson, Miss, Jan. 10.-The demo- cratic caucus tonight for librarian at- tracted half the town and filled the old capitol, in spite of the report that it is ready to collapse to its utmost capacity. Previous to taking the fifth ballot for librarian MT. Noel of Holmes county of fered resolution to the effect that the first ballot for United States senator should be taken next Monday night, which was adopted unanimously. This gives the half dozen candidates for the George succession another Sunday. which, like the last, will be devoted to log rolling. It is not thought here that the situation is so seriously complicated by the fact that Hon. William G. Yerger has shied his castor in the arena, though he will perhaps take a few votes from each of the other candidates. Had he entered the race earlier his chances would have been excellent, as he is ex- ceedingly popular in all of the river coun- ties. The friends of Colonel Money are still confident that he will be nominated on the first or second ballot, but that is hardly probable. He will, however, go into the caucus with the largest vote.
 The first ballot taken tonight for libra rian, the fifth of all, resulted: Miss Plunkett, 56; Miss Tucker. 36; Mrs. Bell, 34; Mrs. Hargrave, 20 Miss Harrington, ID, hlSS OIlyue,
 The sixth ballot showed gains of 10 each for Miss Plunkett and Mrs. Bell, and Misses Smylie, Hargraves and Barring ton were withdrawn. Pandemonium then reigned supreme. The three re- maining candidates and hundreds of friends elbowed their way through the crowded hall wildly appealing to their old friends to stand firm and importuning released members to enlist in their cause The clerks proceeded with the roll call, but the babel of voices drowned their eff forts so that nearly an hour was con- sumed in taking the seventh ballot. The sergeant-at-arms was pOwerless to pre- serve any sort of order or clear the aisles. The seventh ballot showed a gain of 28 for Mrs. Bell and 5 for Miss Plunkett Miss Fuckers name was withdrawn. The widest excitement prevailed, and the call of the eighth ballot was accom- panied with more confusion than was ever before experienced in the nomina- tion of any candidate in this state. Miss Tucker is the first and only woman who ever held an office in Mississippi.
 Her father, brave old Confederate soldier, Gen. w. F. Tucker of Okalona, was assassinated several years ago, and his many friends have supported the daughter faithfully, but the democratic doctrine of rotation in office was too strong for them.
 The eighth ballot resulted: Mrs. Bell, 90; Miss Plunkett, S1.
 Mrs. Bell Is a widow with four little children, and who has been an employe of the postoffice at $25 per month for the past two years. She is a sister-in-law of Capt. Charles A. Lyerly; a wealthy citi- zen Of ChattanOOpa Tenn