Birmingham state herald., 1896-10-02
NAY, SAYS YOUNG KOLB.
He VIII Not Heed the Request to Resign. His Version of the Complication
 With the Committee

Boiling seems to be the order of the day.
 It was rumored on the streets yesterday that Reuben Kolb, chairman of the Jef- ferson county peoples party executive committee had been notified to resign the chairmanship.
 A State Herald reporter called upon Mir. Kolb at the office of the Peoples Tribune yesterday afternoon, and ob- tained the following version of the sit- uation
 On the 18th ultimo I received a com munication from MT Jerry Fountain as follows:
 'State Headquarters,
 American Protective Association,
 Birmingham, Ala, Sept. IS, 1896. Hon Reuben kolb, City
 Dear Sir:-We have opened the Ninth District congressional campaign. We shall expect Jefferson county to do her part in the fight In order to do this l would like to ask you to call the county executive committee together, not later than the 26th instant. Please let me know if you will call it at once.
 Yours very truly,
 JERRY FOUNTAIN, Chairman Dist. Campaign Committee. '.In reply to the above I authorized MT. Fountain to call the committee together on the date suggested by him. 1 after wards saw. several members of the com mittee and they suggested that the meet ing be postponed until a later date. then sent to each member of our county executive committee the following notice "On the 18th instant l issued a call for meeting of our county executive com mittee on Saturday, the 26th instant Af- ter considering the matter and consult ing with some of the committee l have decided that it would be best not to hold the meeting on the date named. This is therefore to notify you that the meeting will be postponed until further notice.
 Very truly yours
 "REUBEN KOLB "Chairman Jefferson County Peoples Party Executive Committed
 MT. Fountain then, although not a member of the county executive commit tee and without authority to do so, is sued call for the committee to meet today, and also requested each member to bring with him two or three good popu- lists. There are fifty-five members of the committee. Of that number I was told by one who was present that only sixteen members were present. They appointed a committee to wait upon me and request my resignation for the reason that l was not supporting the electoral ticket for Bryan and Watson and pr. Grove for congress. The chairman of the commit tee Whc called on me was not even a member of cur county executive commit tee.
 'I told the committee that I would not resign for the reason that I was elected by our last county convention to serve for the next two years, and that I would not recognize any action taken by the meet ing today because it was not a legal or regular meeting of the committee and be- sides the committee had no right to ask me to resign because I was not elected by it.
 "I have been informed that the sixteen men declared the office of chairman va cant and elected MT. John T. Shugart as chairman.
 "I have also been informed that MT. Fountain and his sixteen friends passed resolutions condemning the Tribune and everyone connected with it for supporting Bryan and Sewall and Hon. o. w. Under- wood.
 Mr Fountain will learn before this campaign is over that the Tribune has a little more influence than he imagnes and that Underwood will be elected by such an overwhelming majority that neither of his opponents will have the nerve to contest his seat in congress on account of alleged fraud"