The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-06-17
REPUBLICAN, DlSSEN.
.Sl0NS.
sensational seenes in the New
York coutessssssssalleled in
the History of National Con-
ventions Reporters
Sworn to Secrecy.

transpired this morning in the closing
moments of the sessions of II hours
of the national committee, furnished
an abundant topic of discussion this
afternoon and night. Very few OF
the members were seen around their
hotels until late in the day, for with
scarcely an exception, they were
physically exhausted when the pro-
tracted session vas brought 70 a close
with the dawn ofthe day The com
mittee rose at 4 o'clock this morning
Save for few minutes recess, the
body had been in sessions for II
hours, which resembled on a mlnu-
ture scale, those of the closing ses-
sion Of congress In the corners
and ON the big table back OF Char
man Carter's seat. committeeman VINO
had succumbed to the strnin, slept
during the debates and were aroused
whep the roll calls were reached, to
record their judgement as between
the contestants and contestees The
majority of the members, however,
participated actively in each OF the
decisions up to the fna' adjournment,
and Gov. Botkin of Montana, who
has lost the use of his lower limbs
and is wheeled about in an Invalid
chair, was one of the most vigorous
in opposing the frequent motions to
adjourn, which were made by the
wornout members. Several of the
committeeman were so exhausted a;
the close, that they are still keeping
to their rooms to night.
Committeeman who have served in
that capacity for the past 20 years,
admit that the debates upon the N Y.
contest cases exceeded in bitterness
and display of personal feeling any
thing they had witnessed before
The peat up feelings Of the prvious
four days which fouud only partial
vent in the debate upon the recognl-
tion of the Addicks delegation from.
Delaware, seemed to break loose, and
interchanges Of opinion were indul-
ged in, that had they been uttered Oh
the floor of national convention
would have provoked tumult.
There vera ordinations and recrlm-
nations, assertions and denials,
dennnciations and apologies.
The press representatives present
were pledged in advance to secrecy
and the official stenographer refrain
ed fiom taking his regular notes OF
the proceedings To day the COM
m;tteemen were equally chary Of
talking of the proceedings to out
siders, and in some cases would not
even take the trouble to deny numer-
our extravagsnt stories that were
current, concerning the proceedings
of the night. At the same time, they
were free to say that they were glad
that the siege was over, and they
trusted they would never again be
called upon TO experience similar
one
The episode that brought about an
allusion TO the. Hebrew descent Of
Mr.. Lsulesbach, the chairman Of the
New York county committee, was
one of the fruitful sources OF COM
ment to day The actual facts were
that while he was leaving the room
after concluding his argument in one
of the contests, one of the strangers
who had been admitted to the room
by the doorkeeper, and whose name
was subsequently, given to the chair
man as MIR Egan ofNew York, made
a coarse remark which he coupled
with an alIusion to Mr. Lauterbach's
race. When the next contest was
called and Mr. Lauterbach was again
admitted, Committeeman Yerkes of
Louisville, who was not in sympathy
with the side represented by Mr..
Lauterbach, called the attention of
Chairman Carter to the circumstances
and uttered an indignant protest
against the sessions of the commit
tee being disgraced in such manner.
Chairman Garter insisted upon the
name of the offender being made
public, and when this was done,
called it three times and awaited
response. None came and then he
demanded els Mr.. Egan in the
room 2" Again there was no res
ponse, and Gen Collins OF New
York, who was one of the contestants
in the case, mounted chair, and
after scanning the assemblage.
Won ,sed for the fact that the offender
was not in the room. Chairman Garter
accepted the assurance and notified the
doorkeeper that under no circum'
stances was Egan to be again admit
ted
Subsequently, in closing his argu-
ment on the pending case, Mr.. Lau,
terbach took occasion to allude to the