The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-08
Sends Greetings and Forty
Thousand Majority.
ATKINSON SCORES $4,000
This is 5000 Greater Than
Majority Two Years Ago.
AGAINST WORST POSSIBLE ODDS
Hoke Smith Says National Issue Did
Not Enter--A Negro in Scrap, Ac-
cidentaIIY Murders a Man
and is LYnched.
and is LYnched.


and is LYnched.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. w. Y. Atkinson.
Democrat, is reelected by majority
of not less than $4,000, which is an in
crease of 5000 over the party majority
of two years ago. The situation at
midnight was very complex, and the
result is largely guess-work. Fulton
county, in which this city is situated
has given Atkinson a majority of 900,
where two years ago it gave a majority
of 1,800. Bibb county this year gives
a majority of 600, and two years ago
it gave the Democrats a majority OF
3,UU0. In the tenth district, which is
the home of 4nOmas Watson, the
Democratic majority has dropped from
5000 to 2,v~o. 1t is generally conceded,
however, that Atkinson has carried the
State by at least %, 900, and the returns
are expected byShis friends to show
that he has a majority of $4,000. This,
if true, means that the balance of the
ticket has been successful by a ma
jority of 10000.
Memphis, Tenn, Oct. THE Com
mercial-Appeal's special from Atlanta,
Ga, says: Georgia sends her answer to
Maine and sends it in ringing tones.
The Democrats have won a signal vic
tory. At midnight returns received
from big majority of the counties in
dicate a plurality for Governor Atkin-
son, (Democrat) of $4,000 or perhaps
10000. 1t has been the boast of the
opposition that Askinsons majority
would be cut down from its $4,000 of
two years ago. Every possible element
antagonistic to Democracy has been
arrayed against the State ticket in this
fight
The Populists combined with the
PrOhibitionists and it was q very Wig
orous one. They have had many active
agents at work in their behalf. In the
critics the A. z. a. has been fighting
Atkinson from one end of the State to
the other, the Republican leaders hav-
ing been using their influence in the
interest of the Populist ticket openly
working.
The gold Democrats have also
worked against the State ticket
The returns point to an almost uni
form Democratic gain. Wherever there
has been a Democratic loss, il has been
due solely to local reasons. Atkinson's
plurality is less than that received by
the others on the State ticket The
other State officers have majoFibies
that run over 10000.
The Legislature is Overwhelmingly
Democratic. The Populists may have
four members Of the Senate and the
Republicans one. The other thirty
nine viii be Democratic. In the House
the Populists will have aboHt IS Of the
100 representatives.
A. S. Clay, chairman State Demo
cratic Executive committee, SAYS: 1--WE
have carried the State by between 35,-
900 and 10000 majority. The Populists
have not carried twenty counties out of
the 147 in the State, and they have
lost many af the counties they carried
in 1894.
Precincts in this (Fulton) county
outside of Atlanta, give Wright POpu-
list, n majority of S34. Floyd Wright's
home county goes for him by 100 ma
jority, a Populist increase.
THEORY OF CHAIRMAN BUCK.
Atlanta, ia, Oct s.--A. q. Buck,
Chairman State committee, said
''Atkinson's large majority is due to
the Prohibition plank in the Populist
platform. The Governor won the
negro vote by his efforts to suppress
lynching, The result has no Signifi-
canoe nationally"
HOKE SMITH ON THE RESULT.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 7.-Ex-Secretary
of the Interior Hoke Smith in an in
terview with the representative of the
Associated Press tonight said: 1.-THE
contest in Georgia was over the cues
tiOn of local government. National
issues did not enter it. Governor Akin
son won the confidence of the negro
vote by his impartial administration,
and the large majority OF them sup
ported him at the polls"
A GEORGIA IIYNCHING INCIDENT.
Augusta, Ga, Oct 7-TO-day's eles-
tion caused a murder and lyneling at
Mount Junction in ScreYeR county.
Gus Williams, a Populisb negro,
snatched a ticket out Ofa Democratic
negro voters hand The Democrats
negro struck Williams for his insol-
ence and Williams fired at his sssailaRt
but missed his aim and shot and in
stantly killed Engineer Middleton OF
the Central Railroad, who was an IN
nocent loOler-on. By-standeFs took
Williams and lynched him and riddleS
bis body with bullets.