The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-15
And the Pritchard People Are
Trembling.
!: MAJORITY CAUCUS
A Break Reported From the
Pritchard Populists.
BUTLER ATTENDS TIE CAUCUS
Final Action on the Question of United
States Senator TO BE Had al
Caucus To- Night,
.Insl sar La | am hetter. :

Just say that / am better.
This was the reply of Senator Butler
last night to question as to whether
there was anything new in the Senatorial
situation.
II was | o'clock. and the Senator and
several of his friends, including Congress
man Shuford, Mayor Fountain, Senator
Atwater. Senator George Butler, Mr..
LLOYD, and others had just returned from
the Populist caucus at the Capitol.
The caucus met early in the evening,
and a thousand and one rumors had been
going around the hotel One was that
eight of the minority had deserted Pritch-
ard. and that FIVE of these eight had gone
into the majority caucus. This rumor
and others like it, had thrown consterna-
ton into the pritchard camp. Pritchard
himself had remained up until midnight.
and at that hour was in Congressman
SINNERS room, looking complacent, but
"A little less confident than heretofore.
skinner himself was nervous, perceptibiy
10. A tempting supper only slightly
touched. peened ut the hungry reporters
from waiter near by. The room was
somewhat topsy turvy, indicating much
going in and out during the evening
The Tar river statesman, while showing
slight signs of Senatorial weakness was
still gritty. and declared that the only
members of the minority who had gone
into the majority caucus had done so as
messengers And there were but two OF
these" he added, and one of them.
McCasfie. has just left my room.
4. al hslIs
If Republicans were circulating around.
Chairman Holton was among them.
lie wore by-gcne appearance, had on 4
Monday morning look, and admitted that
the rumor was current that the minority
populists were wayering. and that sew
eral had Joined the majority.
When told that the Hanging Dog
statesman, Chief Justice Campbell. was
a new Richmond in the Senatorial field.
he seemed To take it seriously, but de-
clared that the new candidate would not
command much following.
Marsh Mott had read the Charlotte
Observers editorial and in the delirium
Of its proposed concentration of Senate
rial sentiment around the Solicitor from
the eth district. was dreaming away
about the gaities of a six years SEMI
torial term.
All day the Republicans had been more
or less nervous, the few that were up al
| o'clock. looked almost panic stricken.
There may or may not be anything f;l-
vorable TO Butler III last nights develop
ments, but Butler was more lively than
he has been during the fight. There was
more visible mirth III that characteristic
smile, and he would laugh out loud at \
commonplace joke.
Mr. Lloyd volunteered the information
that the regular populist caucus tonight
would decide the question of a candidate
for United States Senator. A dozen
names are mentioned, III; who the candi-
late is going to he nobody knows.
DIR. Thompson. Judge Clark Col. Dock
cry, DIR. Mott, WI. Peel. and many 9th
ers are talked of.
1t was amusing to see the Republicans
catching at the straw in the shape of q
letter from a Democrat to Congressman
Zig Tag Linney, published in the Char
lotte Observer. saying that he fthe Dem.
ocraD favored Pritchard's election. Som
of the goIdbug crowd imagined that they
could, with SEINE kind Of political micro
scope, see vote in this letter, and pos
Sible new vote for Pritchard last night
was bigger than ii whole Populist bolt
was four days ago. The fight is warm
awful warm. and the fighters are making
the night winds fairly siz.