The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-19

THOMPSON DENIED IT ALSO
The Fight is Red Hot with sut r ew
Votes 10 Spare on Either
Side

The corridors of the Park Hotel talry
hummed with rumors last night.
A big game of bluff was beng played
and report after report came from the
different headquarters.
About 10 o'clock a report came from
Sl-inner's room in which a conference
of the boilers was being held that Dr..
Cv Thompson had sent a messenger into
the conference with the authority to
state that he (Thompsonl would release
any of his populist friends from any
obligation they might feel that they We're
under TO vote for him, and that he would
Justify before the people their vote for
pritchard and that eighteen boiling
populisgs, thereupon unanimously decided
To east their votes for Pritchard. rms
rumoY flew like whirlwind. 1t came
down one flight of steps and part OF
It went into Senator Buffers room, ana
the other came in a hundred fragments
into the lobby.
Senator Butler woa asked If the report
was true.
"you are going to see l)r. Ihompaaa
are you not" replied Butler
eI Is. If he can be found.
"WeD. until you caR see him and get
his own denial. you can say for me, that
that is lie. and / am responsible Tor
what I say.
Meanwhile The runor had gone ny
The Republicans were joyful.
Twenty minutes later pr. Thompson
was seen coming into the hotel He was
asked rs to the truth of the report.
There is not word Of truth in II,
he said. Il have authorized no such
- bax,o Cai1 apvi hing like
If | say now what | said to "A Populist
to-day. that the action of a Popuiist mem
her in this matter is a question for him
"a settle for himself and with his con-
stituents and his party. | am the nom''
nee of the Populist party. and expect TO
be elected"
Another rumor was rolling like sweet
morsel over the togues Of some OF the
Republicans, and that was that Senator
Butler and DR.. Thompson had met III the
hotel lobby and that words had passed
between them.
Still another rumor was that l'f.
Thomson had made up his mind to with
draw in Pritchard's favor, aud that the
announcement would be made during
the night, but this rumor was, of course,
contradicted by DR.. Thompson IN his de-
NAL of the other statement.
These were all games of bluff that the
Pritchard men were playing. 1t was adj
mitted by some who had circulated tie
first story that it was done for bluff. 1t
was funny to see how the Pritchard tide
ebbed and flowed 1t caught every straw
and every false rumor and dashed II
about on the waves of their turbulent
waters. There was manifest uneasness
among them. and they caught at every
shadow of victory that passed, and ca
ressed it until it fitted away.
The situation at Il o'clock was about
as follows: pritchards election claimed
by Pritchard's forces by 2 to majority.
Pritchard's defeat claimed by Butler
and the anti-pritchard forces by to 4
majority.
POPULIST CAUCUS LAST NIGHT.
The regular Populists of the House and
Senate had joint caucus last night.
with all present except one who was ac-
counted for Senator Butler made Il
strong speech which elected hearty re-
sponse The caucus was entirely harmo-
NOUS. and was held, more than anything
else, for the purpose of lining up the
forces for the final battle to-day,