The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-14
The Pace for Judgeship Mar
rowed Down to Them.
TO BE APPOINTED MONDAY
PRTnCHARD SAID TO HAVE
PROMISED IT TO PURNEIL.
MCKINLEY GIVES BOYD PLEDGES
7 ellis Him He Shall Have Something
That is Perfectly Satisfactory
The Southern Railway viii
Be Heard From.

Be Heard From.
Judge Seymour's successor is, | am in
formed, to be appointed this week, prob
ably Monday.
The fight for the place seems now to
have borrowed down to two men-Col.
James H. Boyd, of Greensboro, and Mr..
T. r. Purnell, of this city.
If it is an Eastern man it will, l am
told by disinterested parties direct from
Washington, be Purnell. If it is u West
ern man it will be Boyd.
Now there are number of elements
that enter into this fight and that viii
influence its final settlement.
The principal of these is the Southern
Railway 1t has strong friends-eyen
sbockholders-in the Senate, and it is
understood that no man hostile to its
selfish interests can be confirmed. 1t
is said that as many as six Senators,
including Platt and Elkins, will stand
by the railroad through thick and thin.
Boyd is Southern Railway attorney and
purnell is sort of an uncertain quanti-
ty on the lease question
Then there is a possible clash between
promises and pledges of Mckinley and
Pritchard. Not that it will be such a
clash as will in anyway disturb the
friendship existing between the Presi-
dent and the Senator, but such a con-
hict as viii result in the side-tracking
of one or the other of the candidates 10
be given something equally as desira-
ble.'
Now which one will this be-Boyd or
purnell?
Mr.. Purnell, like Walter Henry, seems
to have been born under an unlucky star
50 far as ofice-getting is concerned.
Therefore one would naturally suppose
that he would be the onet0 be set aside.
But Mr.. Pritchard, as is wen known,
thinks he is under great obligation TO the
Raleigh man and feels that he owes
much to him for the work he did in his
behalf during the campaign and the re-
cent Senatorial fight here. 1t is said
thta he has even promised the place to
purnell and that he had him in mind
when he wrote to Chas. Price, telling
him that the new judge must be an East
ern man.
1t is therefore natural to conclude
that If Mr.. Pritchard has the naming
of Judge Seymour's successor, Mr.. Ihos.
X. Purnell of Raleigh, will be the man,
and that he will not willingly see him
side-tracked for another man, and a
Western man at that.
On the other hand, the Circuit court
judges-Goff and Simonton-are taking a
hand in the fight, and that hand is turned
against Purnell These two judges are
urging upon Mr. Mckinley the necessity
of appointing no man who rs not pre-
eminent as a lawyer.
AS is we'll known a District judge is
required to sit with these judges as a
member Of the Circuit Court of Appeals.
1t Is stated that Judges Golf and Simon
ton, referring to this fact, take the posi-
ton that none of the candidates from the
Eastern district possess legal ATTAIN
ments sufficient to meet this demand and
are urging the appointment of Capt.
Chas Price, of Salisbury, as the best
man in the State for the position.
The friends of Col. Boyd are urging
that an Eastern man is entitled to this
position, but that If the appointment is
to 90 to the West then Boyd and not
Price, ought to be the man. They charge
further that Capt Price has done almost
no party work for years, while Boyd has
been very active.
Price and his friends are, on the other
hand, estopped to deny the necessary
legal attachments on Boyd's part, having
earnestly pushed him for an appoint
ment as Attorney General of the United
States, the chief law officer in the gov
eminent.
1t is known that Boyd has the backing
of the party in the State for its best
position and Mckinley feels that he owes
much to him for his work in keeping the
Republican party in North Carolina in
tact 1t is said that Col. Boyd has now
in his possession written assurances from
the President that he shall have a place
that viii be perfectly satisfactory to him
except that it will not be the Mexican
mission, now held by Gen. Ransom.
These written promises, together with
! Col. Boyd's strong desire for the Judge
ship and his being wholly acceptable to
the Southern Railway, give considerable
color to the report from the National cap
ital that he may come in as a dark horse
and land the prize.
1t is believed by his friends that Pritch-
ard can be induced" to withdraw his OBJ
lection to him,as not living in the district
Raleigh people are hoping that their
t0wnsmen, Mr.. PuTnel, will get the
place.