The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-27
PROMISEDIT BY PRiTCHARD
BUT THE MONEY IS IN THE CIR
CUT COURT CLERKSHIP.
THAT STILL HELD BY Mr.. RIDDICk
He Has Been Clerk For twenty One
Years--Though Strong Demo-
crat He Was Appointed by
Republican Judge in 1866.

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick,
especially when it is the hope for
piece of pie that fails to come.
This has been the trouble with Julius
Bolts Fortune these many days Way
back early in the spring. when the
young mans heart lightly turns to
thoughts of love, Julius Bolts Fortune
was puzzliSg his Uranium about how to
get relief.
When he first viewed the landscape
DER the marshalship of the Western dis
trict seemed the most direct route; and
he started for it with a determination
that augured no good for the man who
should beat him to it. Senator Pritchard
saw this and decided that the best thing
to do, under the circumstances, was
to head Julius Bolts off and side-track
him on to something else-for it was
not on letters programme to give Julius
Bolts that marshalship.
About this time Judge Seymour died
and Pritchard was thus enabled to show
Fortune a great light. He promised
him the clerkship of the Federal court
here and at Wilmington, with deputy
at Wilmington.
In consideration of this julius Bolts
agreed to waive all further claims upon
the marshalship. He retired from the
race, got together his numerous family
and moved to Raleigh. This was some
four months ago. He has been here
ever since, waiting, YEARLY waiting for
that promised Appointment. Now and
then he would get out of patience, go to
| Washington, get new promises and as
The trouble all the time has not been
with Pritchard or Purnell, that Fortune
did not come promptly into his own, but
with Judge Simonton. Pritchard had
promised and made Purnell promise that
Fortune should have the place. But
neither one of them could give it to him.
! Purnell could give him the district clerk
ship, but the circuit judgeship was
not his to give away. That belonged
to Judge Simonton and he didn't pro-
pose to let either Mr.. Pritchard or Mr..
| Purnell name the man. Indeed, he didn't
think it necessary for anybody to name
man, as he considered the present in
cumbent, Mr.. n. j. Riddick, the best
man in the State for the place. So the
matter drug its weary length along, For
tune refusing to take the district clerk
ship alone because it pays practically
nothing.
In the meantime Purnell and Pritch-
ard wrestled with Judge Simonton try
! ing to bring him to their way of think
ing, but he wouldn't think with them,
and so at last they seem to have given
it up and now, it is announced, they are
trying to get Judge Golf to help them
remove Mr.. Riddick and give the place
to Mr.. Fortune. Whether or not they
will succeed in this remains to be seen.
! AS for Junius Bolts, he has at last
come to the conclusion that half loaf
! is much better than no bread at
all, and so at last he has signifed to
Judge Purnell his willingness to take the
district clerkship Though it pays practi-
cally nothing) and trust to chances on the
circuit clerkship and Judge Golf
Judge Purnell, therefore, yesterday is
sued the following order appointing Mr..
| Fortune:
1T is ordered by the court that Julius
B. Fortune be and he is hereby appoint
ed clerk Of the United States District
Court at Raleigh in the said Eastern
District of North Carolina, vice N. j.
Riddick, acting clerk, who is hereby re-
moved. The appointment of said Julius
B. Fortune to date from July 1st, 1897, or
as soon thereafter as he shall file an of
fetal bond and qualify as provided by
law.
at is further ordered that the dockets,
| bills, and all documents and property ap-
pertaining to the office of clerk of the
United States District Court at Raleigh
be delivered to said julius B. Fortune
upon his qualification as aforesaid.
H. fho
minutes Of the United States District
Court at Raleigh"
Fortune expects to qualify July list,
and hopes by that time to be appointed
circuit clerk, otherwise he will be little
better off than before, for practically all
the business here is done by the circuit
clerk.
Never before, in recent years, has poll
tics so openly entered into the judicial
affairs of the general government as in
| this case. Never before has a Federal
| Judge descended to inquiring into a mans
politics and turning him out simply be-
cause he is of a different political faith. |
| So far from it, Mr.. Riddick, though an
uncompromising Democrat, was appoint |
| ed twenty-one years ago by Republl- |
can judge Bond) and has ever since been |
serving under Republicans. None of
| them ever before asked what his politics
were, or seemed to care whether he had
any or not.
His retirement is to be regretted. He |
was appointed in 1866, and has made a
most faithful and efficient officer. A man
of sterling character, unquestioned hon |
esty and untiring industry, he has rec
ord to be proud of. During the whole |
of his twenty-one years service there has
not been criticism of his work, though |
he has served under many judges, includ-
| ing Chief Justices Chase and Waite.
| Mr.. Fortune, on the other hand, is
man whose fitness for the Office is seri-
ously called ito question. Though ma
tive of Rutherford county, he has in re
cent years been living in Cleveland. He
has been postmaster in Shelby two terms,
was deputy marshal for four years, and
was a member of the Senate three years
! ago.