The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-20
PRlTCHARD'S LITTLE BILL
TO MAKE AN UNNECESSARY 5000
JOB FOR A HENCHMAN.
WILL IT BUY CoBBs FRIENDSHIP f?
There Is No Need for a Salaried Clerk and
the Proposition is Nothing But a Po-
Iitical Job, as Appears by
the Bill.

ciaI. There are no new developments
to-day about the Raleigh Postoftice
fight.
Congressman Strowd is taking no
hand in the matter. AS Republican
will be appointed, he will he satisfied
with either Bailey or Nichols. He has
endorsed no candidate.
While Senator Pritchard has said
nothing for publication, it is believed he
favors Bailey for the office.
There is a bill now pending in Con-
gress, introduced by Senator pritchard,
which purportS on its face to re-arrange
the terms of the Federal court in Judge
purnelfs district. That part of it is a
blind. In the bin is embodied a proyi-
. sion by which the judge can appoint Il
salaried clerk of the court at Elizabeth
City. That is the milk in the cocoa-nut.
Now and formerly the clerk at Elizabeth
city, who has very little to do, has been
paid by fees. This bill proposes TO
change the plan and pay salary.
Is there anything wrong in changing
from fees to salary 1t all sounds
very nice and proper, but underneath it
is concealed plan 10 buy for Senator
pritchard the friendship of George
w. Cobb. to whom Senator
Pritchard promised the collector
ship. The present clerk is the
son of the late Judge George W. Brooks.
one of the hest men VINO ever sat on
the Federal bench in the South. He is
IRrrf on nd olx-a oil has n
the. place. Since Pritchard went back
on Cobb, the Elizabeth City politician
has not only been sulking in his tent.
but his friends have let it be known that
he had his knife up his sleeve for Prit-
chard. Now Pritchard is what yOu
would call a patch statesmen" He
has few resentments. He has no scru-
pies against violating his promises. for
he. makes them TO any and everybody.
When he has broken a promise. he is
ready 10 conciliate the offended support
ers, and if Uncle Sam would foot the
bin he would have enough offices created
to give one to every man TO whom he
promised a big place. He imported
Fortune to Raleigh to become clerk Of
the Federal court to get out Of his prom
Use to make him Marshal. He has had
two or three or more promises out for
every thing in sight, if his supporters
tell the truth on him.
The broken promise that gives him
the most trouble is the one he gave to
Cobb. He offered him an Authorship
in Washington: offered to divide the
salary of collector with him and tried to
get him to take something else. Cobb,
who is a man of property, said: No.
You gave your solemn promise to make
me Collector of Internal Revenue. /
hold Won to your promise. j will take
that or nothing"
Pritchard having failed to keep his
PROMISE is now anxious to appease Cobb.
He thinks il he can get bill passed
that will give Cobb position for some
relative or friend with a good salary and
nothing to- do, Cobb will come into his
camp and again become q faithful hench-
man. There are those who believe he
has gagged Cobb right. There are others
who say that cobb's resentment is so
great that he cannot be bought off by
The proposed little piece of patronage.
The little bill,'' got up for no other
purpose than TO make a $500 job for
some political henchman is as follows:
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
February y, 1893.
Mr.. Pritchard introduced the following
bill, which was read twice and referred
TO the Committee on the Judiciary:
BE ii enacted by the Senate and House
of Representative of the United States
OF Americas in Congress assembled, That
the teri.is of the district courts of the
United States for the eastern district
of North Carolina shall be held at the
following times and places in each year.
10 wit: At Elizabeth City on the second
Monday in March and October: at New
bern on the third Monday in March and
October: at Wilmington on the second
Monday after the third Monday in
March and October; at Raleigh ON the
last Monday in May, and the first Mon
day in December; and the United States
circuit courts in and for said district
shall be held, as now provided by law,
at the time the district courts are held
in Wilmington and Raleigh.
Sec. - That the clerk Of the United
States district court at Elizabeth CITY
shall receive n salary to he paid by the
Secretary of the Treasury out of any
money not otherwise appropriated, OF
nine hundred dollars per annum, paya-
bic monthly on the approval of the
judge of the district: Provided. That
the fees of the office of clerk do not
amount to this sum. the amount of such
fees received by the clerk to be deducted
from the salary.
Sec. 8. That all acts or parts of acts
inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act be, and the same are hereby. re-
pealed
THE EWART INVESTIG ALTON.
Washington, ID. c., March 19.-(Spe-
cial).-It was decided today by the SEN
ATE Judiciary Committee to hear more
testimony in the case against Judge
III. q. Ewart. The hearing will be re-
sumed next Monday afternoon. Among
the many witnesses summoned are the
following, at the request of Senator But
Ter: DIR. Allen and J. S. Edgerton, of
Ifendensonville; Frank Carter, Duff
Merrick, VIM. Aiken, w. T.. Pegram.
.Jno. Il. Bostic and A. G. Durham, of
Asheville, and Joseph Lance, Colonel
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