The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-07
CAUCUS CALLS
FOR THE SKELETON
In the Railroad Commission
Closet.
GOVERNOR TO BE ASKED
70 REvIDENCE ON WHICH THE
WILSON'S WE'RE DISMISSED.
NEW CORNER STONE WILL SMELL sWEETER
Without Any Name at All. Bill to Pay lnsur
ance Fees into the Treasury Will be
Reconsidered. Committees
Made Out.

The dismissal of the Wilson's from
the Railroad Commission by Governor
Russell will be investigated. Such was
the decision reached by the Democratic
Senate caucus last night.
The matter came up on a formal reso-
luton offered by Senator Fran /.
Osborne, of Charlotte. The resolution
which maps out the course that will be
followed in the Senate today calls on
Governor Russell to lay before the Sen
ate the evidence upon which he acted
when he dismissed Major J. w. Will
son and s. Otho Wilson from the Rail-
road Commission and appointed in their
places Messrs. l.. C. Caldwell and John
III. Pearson.
The resolution, however, does not stop
at calling on the Governor for the evi-
dence in his possession, but provides
that the Wilson's shall be requested to
appear before the committee appointed
to review the case and present their
side of the episode that the investi-
cation may be complete.
1t has been whispered about ever since
the Legislature assembled that there
would be an investigation of the affairs
of the railroad commission along with
the rest of things. Nevertheless the
matter had been so long regarded as
closed incident that the resolution to
pry. open this very dismal fusion closet
and see what the skeleton really looks
like, crented much interest among Sem
ators and those outside who were adj
vised of the caucus' auction. There was
some discussion in the caucus when the
resolution was introduced as to the best
method of procedure, but the resolution
was strongly pressed by Senator Os-
borne, and it was decided to go into ths
matter Immediately.
Otho Wilson said last night when in
formed of the action of the caucus that
his side Of the case was already pre-
pared, unless Governor Russell shall in
troduce new evidence, and that he was
ready to appear before the Senate com
mittee on short notice.
Thus day by day, the probing and
pruning goes forward The first day the
penitentiary investigation was set on
off Secretary Thompson's fees and
Jim Young's autograph We're taken up
and today the Railroad Commission
scandal will receive attention.
Both the cornerstone bill and the bill
of Senator Daniels to turn insurance
fees into the public treasury We're dis
cussed in caucus last night. The
Senate had passed on yesterday the res
oluoitn of Senator Miller, calling for
the removal of Young's name and the
bill went to the House, where several
substitutes were offered. Ii was decided
in last nights caucus to await the ac-
tion of the House before any further ac-
ton is taken, but it was practically de-
cided that the entire cornerstone shall.
be removed and a new one substituted
What names will appear on it was no.
determined, though there was some talk
of putting on it merely the name of the
architect, while some favored adding
the names of others who have been
worthly connected with the history of
the institution.
In regard to the bin of Senator Dan
els, it was thought best to recall the
bill in order to consider the matter more
at length, and that Senator Daniels in
conjunction with the committee on in
s,lrance he instructed to prepare a sub
stitute bill. This was deemed advisa-
BILE because some question was raised
az to whether the bill of Senator Dan
iels would accomplish the end aimed at
SENATE JOINT COMMITTEES.
Senator Justice submitted his list of
committees to the Democratic caucus
last night and the following gentlemen
were recommended to Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor Reynolds for the various commit
tees and will be announced today \
On Library-Collie, Butler, Cheek,
Robinson, Speight, Whitaker Crisp.
Justices of the Peace-Jones. Hicks,
Murray Hairston, Cooley, Stanback,
Newsome.
Public Buildings and Grounds Cheek,
Ward, Davis, Lowe, Whitaker, Murray,
Newsome.
Trustees of the University-Hill. Jack
son, Cheek, Stanback, skinner, Fields,
Franks.
On Enrolled BilIs-Whitaker Daniels
Butler, Jerome, Speight, Jackson.
S0uther.
On Printing Mcintyre
Black, Jerome, Justice.
Propositions and Gricyances-Wilson,
Glenn, Hicks, Hairston, James, Jerome,
Mason, Franks.
Privileges and Elections Skinner.
Cheek, Daniels. Lowe, Mcintyre, Os-
borne. Campbell
Claims Cooley, Cowper, Hill. Jones,
Murray, Satterfield, Newsome.
On Judciary-Justice, Black, Cooley,