The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-29
NTCHIN FOR CONGRESS
kitchin Nominated by Second
District Democrats-An Exciting
Convention and q Hard. but Harmo-
NOUS Contest-One Hundred and
Twenty Ballots Taken-Sketch OF
the Nominee.
Correspondence of the Messenger,


G~oldsboro, ". c.. MAJ aS.
The democratic convention OF the
Second congressional district. which
met here at 4 o'clock yesterday after
noon. was in session all last night.
After a night of extraordinary excite
ment and an unprecedented struggle
between the friends OF the various
contestants struggle ms was new
ertheless harmonious-the Hon. Claude
Kitchin. Of Halifax. carried of the
n He was nominated IN the
10th ballot.
When the convention reconvened at
8 O'Clock last night. after having taken
. recess for supper. rhe balloting was
esumed amid the greatest excitement
and enthusiasm ever witnessed in a
congressional convention In North Car
DINA. Each ballot varied, first one
and tnen another of the candidates
being in the lead. The supporters or
the, leading candidate always leaped
to their feet yelling his name and
waving and flying up hats. Sure. it
was noisy, but the cauldron would
simmer down when another ballot vas
being taken.
A DARK HORSE TRIED.
The four gentlemen placed in nomi-
nation-Messrs. kitchin, of Halifax;
Gillian, of Edgecombe; Woodland, OF
Wilson, and PEBBLES, OF Norrhhamp-
ton-were still being earnestly supper
ted when, as the S6th ballot vas SOM
menced, at 1:55 o'clock a. m, a dark
horse was sprung on the convention.
AT that stage Henry E. Shaw, ESQ.,,
of Lenoir, look the rostrum and in
strong terms placed in nomination
Captain j. w. Granger, of Lenoir, a
gentleman of lofty character, eminent
ability and peculiar availability as a
standard bearer in the Second. The
nomination of Captain G~rainger's
name was greeted with deafening APP
plause and the noise and confusion was
intense.
During the subsequent balloting,
Captain Grainger'S vote reached So at
one time.
VOTING FOR OTHER MEN.
On the S0th ballot, the votes showed
a disposition on the part OF some OF
the delegates to break away from the
names which had heretofore been
voted for. On that and some subse-
quent ballots, the Hon. Swift Gallo
way, of Greene, and the Hon. Thomas
w. Mason, of Northampton, received
a good s%prinkling of votes.
WOODARD WITHDRAWS.
With the delegates worn out and
sleepy, the Hon. F. A. Woodland, OF
Wilson, appeared before the
ton at $40 o'clock a. m. and withdrew
his name, just as the 18th ballot was
begun.
His friends deeply regretted to have
him drop out of the race, but he insis-
ted on doing so.
At this time it was evident that the
convention vas drifting to Mr..
Kitchin. He gained votes on every
ballot.
GRANGER AND PEBBLES WITH
DRAW.
At 1857 o'clock a. m, at the close OF
the Hath ballot the name of Captain
Granger vas Withdrawn. At the
close of the 18th ballot, the Hon. r.
B. PEBBLES withdrew his name, the
friends of both gentlemen reluctantly
seeing them do so. This ballot showed
the standing of the candidates as fol-
lows: PEBBLES Ga, Gillian "a $50,
Kitchin 1872 1913. Mr.. Kitchin was
within IA votes of the nomination.
KITCHIN NOMINATED.
When the 10th ballot was called for
Northampton county passed its turn
and cast for Mr.. Kitchen the 80 votes
it had so persistently cast for Mr..
PEBBLES before his withdrawal. BERTHE
county followed, giving Mr.. Kitchin
20 votes and Z to Mr.. Gillian. This
swelled Mr.. Kitchin's vote to 1872 1-s.
leaving Mr.. Gillian SO 1-3. The to-
tai number of votes beinb 291
and LAG votes being necessary to a
choice, everybody realized before the
vote was counted that Mr.. Kitchin
had carried the day.
The convention was in pandemonium,
and was yelling "Kftchin". 1t was
4:4O O'Clock a. m, when Mr.. Kitchin
was declared the nominee of the con-
vention, and with the greatest enthusi-
asm, the nomination was made unani-
nous.
KITCHIN INTRODUCED.
With defening calls for Mr.. Kftchin
he was escorted to the rostrum by Ed
itor Edward E. Britain, of The Will
son Daily News, and was introduced
by the Hon. w. T. Dorth, who had
so laboriously and ably presided as
chairman of the convention during
that trying night.
Mr.. Kitchin was given a terrific ova-
ton, and in accepting h nomination
he made a magnificent speech that
rung with eloquence n marked him
ds one of North Carolina's most elo-
quent and patriotic sons. He comp!et-
ed his speech amid tremendous ap-
plause, and then was overpowered with
congratulations.
AN ELECTOR NOMINATED.
When quiet had been restored, the
convention proceeded to ballot for a
presidential elector for the Second
district. The Hon.. T. G. Wooten, OF
Lenoir, and the Hon. John H. Kerr, OF
Warren, were placed in nomination.
The ballot resulted as follows: Mr..
Wooten It's, Mr.. Kerr 116, Mr.. Wooten
was accordingly declared the nominee
for elector.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The various delegations then retired
to select their representatives on tbs
district executive committee Wher
they reported the following COMMITTEES
was chosen:
BERTHE, A. S. Rascoe; Edgecombe
H. A. Gillian; Greene, George w
Sugg; Halifax, E. L. Travis; Lenoir
J.. w. Granger; Northampton, w
H. Joyner; Warren, L. ]. Pico; Wayne
Joseph E. Robinson; Wilson, Georg'
w. Common.