The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-03
Judge Paynt6r VIII be States
 Next Senator
WENT THROUGH WITH RUSH
Senator Mccreary Was BIackburn's Chief Supporter and He May Have Hard Time to Be Re-
 elected Himself.

Frankfort, Ky, January 2-Judge Thomas H. Paynter of the Kentucky court of appeals was nominated on the first ballot taken in joint caucus tonight to select democratic candidate for United States senator to succeed J. (. S. Black burn The nomination carries with it the certainty of election as the democrats have more than two-thirds of the com bined members of both branches of the legislature.
 The vote was as follows.
 Judge Thomas H. Paynter. 5a; Senator J. c. s. Blackburn s4; N. B. Haldeman, 10; Congressman David II. Smith. 1. Nee- essary to nominate 5S.
 Judge Paynter's nomination ends one of the hardest fought senatorial struggles of the past twenty years of Kentucky politics. His nearest opponent was J. c. S. Blackburn. the incumbent. who repre- sented Kentucky in the House and Senate with one intermisson for nearly quar- ter of q century. Until two days ago. it was generally believed that there would be deadlock in the caucus.
 When the house and senate caucuses for the purpose of organizing those bodies were held last night it became appar- ent that Judge Paynter who was backed by Governor Beckham and the state ad- minlstration men would gain the coveted prize. Although the Haldeman and Black burn forces combined to nanIe the of ficers of the two houses. Paynter mon were installed. The vote tonight showed that Paynter not only held last nights strength but received an accession of two votes
 l When the joint caucus met tonight there was no contest ,Ner the chairmanshlp. Senator Henry George. a Paynter sup porter who was last night chosen chair man of the senate caucus, was unanimous ly chosen 10 preside
 Put Through With Rush.
 After the selection of a chairman there was a delay of an hour caused by discus- sion as to whether nominations for United States Senator or prison commissioner should be first taken up. The Blackburn and Haldeman men were jockeying for the advantage of voting on prison com missioner first with the hope of gaining votes in the senatorial race through t deal with one of the candidates for prison commissioner. It was finally decided. however, to vote on Senator and Payn- ter's supporters put their man through with d rush
 l United States Senator James B. Me- I creary was Senator Blackburn's chief supporter and politicians already foresee one of the effects of the contest on Ken lucky politics in the future. The demo- cratic leaders expect that MT. McCreary when his term expires will have to put up fight for reelection just as MT. Blackburn did with Governor Beckham as his chief opponent.
 Sketch of Paynter's Career.
 Thomas H. Paynter was born in Lewis county Kentucky. December 19. 1851. He has served three terms In Congress and is q member now of the Kentucky court of appeals. His early education was ac- qnired in the Lewis county public schools. which were supplemented by study in the Rand academy and later by a course at Centre college at Danville. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1873 and was county attorney at Greennp for several years. He was a member of the Fifty-first Con- gress and twice reelected. serving from 1889 until 1895. In 1894 Judge Paynter was elected to the appellate court and was rc.aIactad in 1n00