At the Oapito) in Hartford on Tuesday
evening there was much excitement
owing to the various caucuses pre
liminary to the convening of the state
legislature today. The interest in the
caucuses was iu many respects greater
than usual because of the spirited con
tests for many of the positions. Of
course there was a general local interest
in the nominating of KImore 8. Banks
of Fairfield as speaker of the bonse, hut
the greatest attention was claimed in
this section by the candidacy of Sabin
S. Russell of killingly for the assistant
clerkship in the House.
The House caucus lasted for two
hours during which time Judge Elmore
8. Banks of Fairfield was nominated
fur speaker on the first ballot, Sabin
S. Russell of Killingly for assistant
clerk on the second ballot and Rev.
Franklin Countryman of Stony Creek
tor chaplain on the third ballot. The
caucus was good-natured from start
to finish and Representative Oliver W.
Mark of Portland, the oldest member,
made an excellent presiding < fficer.
Judge Bank’s lead was decisive and
that of Mr. Russell was sufficiently so
to indicate his nomination on the sec
ond ballot, but the place of chaplain
was beyond guessing until the result
of the second ballot was known. The
nominating speeches were gratifyingly
brief. If eloquence was an aid Mr.
Russell received substantial assistance
from the nominating speech made for
him by Representative Joseph Me
Kachnie of Putnam.
