The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-01-04

,tructions to report to Moan Cook, ut National
Hail Canal street, and some others. think, at has
place of business, on the corner OF Broad and W a
ter streets. Noah Cook at this time enc OF the
wing candidates for the Assembly, from the city OF
New York After my return, | was, during the
whole three days of the election almost constantly
occupied in the private Committee room at Nation
al Hal. Marshall o. Roberts of the Filth ward,
Cook of the Sixth Ward, John Faulkner of the Sc
vehth Ward, Gedney Of the Eighth Ward and some
others, whose names do not now recoleci, assist
ed us in our operations, by taking charge OF the
men, and seeing that they were properly disposed
of in their respective wards and enabled TO put in
their votes Bowen, Blatchtord and Draper, and
some other prominent members OF the party, were
admitted istO the private Committee room, where
the men were drilled preparatory to their going ont
TO vote. The modus operaUdi was witnessed by the
gentlemen named, and Afforded them much amuse-
ment. In this room, saw Mr.. Blatchiord hand
Noah Cook some money.
TO most OF The men slip ef paper was given,
with the name and residence they were to assume
written upon it, The residences, in some in
stances, were furnished by leading members OF the
part from the different wards, and were such as
would not be likely u excite suspicion. They
were principally, | believe, boarding houses, and
such houses as were occupied by Il number OF IA
miles. The men were thoroughly drilled: many
of them, it was represented, were old hands, and
understood their business.
The method adopted was as follows: the men
were placed in q row, and as before stated, piece
OF paper, With assumed name and residence, was
given 10 them, the usual questions asked by the
inspectorc, to qualifications, were put to them
repeatedly until they could answer satisfactorily,
aud without embarrassment. Frequently a!tera-
tlops were made among the men during the ele C.
ton by changing hats and coats among themselves.
| recollect there were some persons from New
Jersey, who were under the immediate charge OF
Noah Cook. l do not know by whom they were
employ ed on what terms they were there; they
appeared very efficient, and frequently changed
their dress trhch changes personally attended
to by Noah Cook. l saw him put his own hat and
coat some Of them several times These men
boasted of having voted IN several OF the different
wards, and in instances more than once In the
same ward During the Fall election OF ISIS, MIR.
William A. Lawrence, and Jonathan Nathan, as
sisted in the upper private committee room at Ma
tional Hall, in erasing the names from the demo
cratic tickets, and substituting the names of the
whig candidates, which tickets were used by the
persons who were drilled as aforesaid. There
was also young man by the name OF Coggershall
whose father was at that time, ar subsequently,
the keeper Of the City Prison, who was also EN-.
ploy ed in repairing tickets There was difficulty
with some Of the men, in sequence of part Of
their money being retained by the leader or lead
ers; and at the instance. and with the advice Of
Messrs Lawrence and Nathan, paid them, TO de.
frav their expenses to Philadelphia one huEdr red
and ninety -four dollars, which amount, less some
small subscriptions, was returned to me, few days
after the election, by MIR. Richard M. Blatchford
During the three days Of the election, many Of tn.
active members of the whig party we're admitted
to the private committee room. was perfec "
satisfied, from the succe ssful anagement Of the
operation, that the WING ticket would be oscted il
the city, and so expressed myself to a number o.
the leaders of the party
RESULT AND REWARD OF rnEOPERArIONs OF 1888
After the result Of the election in the state wa,
| known, was repeatedly solicited by many promi
neat members of tho wing party to take Office Ths
Office Of Commissary General, Adjutant General
Flour Inspector, and others, were named, which
| declined The appointment of Tobacco Inspectol
had | w mfg or
that the term of the then incumbent did not expire
until the winter Of 1910, year after the election oil
Governor Seward The subject Of the resignation
of Mr. }: ID: Stevenson was first suggested to me
| by MIR. Robert G. Wetmore. I met Mr. Steven
| son and Mr. Nathaniel Pierce, by appointment, a,
| the store of said Wetmore. l had previously con
| vcrsed with General Prosper Nj. Wetmore on the
| practicabiity Of this arrangement. Tho result e
this interview induced me TO consult some OF IN,
! party friends To the propricty Of making an Of
fort to secure the office one year in advance Of it.
| expiration. Among those whom consulted, I re
| collect Messrs. II. NJ Blatchford, James Bowen
Chandler Starr and Simeon Draper, Jr, all o
whom, with the exception Of the last named consi
dered it best to make the effort to obtain the ap
| pointnent, for my own sake well as for the in
terests of the party and promised their cO-opera
tion in effectibg that object We had meeting on
the subject at the store Of Mr.. Draper, at which
meeting II. NJ. Blatchford, Chandler Starr Simeon
Draper Jr., James Bowen and Robert &. Wetmert
were present After this interview, about the 10Th
of January, 1889, visited Albany. II. NJ. Batch.
ford, Moses H. Grinnell, James Bowen, Simeon
Draper, Jr. and Chandler Starr left, think, or
he same morning for Albany, by the river route
| went by the way Of New Haven. After my arr
val in Albany, was introduced to Governor Sew
ard by Mr.. Batchford, and delivered him a letter
of recommendation, of which the following is
copy
New YoRK, January 18th, 1882
To his Excellency WILLIAM II SEWARD.
Governor sc SC.
DEAR sm-This will be handed on by nv persona
friend, Mr. James b. Gentworh OF this city, who al
though net personally known to your Excelency, will
doubt not be recognized OF the ardent ant
interchangeable partzans, to whose un,iIng exertions
perhaps more than to any other in this city, the
triumph Of party and success of sound prnciple
may be attributed He will explsn you personally
his wishes, and hand you, at the time letters re
commenting him 10 your sonsid ration. In conclusion
must be allowed to say that consider il &C,
oustice tothis gentleman to state that there is per
from this district who present the charac
self as personally gratiGed they should NEE the fav or
| able consideration of your Excelleney.
Your ExceIiency's ob't seryr.
G. WETMORE.
had another very strong letter to the Cover
nor hut whether gave il then or sent it previou,
to my visit to Albany, or delivered it at all, can
| not now reeolect. This etter was signed by only
| a few influential party men, and thiRk names
were signed to il except Messrs Blatchford, Grin.
nell, Bowen, Draper, Starr and Wetmore. lreco
| lect distinctly OF MIR. Wetmore's handing me the
letter, after he had procured Mr. GrinneiPs sigma
ture. The reason why the letter may not have
been used is the act that the gentlemen who signed
il were there to urge my claims In person, except
| Mr. Wetmore. That they were all in the city oil
Albany, and put up together at the Eagle Tavern,
| will appear by the register. Their names are en-
tered on the 10th day OF January, 1885, During an
| interview which l had with Governor Seward, he
| r marked that i was not an applicant for the
Office Of Tobacco Inspector, and sugges ted my max
ngthc application in writing, which mediatey
eompIie with. Mr. Stevenson drew his resigna-
ton and placed it in the hands Of Mr. II. NJ Blatc h.
ford, with perfect understanding that was to be
| nominated in his place. II will be remembered
that the Governor much embarrassed at this
time in the confirmation Of his nominations by the
| Senate, a majority Of that body being opposed to
him in politics. The subject Of Mr. Ste venson' q
resignation and my appointment was KEEP perfectly
quiet, and il was supposed by US that the Cover
only waited the action Of the Senate upon some
Of the nominations then before them, and that when
they were disposed Of, my nomination would be