Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-22
A CONVENTION SCANDAL.

over ON Alleged Tragedy.
The announcement in tho Now York
papers that William H. Robertson. a
member Of the Republican state COM
mittee, representing the Westchester
district, had denied the statement tele-
grapbed hence by the associated press
that he had authorized Stephen b. French
to act as proxy ut the meeting of the COM
mittee, created quite sensation among
the delegates to the convention. Various
opinions were expressed regarding the
supposed question Of veracity until the
inner history of the matter was disclosed.
1t appears upon investigation that sup
posed dispatch was placed in the hands Of
tho secretary, Mr.. VrOoman, among .
large number of genuine teleSrams. 1t
was written Oh what is known as ''send-
ing blank and had unintelligible marks
to indicate the usual addenda OF telegraph
operators, signatures and filling and 70.
ceiving times. 1t reads as follows:
NEW YORK. September ~.
Hotel. Saratoga:
"Please act as my proxy ut meeting Of
state committee and Oblige.
w. II. ROBERTSON.
paid"
The foregoing was not discovered until
the authorship was denied in Now York
by MIR. Robertson and the above facts de-
velOped in the investigation. Considerable
indignation is expressed and q rigid inves.
tigatiOn has been set on foot to ferret out
the perpetrators of tho act. Already the
forged message has been photographed
and copies of it circulated among the dele
gates for Identification.
MIR. French was asked about tho facts
and ho answered in detail. In brief he
said 81 have had several interviews with
the collector about the convention and its
action. l asked him If he should attend
tho meeting Of tho committee aud the
convention. lie replied he should not.
suggested that it might DO important for
him to be present Or to be represented by
proxy. He said ho would appoint any one
l would name, and suggested that should
10 act. 1t was arranged that We should
communicate by wire and should sign my
dispatches Commissioner In all our talks
no was enthusiastic for Judge FOlgcr, and
said he would DO ;all no could to help him
and would see that his subOrtlinatcs did
tho same. knew he had seen Judge Fol
ger and knew that FOlger regarded him as
his friend and helper. Well, the time
Came and tho exigency arose when his
presence or his proxy was needed, telo.
graphed him and received no reply. l
teleSraphed second time, and finally re-
ceived the telegram which the collector
denies sending. I, of course, know that
he says so, and that l received it by
telegraph messenger. 1t was in . telegraph
envelope and !, Of course, suppSsed it was
all right, as it was In the line Of our con-
versatiOn and our understanding"
On the other hand, not only does the
collector deny that he ever gave Mr..
French authority to act for him, but he
denies it in terms which indicate extreme
indignation.
cit is a shameful affair."" he said yes
tcrday when questioned about it, " and ]
was. shocked when heard Of it.. Mr..
French had absolutely no grounds for say
ing that I wanted him to he my proxy in
the state committee. mover thought Of
him in that connection. l was unable to
attend the meeting of the committee be-
cause Of business, but il had wished to
select representative there were many
able delegates in my own district who are
my personal friends. Some of them have
been distinguished in public life, and 1
certainly would have selected q substitute
from among their number.
"Did you ever hold any communication
with MIR. French ON this subject?"
"Never, emphatically. Not word
passed between us"