The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-01
GOSSIP FROM NEW YORK CITY.
Thompson AND Kelly.


Correspondence of IL o India napolis Journal.
NEW YORK, July 30-The last Of the two pill
lars Of Hercules, that have stood so long at the
entrance of the Mediterranean sea Of New York
politics, has disappeared. Genial Hubert Ogden
Thompson has followed blunt John Kelly to the
grave within six weeks. The Tammany chief
tain was thirty years older than the leader OF
the County Democracy. Only thirtyseven years
had rolled over Thompsons head when death
ended his career. He entered political life at
the age of Napoleon on taking command of the
army of Italy. In ten years Hubert arose from
obscurity into national prominence. He organ
lied Democratic faction so powerful that it
knocked the underpinning from Tammany and
captured its enormous political patronage within
four years He did more than this He drove
Kelly to the wall, and made his power tell in
both State and national politics. In State and
national conventions he indirectly dictated the
most humiliating terms to his antagonist
The quarrels of Kelly and Thompson affected
the Democratic party in the most obscure ham,
lets of Maine and Texas Kelly defeated Til
denis denomination in Cincinnati in $780, and
Thompson forced Clevelands nomination in Chi
cago in 1884 Kelly stained his hands with Han
cocks blood in elscting Grace Mayor in 1880,
and Thompson elected Grace Mayor in 1884,
while forcing Kelly to work squarely for Cleve-
land Both Kelly and Thompson died. poisoned
by the ingratitude of the man whom Thompson
nominated for President and whom he forced
Kelly to elect. Without their aid, Grover Cleve
land to-day might be chopping logic with dull
axe at the bar of Buffalo.
Thompson was indeed remarkable man.
knew him when he first showed his hand in local
politics. 1t was when Thomas Cooper Campbell,
the son of old Allen Campbell, was a candidate
for the Assembly. Campbell was young man of
extraordinary PROMISE who flashed across the
sky of city politics like meteor and then died.
The fight was very bitter but Thompson's deftly
displayed energy won it. He entered Tammauy
Hall with Mayor Cooper as tutor. The dis
trict was in ferment The turbulent element
of the Democracy asserted itself, and ruled with
high hand at the primaries. Kelly cheated
both Cooper and Thompson, after promising
them the delegation to the State convention. 1t
was the convention that first nominated Lucius
Robinson for Governor. Kelly pressed Clarkson
N. Potter for the place, and was elchred by
Tom Spriggs, of Utica, who said that Horato
Seymour would take the nomination Seymour
declined, and Robinson was nominated. Robin
sons triumph was the triumph of Thompson and
Cooper. The removal of Gumbleton, Ke!ly's
county clerk followed. Thompson was appoint
ed by the Governor to fill his place. He broke
open the Office at midnight and intrenched him
ate fight, which cost the Democracy Governor
and a President, faded into cbscurity.
Once county clerk, Thompson began his war
fare on Kelly. The Tammany chief had been
rolling in wealth in the city chamberlain's berth.
Thompson determined to GUST him. The scheme
looked so Quixotic that everybody laughed at
him. The Irving Hall Democracy was organ
lied. It served as a nucleus for the concentra-
ton of the antiTammany element. At the
next municipal election Thompson went into the
fight like Napoleon at the bridge of Lodi. Tam
maDy's legions were routed, and fully half of the
city patronage fell into Thompsons hands. He
secured tie commissionership OF public works,
and gathered the spoils of victory. Then he be-
gan to discipline and strengthen his forces. He
was the leading spirit in the organization of the
committee of one hundred, which resulted in
the establishment of the County Democracy
and the capture of nearly all of the city patron
age. The County Democracy checkmated Kelly
in the State and national conventions, and
Thompson finally drove him from his snug berth
in the city chamberlain's Office.
Thompson's death is probably due directly to
his treatment by the administration. To him
more than to any other man was Cleveland in
debted for his nomination He received not the
slightest recognition for his services. The pres
sure of mis- faction for places was intense yet he
could do nothing. His party was torn by intes-
tine troubles fomented by Grace and others, and
last fall be met his Wellington, Butcher and
Waterloo. Thunderbolt Norton had played the
part of Grouchy in 1884. and without the sup
port of the administration a further contest was
hopeless.
Thompson was the opposite of Kelly in char
acter He was neither arbitrary nor dictatorial.
He was plant and suave and he never lied. He
reasoned by the hour with men who desired his
aid in securing nominations for Office. and invar
iably convinced them that he was right in his
conclusions. He was unusually kind and consid
crate Men clung to him from sincere attachment
to the man. They chung to Kelly through selfish
ness and desire for personal advancement. Isaw
district leaders weeping tears of sincere grief
over Thompson's coffin. No such tears fell on the
bier of John Kelly. Yet both men had warm
friends. Kelly commanded them by his pluck
and obstinacy. Thompson won them by his
manly worth and sympathy. Kelly made
fortune in politics; Thompson died not worth
penny. Kelly gave large sums to the church;
Thompson spent his money in caring for the
orphan children of dead brother. Kelly was
the most prominent pew-holder in the church
where his wifes uncle oficiated as cardinal;
Thompson attended little Swedenborgian
chapel in Thirty-ffth street Kelly was buried
with great pomp in the vault beneath ST. Pat
rick's Cathedral; Thompson sleeps in grass
covered grave in quiet NOOK IN Woodawn.
Kelly reposes near the remains Of Archbishop
Hughes; Farraguts monument casts SHADOW
on the sward that covers all that Is left of the
first leader of the County Democracy.
ZIsKA.
The Naturalization of New York.