The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-30
FIRST MEETING GROVER CLEVE-
LAND,
His Appearance in Syracuse Looking After
the Nomination for Governor.
New York sun.


MANARoNEcK, June live first met Gro
yer Cleveland on the night of September 20,
1892. We were conversing with friend in
the barroom of the Vanderbilt House, in
Syracuse. The city was crowded, the weather
was warm, and the air was filed with the
music of brass bands and the elOquence OF
overheated political partisans. 1t was the
eve of Democratic State Convention. The
most notable candidates for Governor at the
time We're Roswell 2. Flower and General
Henry w. SlOcum. 4 noisy SQUAD of Albany
politicians were booming Erastus Corning,
and smaller but equally noisy set from
along the Hudson River were bowling for
Homer A. Nelson.
At times an intoxicated county Democrat
from New York City would cheer for Ed
ward Cooper. Tammany's cohorts were
there, under the leadership of John Kelly,
lighting for representation in the conven-
tiOn, and the turmoil was something terrible.
While we were stewing in the brilliantly
lighted and overcrowded bar-room, and al
most deafened by the noise, tall, hand
some and well-dressed man, with black eyes,
white teeth and a small inky moustache,
sauntered in and slapped US on the shoulder.
He was Jack Wiley, shrewd Buffalo politi-
clan and a successful lobbyist.
In seductive tones he greeted Us and in
duced us to light fragrant cigar. There"
be said, in an of-hand way, as he threw
away the half-burned match, "your cigar is
| lighted. Now, want you to go and drink
| with the next Governor of the State. He's
a hummer We've brought him here from
Buffalo to put him exhibition. Come
| and look him over. tell you he's going to
| be winner"
'Who is hep my friend asked.
"Grover Cleveland" Jack replied. "Hes
Mayor of Buffalo, and he's one of Us. Wait
| till you size him up"
Old Sol Scheu turned up Just then. He
| seconded Jacks appeal so strongly and was
so ardent in his praise of the new candidate
| that we concluced to go over and see what
| they had. They talked about it all the way,
and reminded US OF a couple OF drummers
| descanting on the merits of their wares.
| The Streets the hotels, and three-quarters Of
| the politicians were full. Scheu and Wiley
| piloted over to the Globe, a stuffy hotel
near the depot. Up two flights of stairs we
went to the third story, where we were
| ushered into small bedroom above the din
| ing room. 1t contained a bed, an easy chair,
and washtub filled with ice and whisky
| bottles. A stout man with fat neck and
projecting gray eyes stood in front of the
washtub with his hands behind his back.
! He wore a black frock coat, low-cut black
waist coat, and black trousers. An old
| fashioned standup collar was held in place
| by a black cravat, tied so low that you
| could see the button of his shirt. The sweat
| stood in beads on his brow. His corpora
| ton was by no means so protuberant as it
| has since become. 1t was evident that he
was awaiting the arrival of any visitor that
might be brought up. The door of an ad-
| joining apartment was wide open, and sew
eral men with their hats on sat upon bed
| smoking.
Jack Wiley made the presentation with
| easy grace. MIR. Mayor he said. 'fthese are
my friends, Richard Roe and John Roe of
New York. They're good men, and they've
come up to look over the next Governor
Mayor Cleveland bowed, shook hand, aud
smiled. Gentlemen" he replied. ''you
know my friend Wiley. He's good fellow
but he's liable to be carried away by enthus-
iasm. I'm happy 10 meet you. Won't you
have drink?'
Old Sol Scheu stood near by, tanning his
red and perspiring face with a chip hat. He
| was about to make break for the wash tub
! when we asked the Mayor whether he really
| thought be stood any show for the nomina-
| ton. Old Sol held his mouth open to aid
| his ears in trying to catch the answer.
"Well, don't know as much about it as
my friends do Mr.. Cleveland said. you
| see, L m IN their hands," indicating Wiley
and Scheu by motion of his head. 81 take
their advice. They thought it was policy
| for me to come on and let people look at me-
| and you see am here. I've been here since
| o'clock this afternoon. Two or three car
| loads of friends came along with u.s."
4
broke in Jack Wiley triumphantly.
The Mayor smiled. al believe they they're
| all ut work." he continued. wiley tells
me that things are poisoning, and that the
| prospect is very encouraging. Gentlemen,
| won't you have drink
Old Sol Scheu was again about to make
break for the washtub, when his intention
| was diverted by another question put to the
Mayor. But If you get the nomination for
| Governor" we said, 1.-The people will want
| to know something about you. They have
never heard of you, and they will be put to
| it to find out who you are?"
Here old Sol Scheu exploded, ''Dot vas de
reason he vas going to win," he said, in his
| hearty Dutch dialect; cause nopody knows
| him, und dose vat don't know him likes him.
| Dot vas de troubles mid you Ny York bolt
| dicians. Eferypody knows 'em, und de
more they knows 'em de more they don't
| like EN-"
Old Sol stopped there to mop his face.
| Mayor Cleveland laughed, and then ran his
hand into his coat pocket and drew out some
| small printed circulars. "My friends are
| spreading my fame" he said. ''They are
| wide awake. These circulars have been
| printed, and they are going to distribute
them over the State. They will give the peo-
| pie full information"
He gave us two of the circulars They had
been printed in the Office of the Buffalo
| Courier. They told the story of Cleveland's
parentage, birthplace and religious training,
and wound up with glowing account OF his
career in Buffalo. The Mayor also handed
| us wood engraving of himself, which he
took from a package on the bedspread. 1t
| gave front view of his face and bust, and it
| was about six inches by four. A vast num-
Der of these engrayings and circulars were
put in circulation in Syracuse within the
| next twenty-four hours.
| After further conversation on the political
prospect, the Mayor was congratulated on his
| fine personal appearance.
| "Your head, sir, reminds me strongly of
| the head of General Dan Butterfield," said
one of the visitors.
But the Mayor is bodied more like
Stephen A. Douglas" observed the other.
THANK you for compliment" Mr.. Cleve-
| land responded, with dilating eyes and an
unaffected smile. "And now what will you
have to drink, gentlemen
He turned and bent over the washtub,
| preparatory to drawing a bottle from its
nest of cracked ice. Jack Wiley, however,
was on the qul vive. He restrained the
Mayor while old Sol Scheu drew himself
into lire and awaited developments. 'Not
that bottle, Mr.. Mayor" said Jack, putting
| ny, HE loft hand tth1t this ono Give 'aTa