The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-06-09

VIII never KNOW the extent In which ht
relieved distress. lie was ALWAYS giving.
and he never allowed any one except the
person benefited 10 know about il. Ii
he was your friend he clung 10 You with
hooks Of steel. Ii he was vour enemy.
you would be pretty apt To be informed
Of the fact. Until he became yery prom
inent in politics he VAS Jolly and com
panlonable. After that he grew tn be
more dignitieL and austere under the
weight Of Responsibilities. lie used Ia
like drop of whisky punch taken in
moderation: could tell good story. es-
peclally where mlmicry was required to
give II point and effect, ami could en- lov
ore equally WELL lie could also sing "a
Jolly Irish song when in company that
enjoyed that sort of thing. Tn one oc-
clslon before he ran for congress against
Mike Welsh. he came To mo and asked
me to bring down some men from tho
Seventeenth ward to help him carry n
troublesome primary in his ward. | said
all right, AMI got together crowd of
sixty or seventy ship caulkers, had car
rers AMI the like. We went down To
krllys ward. and did the business. We
carried the primary. kelly's opponents
went out Of the second story windows
but there was an awning underneath.
They went out 81 quick that they didn't
know how they landed on the sidewalk.
took the whole crowd up to the Gotham
IN the liowery AMI treated them. Drinks
IN ihoS" days were ,hree cents glass.
and it cost mo just s1.50 tn 20 round.
That round ~ drinks in these days would
cost so, That's the way W. settled
tough ward disputes IN those days"
/ \ word or two about an occurrence
over which. Of the writer's own fnowl
edge, Mr.. Kelly has suffered for a mum,
her of years unjust M tlignment. The
newspapers of the time, and since. have
been pleased Ia discuss It as Mr.. kellys
display of one-man power" in the cuun
~ convention in Tammany Hall. when
VIM. II. Wickman WAS nominated for
mayor IN 1874. The writer sat only
about a foot from Mr.. Kelly. and noted
what happened with care. Augustus
Schell was in the chair, and when
tho time came To place u candi.
date IN nomination for mayor, Captain
Isaiah Ry nIcis. who stool IN q crowd
Just west of the platform. threw every
thing into confusion, and very nearly
stampcded the convention by display
of characteristic impulsiyeness in plac-
ing Mr.. Kelly in nomination. Ii was
well known that Mr.. Wickham was Mr.
kellys personal choice, and the uproar
that followed may be imagined. The
whole convention was on lbs feet, every
delegate screaming Mr.. kellys name.
In the midst Of this, and when, as il
seemed, the chairman was about to dc.
clare Mr.. Kelly to be the conventions
choice for mayor, the big chief himself
arose and waving his hands deprecating
ly toward Mr. Schcll, said:
Don't put the motion. cannot bc II
candidate. The candidate should h.
William II. Wickman." or other words,
indicating that he preferred that gentle.
man over any other who had been men.
toned Out Of the distortion Of this
simple and honest " erance arose the
hue and cry in which Mr.. Kelly Was ac.
cused of openly proclaiming his one
man power.
The writer recalls another critical
hour in Tammany Hall. John Kelly
had just returned from st. Louis in 1876,
where he had sturdily opposed the
nomination Of Mr. TiIIen. There was n
rescntfui feeling among the clique in
'fammany Hall on that account, and the
general committee was hastily gotten
together for the purpose of passing a
resolution Of censure upon Mr.. Kelly.
District Attorney MARITIME was one Of the
principal speakers against Mr.. Kelly =
course, and things looked slnally for a
while. General Spinola and tolone,
Dunlap. among others came repeatedly
to Mr.. Kelly where he sat under the
north wirdow Of the big hall, and asked
hin, to speak in his own defense.
"No," said he stubbornly, "wait till
they get through"
Then turning to the writer. he whis-
pcrcd: Il hope they will pass the reso-
luton Then can get out Of IA position
in which get nothing but cuffs and
kicks. 1t is constant trial, and costs
me no end Of money
When the resolution was defeated the
enthusiasm WAS immense, and in re-.
sponsc to demands Mr.. Kelly went upon
the platform and made one Of the most
ringing democratic speeches ever heard
III the wigwam.
One Of Mr. kelly's oldest and most
faithful henclmcn said Yesterday
Ellis biggest political fight was in the
county convention Of 1872, when the
remnants Of the old ring ndeavored TO
rcnolninate ex Judge Samuel Is. Garvin
for District Attorney, and Algernon =.
sullivan for Supreme Court Judge. Mr..
Kelly and Mr.. Garvin had bitter per
sonai debate on the floor. Harry Genet
inerposed, and Mr.. Kelly did not hesi.
tate to- tell him that he deserved to be
wearing stripes. That was the last at
tempt the old ring made to manage af
far4 in Tammany Hall. II was their
death struggle and its anirnosities were
left behind. Ii ls known that several
vie drsreraluns were sent to wayIay Mr..
Kelly and 'Ik" his life on the street as
hn passed from the hall ON his way
home Augustus Schell, Horace +.
Clark aui other friends urged him to
take carriage. but he declined, saving
he Away went home by one route. An
old uan who overheard the plot told
Mr. Kelly that the gang were @crete,l
in an unOccupied house on Lexington
avenue. between Thirty third and Thir-
" fourth streets, and that it was the
purpose to shoot him As he passed. kel
" knew not fear. aud he entered the
house unaccompaniei. The roughs knew
tha, they had been betrayed, and struck
dumb will, a.tonishnent. fed by the
rear ~ be entered the front door. His
path was beset no more.
"Ihe greatest blow Mr.. Kelly ever re-.