Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-20
rsPrc1A1 TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l

mind that he hanged himself.
rsprcrAr, TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l
WASHINGTON, October 19.-The suicide
by hanging of Oscar n. Kyle, Of Florence,
Mass, Treasurer of the Florence Machine
COMPANY. has furnished food for the poliIi-
cal gossips for the past few days. 1t is not
often that q politician who is working in
the interest of somebody else hangs himself
because his friend is not appointed to the
Office sought for.
Shortly before Grover Cleveland sought
what he termed t'the much coveted seclusion
of private life," Oscar n. Kyle came to the
Capital with petition for the appointment
of Robert NJ. Branch, as postmaster of the
village of Florence, a suburb of Northamp-
ton, Mass. Kyle, although a Republican
of many wears standing and liberal con-
tributor when the "fat'' was fried from the
New England manufacturers during the
last campaign, desired this Democrat ap-
pointed from business motives, believing
that as Branch had had considerable exper-
ience In postofice affairs he was the most
suitable man for the place. Kyle's choice
was at once antagonized by the "Republl-
can ring" of Northampton, and there soon
tprang up in the quaint New England VII
lage one of those struggles which character
ICES the politics of small towns. The two
newspapers of the village printed column
after column on the subject under such
lurid headlines as only country editors can
evolve, and added very materially to the
fierce flame under
THE POLITICAL POT.
Believing that President Cleveland would
at once recognize the business of his petition,
Mr.. Kyle openly defed the ring, and posted
off to Washington to gain the Presidential
auricle.
Upon his arrival here he put up at the
Willard, hired an expert typewriter oper-
ator and opened his campaign. From early
dawn until long after the lights in News
paper Row were extinguished, the click of
the typewriter was heard, as letter after let
ter was written to the various men of politi-
cal prominence throughout New England,
requesting their support in the battle royal,
which he was waging. The New England
correspondents were kept fully posted as to
the progress of the fight, and Washington
specials were numerous.
As in mostly hotly contested postoffice
rows, the appointment was not a particu-
larly desirable one, tine office not paving
more than 81 GOO per year, of which one-half
was expended in clerk hire, etc., but Kyle,
in the support of his hobby, spent money
with lavish hand
HE REFUSED TO YIELD.
One morning it was announced in the
comic paper of the realm, the Congressional
Record, that Robert NJ. Branch had been
appointed postmaster of the town of Florence,
and that the appointment had been sent to
81,
came the inning of the "ring." 1t
might not be able to prevent the
appointment, but it would hang the case up
in the Senate until March 4. Letters poured
in on the New England Senators and Rep
resentatives, demanding that the appoint
ment be not confirmed, and painting in
strong colors the awful disasters which
overtake the Grand Old Party should a
Democrat be appointed and confirmed for
the Office.
The days sped on until the 4th of March
was at hand, and the nomination was as vet
unconfrmed. Kyle, undismayed, bobbed
up again, this time with an appeal ad-
dressed to the incoming President.
HIS FINAL DEFEAT.
Again the same ground was gone over.
The ring" mad by this time put up can
didate for the position, whose chief recon-
mendation outside of his Republicanism
was his record as a soldier, and
this card was PLAYED for all it was worth.
Some of the interviews held with Postmaster
General Wanamaker, were very inter-
esting. Upon one occasion, impressed with
the honest, straightforward manner of KYLE,
Mr.. Wanamaker said, ''Mr. Kyle, you have
convinced me that your candidate is the
proper man for the place. Convince your
Congressman as you have me, bring me his
Recommendation, and l shall make out the
papers at once"
All Kyle's eloquence failed to secure the
coveted recommendation from his Represent
at1ve, the candidate of the ring received his
commission, and the fight was officially at
an end. Kyle returned home disappointed
man, almost broken down by overwork,
poorer by some $1,000 in purse, but with
great experience In machine politics. Many
friends had been alienated from him by his
course. Financial troubles overlook him.
Dependency, occasioned bv his iii fortune.
induced the dreaded disease paresis, and in
9 moment of insanity he ended all his
troubles.
DOUGLASS ON THE NEGRO PROBLEM.
Kyle was a handsome man, of magnetic
and stirring temperament, and was a sue
cessful type of the successful Down
Easter" He became quite well known in
Washington society during his sojourn here,
and few figures upon the avenue commanded
more attention. When Fred Douglass, now
Minister to Hayti, first appeared on the lee
ture stage. Kyle acted as his director.
In speaking of the colored problem one
day Mr.. Kyle related an incident which has
probably never appeared in print. He
said: During the New England tour of
Douglass l once put to him the query which
was agitating all of us in the old recon-
struction' days: What will become of the
negro?' To which he replied: IF the col
ored man can keep up to the procession of
the white race he will succeed. If not, let
him drop behind, and he will become an ex-
ample of the old theory of the survival of
the tittest'"