The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-17
SEWELL SAID GRUBB.
How the Local Option Fight Was
Made by Various Delegations.
Special to the Jersey city Neros.

SopSClut ~ bte oSFoeB SNy HSeOo'
TRENTON, Sept. 16, 1s89.-Frank Patter-
SON tempted me to bit Of profanity last
evening.
"How do you figure it?'' he asked.
"Grubb--and HI" was my response.
what do you mean by that?" he asked.
"Grubb for the nomination." | eX-
plained land the other for the platform. J"
That may have been very wicked on my
part; but you would have to be here to
know how thoroughly it describes the
situation.
1t didn't take me long to discover after
had reached here that Mr.. Halsey had
set his foot down positively against the
use of his name as candidate. lie was
here himself bending his deaf ear to hosts
of sycophants, and l took the liberty OF
interviewing him.
"It's all flyer" he said, when / told
him what liberties were being taken
with his name. ''They never have used
my name seriously in connection with
the nomination. l am not cand1-
date"
"Iknow you are not candidate" | re-
marked "The question is, will you ac-
cept if the nomination is offered to
youP"
Mr.. Halsey's refusal to answer the ques-
tion straight aroused my suspicious that
an understanding had been reached with
him. But when met his chief heuten-
ant, "Billy' Williams, his candidate
against Sewells man for the Federal
Revenue Collectorship, | was convinced
that he had refused to be beguiled.
General Sewell was in his old room in
the Trenton House all the evening. AS
moths around q candle the heelers from
all over the State futtered around him.
sWho's going to be the nominee OF the
convention tomorrow" | asked him.
"Grubb," he whispered, contidentially.
In the room from which Senator Nc
Pherson has run so many successful Sena-
torial campaigns, General Grubb received
the throng which Sewells prophecy sent
there He is tall and slim, with big
nose, retreating chin, and Dundreary side
whiskers somewhat streaked with gray.
1t was very warm, and he had his coat
sleeves drawn up over his shirt sleeves 10
the elbow He received me gracefully
when | told him that his star seemed to be
In the ascendant, and remarked that ne
hoped so. He couldn't say much OF his
chances, because he didn't really know
ANYTHING about them, of course; but he
did have the temerity to say that he ex-
pected to be elected if he were nominated.
1t is safe to say that he will be nomi-
mated. -,
It is equally safe to say that he will not
he elected.
LIQUOR WILL MAKE A ROW.
At two o'clock this morning General
SeWell was seen making an anxious
search for Mr.. Kean's room, and the lob
bies construed it to mean that the Gene, al
had decided to assist Unions ex-Congre ss-
man to the head of the ticket. Later,
however, it was reported that Kean and
McGowan had made combine. Mr..
kean, when questioned, denied that it
had been accomplished. but admitted
that it was on the carpet. 1t is not
likely, however, that even union of
forces by the field against Grubb can
beat him.
1t isn't then, however, that the particu-
lar thing / murmured in Frank Patter-
sons ears comes in. General Grubb will
practically catch it on Election Day, but
he will not have to wait till then; for it is
likely to break out on the floor of the
convention tomorrow. The promise is of
scene of excitement in the open conven-
tion over the liquor question plank that is
to 90 into the platform such as no State
Convention has ever yet seen. The states
men who have assembled here in a great
mnltitude-I never saw so many before at
a Republican State Convention-are hope
lessly divided on the local option ques-
ton.
The Essex delegation started the ball a