New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-07
TAMMAMY IN CAYUGA.
HOW THE MACHINE Is WORKED BY THE
AUBURN PRISON WARDEN.
HILL AGAINST CLEvELAND-A GOOD DEAL OF
su1LEx AND sURLr FEELING LYING
AROUND LOOSE IN THE DEMO

Anburn n v Oct e.-Charles F. Durston, the
warden OF the Auburn Prison, is the absolute dictator
of the forces in Cayuga County which now support
the Tammany Hall state tcke. He obtained this posi-
ton through the prison patronage he controls ana DC
rules with rod Of iron, and majority OF the Demo
Gratis in this part of the State GespiSe and deest him.
His character and reputation such that those who
understand the existing conditions are not al all
surprised at his selection first by David Il. Hill and
then by Iammany Hall " repres INT this Congress dis
trict on the Tammany State Committee. His neu-
tenants the prison guards, and the mass OF ms
supporters is composed OF the toughS and hoouuuS
Of the town. In every respect the warden Is All
ideal Tammany Hall man. The reputable ana inc
resp .cable Democrats of this Congress district deUer
mined spring that they would have nothing fuFthef
TO do with Durson They felt that he by no lneal'S
represented Them and they were anxious TO Nil MS
place with some one to their tastes ana hKlhG
Durston's opponents In the county are the men WHO
favor the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland as the Demo
cratic candidate for President next year and Durs'oh
stands for the choice of Tammany Hall, whenever
that may be-Hin or Flower. very straight
line was drawn between the two forces. on one side
we're the friends of Mr.. Cleveland, on the other the
friends of Tammany Hall.
In the primary skmish for the election OF delegates
to the Assembly District conventions the anHll men
In the Ist and lid Assembly districts obtained MAORI
ty of the delegates An honorable and Just opponent III
polgcs would not have gone further in the nGht DuI
would have submitted quietly to the result. Dnrston
is not that sort OF man. He determined TO secure ol
soma method-by british tsccs-what the majority mad
declared should not be his Tn this decision he took
merely the course pursued by Speaker Sheehan In
Buffalo; by George Ranes in Monroe County by the
Hill men in Chaut2uqua, Cattaraugus, Wayne ana
Oswego countless and Edward Murphy, 1r, IN Albany
County. If tie supporters of Hill and Iammany MAD
accepted honorable defeat the complexion of the Demo
haV hern
terially Instead of having two members only Of the
Democratic State Committee, Mr.. Cleveland would
have much larger representation than he now mas
with the prospects next year OF increasing that rep
resentaton materially.
The convention for the election Of delegates to the
Democratic state Convention from the Ist Assembly
District of Cayuga County held at WeedSport On
August 3D. The Cleveland forces largely were in the
majority and If a natural course had been followed
they would have controlled it. Durstons lieutenant
was on hand with fire in his eye and Determined 10
capture the convention and elect his own delegates to
the state Convention by any means within ms CONTROL
With him half dozen big and powerful Prison
guards in uniform and ready 10 do his bidding Inc
first sqabble the election of the chairman
Of the convection II is the rule that the chairman OF
the district committee calls The district convention 10
order and names temporary chairman. Allen l.
Rumsev the chairman Of the district committee, at
tempted TO do this and he named l.. &. Weed for tempo
chairman. he put Ulc mo'IOu anu uoVaiCu ~
carried While this was being done Augustus
Rathery DurstOn man, also called the convention TO
order and named DursOl man, A. W. Shurteh, f0r
teuporry chairman. ROthery said that his nominee
had been elected, and Durston sent him toward inc
platform Both chairmen reached there about the
same time, and both tried II preside. BY TINS time
the convention in uproar. The prison guard
started in TO thrash the Cleveland men and 20 dr!Vo
them from the hall. They were under the lead o.
Day Trowbridge, shorty Brown and Big" Jack Nc
Carr who wear the prison Uniform. Durstohs men
had counted unwsely when tLey attempted to thro" OUT
their opponents. The Cleveland delegates were In tho
majority and successfully resisted the attempt 10 capI
ure the convention from them. The outcome OF tne
war was not serious. a few were hit in the
face and others bruised slightly One OF Durston's
cuards drew a big pisO, and tried to shoot Cleveland
delegate but the gun taken from him before
he became a murderer. An excited Hill man klcKed
in she face Cleveland delegate who was uylnG 10
mount the platform. Seeing that they could neither
capture the convention by force strategy, Dursons
men withdrew 10 another part of the hal and hed
their own convention. Their delegates thus elected
were not adtted TO the Democratic State Convention,
but only because the friends Of Mr. Cleveland threat
ened to cut the Tammany Hall ticket by 1000 votes
unless they were admitted
The convention in the Id Assembly District was held
at Moravla. Here the Cleveland men again had
majority of the delegates but Durtons heelcrs sought
70 overcome them by force and strategy. The prison
warden went TO this convention In person and directed
the men under him how to act. The fight OF course,
was over the organization OF the convenuon'
Hall Greenfield, of MOTavia, was named fof
temporary chairman by of Durstons followers, and
Dr. NJ P. Conway, of this city, was named for the
Mace by Cleveland man. lie received a third more
votes than were given TO DurstOns followers, but
Durstop would not give up. He wanted his man made
chairman that he would name ouIston committee
on contested seats. This the majority would not
allow Great cOnfsion followed and some oil Dursons
men wanted TO fight. There was temporary squabbe
and Durston did nothing until he saw that some Of his
prison guards likely to get the worst Of it, when
he tried to restore some sort of order He promised
IL his man were made chairman the committee would
be named first. Not Cleveland man would believe
him and they refused TO permit the minority to run
the convention and travel roughshOd over them
Durston seeing that he could not steal the convention
took his another place and held an independent
Hill Tammany convention. lie named the delegates
TO the State Convention, who a1teTWafd were ad-
mitted by the Tammany Committee on Contested Seats,
as Durston declared That they would be- IA sPlte OF
boiling convention, AT which paper delegates were III
the majority.
Durson's admirers in the prison were so over1oyed
at the outcome of the MOrivIa invention and their
victory" over the Cleveland forces that they hired
band and twentyseven men TO go TO the station and
escort him 10 his home, the PRISON. Three OF the
prison guarls headed the procession.
Again this was done on his return from saratoga
after having been reelected 10 the Democratic State
Committee Dy the votes OF paper delegates sent from
OsWegO, Wayne and Cayuga counties winch comprise
the Congress district which he misrcpe ents on the
state Committee. The same Tammany Hall cOmDina
ton which prevented the election Of the other Cleve
Land candidates for membership on the State Com
mdtee by throwing out the regularly elected delegates
and seating paper delegates elected in the Interest OF
Tammany Hall also to 1t that DurstOn
tanned on the state Committee.
There was a second act in the fight against Durston
performed here on Thursday OF last weeI at the Demo
cratic County Convention. The Du,ston men had had
votes. Neither side would give in and the conven,
ton broke up in row. OF course. the Cleveland
leaders say that they will for the Democratic
State ticket but 1t is evident that this talk their
part is mainly for effect. While they may vote the
ticket there is as yet exhibition Of the Cleveland
forces taking oil their coats and going to work
JONES AGAINST TANfMANY.