New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-19
THE DESPERATE CHICAGO GANG.
CLINGING TO sTRAwS IN THE HOPE OF KEEP
ING wAsHBURNE FROM THE MAYoRALTY.

CLINGING TO STRAWS IN THE HOPE OF KEEP
ING wAsHBURNE FROM THE MAYoRALTY.
Chicago, April Is Speclal.-An the Democrats In
Chicago, except Creger's City Hall gang, have given
up all hope Of cheating Hampstead Washburne out OF
his seat, but those enterprsng Creger people refuse
to surrender. They nourish hopes of getting up
enough bogus charges of fraud to have a couple Of
precincts thrown out 1t will not work, however,
and the decent Democratic papers ridicue the idea
of contest knowing well that If the matter is brought
into court enough Cregier corruption will be disclosed
to raise washburne's plurality to 1900 more.
"The Evening Post" (Democratc) says:
Mayor Cregier dies hard. His order TO take down
his picture has countermanded and shortly after
noon to-day the word given out all along the lines Of
the bread-and butter brigade at the City Hall was
fight and fight to the last fight until we're all
swallowed up in the last ditch were the reechong
cries of the desperate people who have realized In the
last few days what it means to lose thousands OF
snug berhs fat jobs. The resolution to grasp at
straws the result Of conference of Cregierites
held in the Mayors Office this morning. The Mayors
closest friends attended this secret meeting. 1t Is
understood that strong pressure was brought to bear
against the idea OF fighting Mr. Washburne, now that
the official shows clearly that he has been
elected. Judge Prendergast insisted however that he
had enough points to vitiate the election OF Mr.. Wash
burne and reseat Mr.. Creger. PTendergasts bold
assertion brought the wavering into line and gave
courage to those who had abandoned hope. The con-
ference lasted two hours, and after 1t adjourned the
fghttothe-lastdch idea spread throughout the City
Hall. The real work Of the secret meeting was not to
be disclosed. But from the confidence subsequently
displayed by ofceholders and the retention Of the
Mayors picture in It's old place. the determination of
those who stand at the Mayors back was not matter
Of conjecture. Fight is the word.
If cannot good grounds for the belief that
Mr. Washburne is not the legally elected Mayor of
Chicago, l will consent to a contest seek
to retain this chair upon bubbles technicallties
This is what Mr. Ceger is reported to have said at the
opening of the conference. To this statement, it Is
said, he added the qualifying clause that so long as
there any grounds for the belief that Mr. Wash
burne not legally elected he would stand by the
ship and maintain the fight to the end Prendergast
it will be remembered, is the ex-COunty Judge who
while on the bench, scored in most unmerciful
Prettyman the North Side banker, who failed, greatly
to the sorrow Of hundreds of small deposors. After
Prendergast retired from the BENCH he appeared In
court one day counsel for Mrs. Prettyman, and
argued for the return Of some property decided her
before the failure and seized BY the court for the
benefit of creditors. On this occasion Prendergast
violently attacked his own rulings Judge.
"The heads of departments at the City Hall do not
all share the gangs belief Superintendent Hamilton,
of the Water Office, handed in his resignation to-day,
saving he did not TO be caught In office by the
Republicans after the active work he had done in the
last campaign"