New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-29
THE DEMOCRATIC WAR ON.
FIRST SHOT FIRED AT ALBANY. AT TIE
COMMAND OF EDWARD MURPHY, JR.
STATE ENGINEER sCHENCK sUMMARILY RE-
MOVES THE CHIEF CLERK OF HIS DErARr-
MINT. A PROMINENT CLEVELAND MAN
some INTERESTING CoREE
SPoNDENCE-oTHER RE-
MOVATS TO BE MADE.

SOME INTERESTING CoEEE'
sPoNDENCE-oTHER RE-
Mov>T.S TO BE MADE.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TErBrNEI
Albany. Nov. 2s.-Thc fight has broken out in
the State of York between the Cleveland and
anti Clevcland Democrats. II began to-day in
Albany County, and the man who fired the first
shot was Edward Murphy, ir. who is 50 soon to he
elected II United States Senator Mr.. Murphy
plainly desires il to be understood by every one
that he is opposed to Mr.. Cleveland and intends to
go 10 Washington an anti-Admlnistratlon man.
for to-day, by his instruction. one of the most
prominent Cleveland men in Albany was deprived
of his place in the office of the State Lngineer,
and other removals Of Cleveland men in the State
departments to follow.
The man whose official head was cut OF was
John T. Mastcrson, chicf clerk in the Office of state
Engineer Schcnck. Besides this place. Mr. Mas
tcrson held the honorary one of Police Commits
sioncr OF this city. Moreover, he is one OF the
four or five chief icutcnants Of ID. Cady Ilcrick,
the Democratic leader in Albany County. who Is u
Cleveland man of State and National r'putatlon
Mfr. Mastcrsor has been for nine years the chief
clerk in the State Engineers Department. and has
letters from Elnathan Sweet and John Boeart
commencing him as faithful public officer
There are no reasons for his removal except po-
litical ones and those that Senator I'LL ana
Edward Murphy. jr, the coming Senator, directed
this removal one of the steps they are now
taking 10 break down the Albany Cleveland organ
izaion and substitute for il anti Cleveland one
with Hill and Murphy Democrats in charge
The Democratic State officers, said prom
incnt Cleveland Democrat tonight, make no CON
cealmcnt Of the fact that they intend TO have
solid anti Cleveland organization in charge OF the
machinery Of the DcaocrItc PARTY in every county
of the State Albany and Kings counties are
about the only ones left in which the organiza-
tion Of the Democratic party il still in the hands
81 Mr. Clcvclards fricuGs. and Mr.. Hill and MT
Murphy are di.sats led with this circumstance
II has been resolved. therefore, at the next Demo
cratic State Corvcltion 10 deprive the Cleveland
mon OF Albany County of their conttol OF the or
ganization here. ~ for tn~ Knes County Demo-
Gratis they had better not he too onispokon ior
Mr. Cleveland or Mr Murphy and Mr. Hill will
set mp "A rival Organization 70 theirs III hlnsS
County and eventually give il the recognition OF
being the Democratic organization in that county
The work OF Ii~crcliring the Cleveland orsani-
zation in Alhary was begun election day. when
the Hill Democrat, cut down Mr.. Clcyclands vote
in This county over ono4half from what il was IN
lsss And how are the Democrats treated who
were thus trrachcrous 90 Mr.. Cleveland? Ih"y
are retained in the state departments where they
work one Of them, Philip Russ clerk en-
ploycd hy Michael Dclchaniy, IN" Superintendent
of Public Buildings, has been expelled by the
Dcmocrotic General Committee Of this city for his
action ON election dag. Mr. Dclchanty. as Is well
known. il the father-in-law Of Edward MurphS'
r The spectacle is thus presented of the father
in law Of n prospective Democratic United STATES
senator retaining in oi'ic" Democrat VINO op
.f. ft.r a srDN
Cleveland as President. :,
I'm, Mr. Hill and Mr.. Murphy may as Wen
lno,y that the Democrats voters OF N"w-iork
c,o,o will mo, submit 10 the creation Of machine
fila, stamps out any indcondcnt Democratic sehfl-
mani and especially sentiment which supports
,bo Denocratic Prc-idrnt-clcct The Democrats
,vbo orgouizcd the Anti-Snappcr movement anu
hold thc Syracuse Convention arc not d"ad y"''
and predict that within "A year the people VIII
see two organizations Of the Democratic party
in this Stctr | should not he At all Snrprl~n
if two Democratic State tickets should b" Dctor"
thc pcoplc next fall Mr.. Murphy and Mr. Hill
have begun this war; let them take the conSe-
quenc"s'
State Enginccr Schcnck owed his nomination TO
Edward Murphy, jr, and really has no political
existence independent Of the latter II is under
stood that IT, was with reluctance that he removed
Nr Mastcr,on AT Mr. Murphy's demand But Mr.
Schcnck could not have rcnomration for state
Engineer nest fall unless he himself obeyed orders
and those orders having come from Mr.. Murphy
and Serator Hill, he, Of course. followed them
MIR. Schcncs is rcfrcshngly franl, in his letter to
Ur Nn,tcrsou demanding the lattcr's rcsigna-
tion Below is his letter
''''' Albany Nov. %, 1892.
John p. Mosterson. esq, Ch''f ''fR S"'''
OMcc. , ,,.
c,r Sir. II be!ne NY desire make several changes
m ,bi. d,rartment 80 a. 70 promote harmony ond nave
81. .c,cr. member. 4 the department. more fully In
accord wth te hesd Of the department on various mat
p. of public Inter IT, would respectfully ask th"t you
send me your resignation Of the office Of chi'f clerk ON or
before Dcccmbo- t. 1899. Hoping that you VIII comply
win tc foregoing rcqucs. and assuring you that th''
mo- personal feeling in the matto: oa my part am yours
respectfully. -
NJ ScuENC;i. State Tnrinccr md Surveyor.
MFR NlastcrSon. however, declined to offer his
,c.iouotion. and sent the following tart letter.
incidentally limiting that the Hill Democrats voted
AGAINST Mr.. Cleveland:
Albany y. Y. NOV. .s
ia Hon NJ u,In Schcnck. state Tnein'er and surveyor
Lear Sin Your letter Of the 18th Inst In which
vou request my resignation ~ chief clerk III t' ONO
~ thc state cup.uc.e and surveyor and In "h'h you
,ato the reason for requesting the same Is 20 pro-
mot, harmony aud have the several members Of the d.
,,tn.nt MOI, ully accord with the head Of the d.
,ortncnt on various matters o public int Tc~' wa@ -
date" You DO not inform me III VIM I'Hl''S
have llld be- In accord with tn h'1i OF th" de-
,nftntrnt aud | not aware Of any acton on my
,rt that col b. construed 50, un', IL Is the fact
h,t In common with large nrmbcr Of yal Demo rats
worked and voted Tor the Of the entire Demo-
cratic ticket at tn last election resignation 10y me
under the cicu -tanc would BE-. IN Assure. an ad-
MISSION on my part that ! am disturbing element
IN the Office and your letter states, that There i
fl, personal feeling uIon your part" | may therefore
,,o that nv ur..,qic. IS not personally offensive to
vou must respectfully decline nder resignation
Yours very respectfully,
JOHN l.. MASTER>ON, Chief Clerk
Then the State Engineer sammariy removed
Mr. Mascrs)n in this letter
Albany Nov. 2s. 1892.
To Iohn T.. Mastcrson c,q.. Chief Clerk.
Dear Sir: beg u advise you that your services as