New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-15

they had confidently expected to carry In each
OF these districts the Democratic chief was a 1nal
aItef INNS own heart. Poughkeepsie WAS tie
home Of jim" llinclley, "A political knave Of
much nerve and sagacty, who masquerade IS
newspaper man. Troy was tine home OF Ed"
Murphy, the notorious canal boss, Hills principal
lieutenant in New-lork and The chairman of his
State Committee, official distinction natural
inherited from Aqueduct Contractor John OiIricn
when expo ure and collapsc forced that statesman
to resign his honors AMI 10 part with Ills pcll
ihnckley and Murphy fully expected 10 capture
thtlr districts. The Flower camra On funI sup
pied them with Resources much ampler than tncy
had enjoyed III any recent campaign and it cannot
he denied uhat they made effective use of their
opportunity They were tremendously disguised
when they found themselves beaten. and ne tier
needed any inspiration beyond Hilrs command TO
undertake the theft of tire district. Their plan
did not develop Immediately. 1ney had to feel
their way. Meanwhile they bus,d themselves
sending out impudent assertions that the first re-
turns were false, that large mistakes had been
made in the count, and that their respective men.
Osborne ard Collins, had undoubtedly been elected
These assertions served the purpose of notifying
TO their heelers' that they must stir around
aNer evidence" and of preparing the public
mlnd OF such revelations" as might be thereafter
made.
HILLS PRE.ELECTJON HOPES
Inc AANth District. composed of the counties
OF Onondaga and Cortland, and containing the
city OF Syracuse, ordinarily Republican by
an enormous majority. But here, too. Hill had
had hopes. The Republican candidate, Mr. Peck
was understood to he Objectionable TO a faction
of his party, and il believed that he would
fail to secure their support SO, indeed, he did
in a large measure His vote fell of especially
In the towns and the first returns received were,
of course from these places, the Democrats early
IN the evening of election day were much en-
couraged They sent enthusiastic messages 10
Governor Hill and TO the Democratic headquarters
in Newiork City, and, although they themselves
were quickly undeceived, the country returns
making it evident that Peck's majority WIS sub
stsntial il is probable that they left the impression
they had first created at Albany and NewYork un-
disturbed until the next day. But Hill was not
the man to relinqush the idea that he had won.
TO his sub-bosses for failure TO deliver
"A district on the poor ground that their arithmetic
was faulty He met the first suggestion OF defeat
with perempory instructions 10 the Syracuse
Democrats that they must 90 on claiming ana
chase around after proofs 10 sustain their claims
On the morning after election day everybody
freely admitted Peck's victory. but that evening.
after the Albany boss had been consulted, the
Democrats were noisy protesting that there wa
a mistake somewhere whirh would appear as soon
they could place it.
The XXVIIth District was Hills own IL is com
posed Of the counties of Chemung. Steuben and
Aegany and contains the city of Elmra. 1t
had been represented in the senate for several
terms by Mr.. Fassett. II is not probable that
Hill at any time expected TO carry this district.
Int. tbo no pepublIcun candidate,
was named he had wc-groundcd expectation Of
displacing him if the Senate should prove TO be
Democratic Mr. Sherwood citizen OF
Hornellsville where he held Cie Office of Park
Commissioner. That fact should have operated
10 prevent his nomination, for the State Con
stftution provides in Section of Article hat
no person shall be eligible to the Legislature
who at the time of his election IL, or WITHIN loo
DAYS previous thereto has been. an oihcer
under any city government. The Democrats
were Quick to point out the disability under which
this provision placed Mr. Sherwood, terrifying their
Judgment with an elaborate opinion from Attorney
General Tabor, to whose views they imputed
decisive quality growing out of his official place.
Bnt the Republicans replied with an opinion from
Judge Danforth, an ex.membcr Of the Court OF
Appeals holding that Mr.. Shcrwoods case did
not come within the constitutional prohibition.
and they rghtiully insisted that Mr.. 1abors
views were of 10 more account than Nose OF any
other LAWYER of moderate ability. and not to bc
compared in value with those Of Jurlst 50 learned
and respectable as Judge Danforth. Tabors posi-
ton, they properly said had nothing to do with
the matter since the Senate and the senate alone
was the Judge of the qualifications OF ITS members
ard it would pass on the question of Mr. Sherwoods
eligibility if any such question existed No one
know better Than Governor Hill that this was
correct settlement Of the law, and bis prceiec'oh
hopes in the case of Mr. Sherwood were conihed
to that gentemans displacement In the event oil
the election Of a Democratic Senate. The scheme
Of knocking him out by the simple process OF haNlha
.be state Board Of Canvassers kick the statute
books into the street rerddiate the Court OF APP
meals and decline to give Mr. Sherwood his GER
tificate on the plainly declared ground that they
didn't have to. was an aftcrthought, adopted when
the prostitution of that Board was found to be
,eceSprv in the other cases. OF course, If II
could be got to commit a crime in three caNc- terc
would be 60 especial reason why II should hesl-
tate at a fourth.
A CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOrE.
These were the districts wherein, after the eicc-
ton of the Republican candidates had been con
coded, but very quickly thereafter and suddenly
and following Immediately upon conferences be-
tween Hill. Murphy, IIinckley and the Deputy
Attorney General, Maynard, at Albany ana
urompted by teegraphc messages that fairy poured
ont of the Executive Chamber, the local Demo
ocratic managers began TO show suspicious acuNiN
and 10 make impossible claims. Is lh'r !"
oresume that they did not understand the con
spiracy they were being drawn INTO, ana perhaps
there were some among them VINO, had ,h'S "P
nrecisted It's aldacty and enormity, would nave
naused a long while before inviting It's rSNs-
As much may possibly be said of some OF the rihc'
nails Several stories are told at the Fort or'lg"
cIub about the state Of mind in which these lesser
conspirators were thrown when they first near"
,he (iovernor's plan fully developed one "h'ch
IL nrnnts charac1e lie. rcprcscIlS lIlII ~