Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-03-22
CHAIRMAN QUAY.
How lie Beat the Democrats
of New York.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Tells a Story How Quay Fixed
the Election in 1888.

the Election in 1888.
PHILADELPHIA, March 22.-The
inside history Of the campaign of
1885, and the startling romance con-
nected with it, was published in the
Inquirer yesterday. After tell
ing how Quay was made national
chairman, the story continues:
"Chairman Quay had not been
long in the harness before he discov-
cred why it was that Blaine had
been defeated four years before. II
was done by a system of false regis
tration, and by a recount Of votes.
Quay found that false registration
was one of the principal forces upon
which the Democrats relied for sue
cess. He found, too, that Blaine
had carried the state i'm 1884, and
the Democratic managers knew
this early in the evening, aud that
changes Of the ballots were neces-
sary to elect Cleveland. Ben Butler
polled several thousand labor votes
in New York city. 1t was the cas-
lest thing in the world for the bal
lot thieves to turn the Butler ballots
over to Cleveland. This was act
ually done. Quay unearthed this
fact before he mad long been in COM
mand, and his discovery has re-
ceived the endorsement of General
Butler himself. Tammany had
cheated Blaine out of the presidency ;
the proof was positive. Tammany
was then engaged in conspiracy to
defeat Harrison by exactly the same
means. The lower wards of New
York then, as now, were crowded
with cheap lodging-houses and
tenements, to which thousands of
bogus names could be assigned.
Quay put up collateral and raised
$50, 900 for immediate use. Every
dollar of the $4,000 was expended
in this work, but when it was COM
pleted it was in the month OF
October. Quay had the vote of New
York at his fingers ends. Letters
began to pour in on the chairman.
He was warned solemDly, time after
time and day after day, that he must
leave town or be killed. He refused
TO do either. But while Quay
laughed at the danger, his friends
did not. Detectives were sent out
wholly unknown to him. He could
not leave his headquarters without
an officer was watching every foot
step and prepared to take summary
action upon any suspicious character
discovered dogging his footsteps,
He was guarded while he slept
Every movement of the Democrats
was watched and known. Their
plans were laid bare in the com.
mittee rooms. AT every point they
found themselves checkmated. But
while the gigantic work was
in the city, neither the
J state nor the rest of the
country had been forgotten. Cal
} Brice ordered the collection of an
immense fund to be used ia the last
hours of the campaign. Three days
before election the sum of $4,000
was handed over to the Democratic
workers in the state above Harlem
river. This was entirely separate
from the amount used by Tammany
} in the city. The figures were given
afterwards by one of the then sec
f retaries of the executive committee
. and are correct. Quay had called
around him an advisory committee,
of which john Wanamaker was
= chairman. Mr.. Wanamaker placed
+ large fund among his personal
friends. Election day drew near
and the Republican committee was
! prepared for the contest at the polls
Early in the evening of election day
J it was evident the figures were run
ming against the Democrats. The
} order to make up the deficiency was
given, but, to the utter dismay OF
the Tammany manipulators, they
! discovered that Quay had accurate
J copies of the reports from every pre-,
} cinct. They then turned their at
tention to Brooklyn, only to find
themselves balked there. Quay had
: reports from every election district
as soon as the count was completed,
and dootoring Of the figures was
in1pnaSihln ~