Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-14
4Hs STORY OF A DINNER.
How Grover Cleveland Put the New Yorn
Machine 20 Fiight-Whltney was Kat
clad INT Grover Wouldn't scare.

/ How Grover Cleveland Put the new 10TH
Machine 60 FHght-whItney was Rat
tied, But Grover Wouldn't scare.
NEW YORK, June i3.-Ths Herald
SAYS: Mr.. Cleveland's own sorry OF the
famous dinner party at Victoria Hotel,
at which Mr.. Sheehan's nose was
tweaked, so to speak, is quite interest
| ing. This is the way II is repeated oy
an intimate friend Of the President, and
is the first time 1t has been made public
in its details.
Mr.. Whitney had urged upon Mr.
/ Cleveland the importance or meeting
the surly leaders Of the Democratic
! organization with a view TO harmony
The then ex-President was unwilling at
/ first. He insisted that the fight at chi
cago had settled the question OF per-
sonalities, and that there was no more
reason Why be should go 10 New orK
and make overtures to Mr.. HUI
friends than that he should go to the
| followers OF any defeated candidate In
any other State. II they were Demo
Gratis. IL was their business 10 support
the ticket.
Finally. however, Mr.. Whitney's
arguments prevailed and Mr.. Cleveland
started from Buzzard'S Bay to meet the
sulen leaders. When Mr.. Cleveland
met Mr.. Whitney prior to the dinner be
looked at him with curious smile.
well, Mr.. Whitney, have you got
your dinner ready"
Eyes, everything is ready"
"Who will be there tonight"
murphy, Sheehan, Croker and Mr..
Whitney named the invited guests.
There was a moment Of silence, and
then Mr.. Whitney laughed. Il saw
Sheehan az the Hoffman House to-day,
he said, 'and be says he intends to read
the riot act TO you tonight.
II have heard that he Intends to DO
something Of that sort" said Mr.. Cleve-
land quietly, "and have come 10 New
York so that he may have u good OPP
portunity."
When the dinner was ended that
night Mr.. Sheehan turned To Mr.. CleVe-
land and said there was matter OF ou-
! sineSs TO be discussed. Mr.. Cleveland
expressed his willingness TO hear any
thing that might be said.
Mr.. Sheehan told him that the gen.
| tlemen then present were the leaders
aud representatives. OF the Democratic
organization in the State Of New YORK,
and that they wanted to come TO a ded-
mite understanding with him. He could
not be elected unless they supported
/ him, and they did not intend TO take
any chances this time.
"Well, what do you gentlemen want?'
asked Mr.. Cleveland.
1--WE want pledges from Vou," said
Mr.. Sheehan. 1--WE want to know what
YOU are going to do II you are elected.
We want you to give US promises that
will satisfy US that the organization will
be properly recognized"
Mr.. Cleveland doubled up his huge
| fist and smOte the table. Gentlemen,
he said. speaking slowly and with
almost painful distinctnesS, 81 will not
20 into the White House pledged to you
or TO any one else. l will make no
secret promises. I'll be damned II l
will" Again the big fist whacked the
! table.
what are you going to do then|"
inquired Mr.. Sheehan cynically.
'Pll tell you what I'm going TO do, "
said Mr.. Cleveland, as he rose to his
feet. Il intend to address letter to
the public in which i shall withdraw
from the ticket. l will write that let
ter before I sleep tonight and give 1t to
the Associated Press. l will tell the
voters of my country that cannot give
any secret pledges and that unless do
you will not support the Democratic
ticket, which means the loss OF the
state Of New York and defeat. l will
tell the voters that do not want TO
stand in the way Of DemOcractic VIC
tory. That is what l shall do. Then,
gentlemen, you can pick out a candi-
date to suit you, and il he is a proper
man and the candidate Of the party, l
will vote for him"
There was q pause.
but III tell you one thing, Mr..
Sheehan," said Mr.. Cleveland. ''In my
opinion public Indignation will snow
you and your organization out OF sight
before the end of a week"
Mr. Croker leaped to his feet. "This
must stop, Mr.. Sheehan, he said. 81
agree with Mr.. Cleveland. He cannot
make any pledges, and 1t is not right to
ask for them"
So the dinner party separated.
81 tell you what IL is, said the then
ex-President as he related the story.
Those fellows got hold OF Mr.. Whitney
and ratified him. lie was actually rat
tied. They scared him."
A gentleman who saw the Presidenta
few weeks ago says Mr.. Cleveland now
thinks 10 was a great mistake not to
have allowed the anti-Tammany Demo-
Gratis TO nominate an independent local
ticket. He is confident that such a
ticket would have been victorious and
would have resulted in political situa-
ton in the State less embarrassing than
that which now confronts him.