The sun., 1894-09-06
THE POLITICAL CIRCUS.
TWO "a ACTIONS or REPUBLICANS IN
DUTCHESS COUNT

The Leader or Ors OF rhe- Rsahiy Thtuhs
ne Is Abie "a Dow. John n. Keteha-,
K.oun ss the whisperer,. EvtdentIy
ForrettIng that the Careers OF Other A.
pirI-s Republicans who TRIED the sau,e
ease Were ouiekiy Brought 10 . Close.
PoUGHKE KEEPsIE, Sept. 5.-Ex-vice- President
Levi p Morton Of Rhnebeck enjoys the dis
tinction in Dutchess county OF being the only
Republican on whom the local leaders can
heartily agree. The party in other respects Is
split In two factions, and rs result OF charges
made by state Committeeman Lewis n. Vail
an interesting political crisis is at hand, which
may result in Democrat being elected to Con-
gress from the Eighteenth district
The trouble started several weeks ago when
Major Haubennestcl and Bank Cashier George
II. Sherman started out to secure the Republican
nomination for County Treasurer. Under the
Collateral Inheritance act this Office has become
an extremely profitable one. Mr.. Haubennestel
enlisted in his cause Robert II. Hunter, for
many years the chief lieutenant Of John II.
Ketcham. who was for over quar-
ter OF century the representative Of
this district in Congress. Mr.. Sherman
Is backed by state Committeeman Lewis
II. Vail. the right-hand man Of Jacob lie Fevre
OF New Paltz. who succeeded Mr.. Ketcham in
"
Dutchess, Ulster and Putnam counties was
formed. From still hunt after delegates the
fight over the County Treasurership grew into
an open rupture between Vail and Hunter, and
now ketcham has been dragged into the fight.
the statement being openly made that he is
The first test of strength between the two fac
tons came et the Assembly district .conLen-
tons when Mr.. Will captured the Second Dis
trict Convention by a majority Of ten, and
claims to have carried the First District Con-
yention without opposition. In AN interview
"Ex-C;ongressmau Retcham started this fight
in his effort TO arrange things so that he could
himself. When he found that he couldn't do
that he tried to turn me down and get control
stion to name his own candidate for Congress"
Mr.. Hunter when he heard OF Mr.. Nail's re-
MIR. Ketcham isn't in this fight. They are
ringing The changes on his name for purposes of
their own. For years Mr.. ketcham's ghost has
been hung up scarecruw for everything
done in politics in this district. I say now and
positively that this is my own Independent
friends. I can say with authority that IL Mr..
Ketcham was offered the nomination for Com
Fevre will be renominated ny acclamation."
Mr. Hunter further said that when the cam
paign opened Mr.. Vail and his friends asked
into the Assembly district Conventions and
then they went to work and got up a set OF dele
pledged against flaubennestel Tor County Treas
urer. All efforts to compromise were spurned
That's why l am In this fight" said Hun
ter. " want my friends treated fairly"
There is no question hut that Mr.. Hunter
was defeated in the Second District Convention.
but there is u question whether MIR Vail Is as
well satisfied with the work of the First district
Convention as he says he is John II. Ketcham
was present at that Convention himself. and
two OF the delegates elected. John 4. butcher Of
Pawling and Obcd Wheeler Of Dover, are known
to be favorable to him. As ~ prominent Hunter
Republic put II this morning. there are other
conventions to be held this fail. and Vail has
been playing poor politics by dragging Mr..
ketchnm into his fight with Hunter.
Mr.. ketchum Is one of the most unique poll
ticians this county has ever produced. He is
known as the "Whispcrer" from his habit OF
grasping his friends around the neck and whis-
pering into their ears what he wants them to
hear. He isquite deaf when 1t Is to his interest
to be so. and he hears remarkably well on other
occasions. BY series of deals with Democrats
he represented this district in Congress for
years. and many aspiring Republicans who have
sought To down him have mad their political
careers brought to sudden close. The ques-
tion people are now asking is whether Mr.. Vail
and Mr.. lie Fevre may no: meet the same fate
as others who have thought they were smarter,
shrewder and more popular than Mr., ketChunl.