The record-union., 1894-03-29
ECHOES OF THE CAMPAIGN OF '92.
1t Was Evidently One of Many Thou
sand Drinks.
now w. 7. Hamilton Managed John
Miller's Fight for Coroner. and
Joined the Citizen.

mer and fall, and candidates are already
thick as leaves in Valomb brosa. AS some
of them are now in the business, and as
none are too old to learn tricks of the
trade, they may find it profitable to read
what transpired in a case tried in justice
Devine's court yesterday, in which con-
siderable light was let in upon the snad-
ows of the last campaign.
The case was one in which William L.
Hamilton-until the 1st of the present
month an employe of Undertaken John
Miller-sued the latter to recover the
sum of Sl56 So, which he claims he ex-
pended in Miller's behalf when that
gentleman ran losing race for Coroner
in 1892 Miller, it appears. was severely
handicapped against the then PRESIDENT
ofthe Athletic Club, having had to pack
overweight in the shape OF NOMINATIONS,
or Endorsements" by the Regular and
Reformed Democrats, the Citizens. AS
sociation and several other political
organizations.
HE WAS AN OLD HAND.
Hamilton claims to have been Re-
nuhlican. and TO have had more or less
experience in politics during the last
twenty years, including term IN the
Legislature. He therefore brought MS
talents TO bear in promoting the political
interests OF his employer, even to the eX-
tent of deserting his party, with the re-
suit that the athletic geutleman's major
ity over Hamilton's employer was Kept
down to the Insignificant figure OF l,l4o
votes.
Mr.. Hamilton's long experience in pol
itics had taught him that not only are re-
publics ungrateful. but that sometimes
individual politicians are also. lie has
Ax1-hn N r.
his armor in the campaign OF 1872 and
went forth. like the faithful Saneho rama
of old. to do battle for his master, he dld
not lose his head in the excitement OF the
turmoil and strife that ragged around him,
but went about MS task
IN A BUSINESS WAY.
The first thing he did was to provide
himself with a comely little red pocket
book, or diary, with blank space sci
apart therein for each day in the month
Thus armed he went out upon the war
path. and every time he treated man to
a drink he said "Hurrah for Miller for
Coronerw Tor words to that effect and
then made an entry IN his red pocket
book.
When the cruel war was over-aiter he
had repeatedly stormed Pete Menken's
stronghold near the Plaza, and as repeat
edly whooped it up for Miller for Cor
oner; after he had done business (over the
bari with Proprietor Stafford OF
THE OLD Hoss SALOON,
The headquarters for colored gentlemen
whose propensities ran to craps, politics
and razor -slashing; after he had laid
about him so vigorously on the day OF
election that he was obliged to seek his
couch at an early hour in the afternoon,
worn out with the strife and labors of the
day-then MIR. Hamilton pulled forth his
red pocketbook and did a little "hgger-
in with the result that he found he had
expended Just Sl56 50 for social drinks"
while laboring in the interests OF his en-
ployer.
But the other fellow had puIIed down
the perSilnmOn.
Under the circumstances, he did not
have the heart to demand the re-
payment of this money, as Miller
was smarting under the chagrin OF
defeat-augmentedb by the loss OF bright
S2O-piece which he gave to Hamilton on
the night before election TO use among
the boys in his behalf-so the latter laid
his pocket-iedger safely away for many,
many moons, and when he did present
his itenized account for about 1,76S
drinks that did not produce tnedesired
number Of votes
OH CRUEL FATE!
The demand was repudiated by Miller.
From that time on there was q frosty
NeIM cen employer anu 6ulDlOYSu
which all the ardent heat OF the summer
sun of 1898 did not dispel, and finally,
about the middle of last February, the
atmosphere about the pair became SO
frigid. when in each others presence, that
they resolved to end their relations by
notifying one another that these would
end on the lst of March.
on this date they parted, and as Miller
still refused to pay Tor those post-cam-
paign drinks, his political manager re-
sorted to the courts Tor redress, and hence
the suit that was tried yesterday. 1t re-
suited in a Judgment for the defendant,
Justice Devine finding that the prepon-
derance OF evidence was against Hamll-
ton.
BEFORE THE COURT.
Justice Devine had just come off the
Police Court bench, where he had been
compelled to listen to the wonderful re-
cital of one Waldispeuh's tribulation at
the hands of Dick Wonderlich. Still he
was in complacent mood and listened
with evident interest TO all the details OF
the evidence The Judge has been III
politics himself, and, as be doubtless will
be again, be took frequent notes, pre-
sumably in the way OF pointers" as to
how votes are made-and lost.
The plaintiff was quite skillfully han
died by George q. Davis (who IS pretty
astute politician himselfl, but Hamilton
occasionally insisted on playing the part
OF counsel. W. a. Gett (who doesn't
know anything about political methods)
got along quite we'll behind the defend
ant tMillerl, as the latter was docile
enough not to kick over the traces and
allowed his trainer TO have his own way.
There were quite number OF old-time
warhorses in the courtroom. Young Tom
Fox was there also, TO see if there were
any new plays in the game of politics
that had escaped his observation thus far.
THAT BILL FOR DRINKS.
Plaintiff Hamilton first took the wit
ness stand and told of his engagement to
work for Miller as an undertaken few
weeks before the latter was nominated by
the two wings of the Democracy for the
office of Coroner. When the campaign
became a little hotter, and there were
votes to be secured. he said that Miller
told him to do what he could for him, in
a legitimate way, and that he would re-
imDurse him for any reasonable expense
TO which he might be put during the
campaign.
In accordance with this agreement he
did what he could to promote Miller's
political aspirations, and had kept MEM
orandum, or account, of the money eX-
pended by him in so doing, which ac-
count was embodied in the bill of partic-
ulars filed with the court.
1t was wholly for expenses incurred
''in social way"-namely. for drinks,
and the daily items footed up Sl56 50.
The witness read off the list, showing
alleged daily expenditures ranging from
81 so to So 90. According to his figures
he expended during the month of Sep
tember $50 %, and In October S76 I he
night before the election Miller gave him
$50, and he spent S23 80 in addition
thereto on that day.
In order to enable him to keep up this
lick he had to overdraw his salary ac-
count 10 the extent Of $50, which be re-
paid at the rate of S. per month.