The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-08
HILL AND O'FERRALL.

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HILL AND O'FERRALI. =
Tho Senator from New York and the
Present Governor OF Virginia Once Had
Lively Interview in Washington
IIostiIitics Narrowly Avertcd.
There are two men in public life who
do not love each other One Is Senator
David B. Hill, of New York, and the
other Is Governor O'Ferran, OF Nir-
ginia. In fact they once had almost
fistic encounter, as the Times Herald
thus describes: 1t was during the Rock
we'll Noyes contest in the Fifty second
congress. Rockwell was Hills man
from the Elmira district. Hills home
camp then. Rockwell was In and
Noyes. the Republican, was contesting
his seat. O'Ferrall. you Will remem-
ber, was chief of the elections commit
tee of the house. O'Ferrall was Cleve-
land man, although l cant guess how
far that fact entered into O'Ferralrs
trouble with Hill. Il might better tell
you the story just as O'Ferrall told 1t to
me himself at the time.
a. The committee. by majority VOTE
said O'Ferrall, had decided to unscat
Rockwell, the Democrat. / was direct
ed to draw the report. Afterward
Cobb and others withdrew from their
position against Rockwell, and decided
to sustain him in his seat. But at first,
with the one exception. they were all
with me, and in favor of turning Rock
well out
.'During the hearing we had never
seen or heard aught of Hill in the mat
ter. He had just come to the senate.
I had never met him, and beyond what
had been said of him as governor of
New York and his candidacy for the
presidency, I knew nothing about him.
'One day after it was the general
whisper that my committee was going
to decide against Rockwell. although
nothing formal had been done. ! got
note from Hill asking me to meet him at
his rooms at the Arlington on a GER
tain evening. I thought. to tell the
truth, that 1t might have some refer
ence to his hopes Of being nominated
for the white house. The Rockwell
case never entered my head. But the
next morning, when discovered that
every Democrat on my committee, and
nobody besides. had received a similar
invitation from Hill. began to think 1t
over. ] saw 1t could have but one pur-
pose, and that was to discuss the Rock
well-Noyes case. As a result 1 didn't
go. and didn't even take the trouble to
answer Hills note.
ocUutob AutUOuuGSo.
"'One afternoon, two days later, !
had Just come down to my committee
room. Representative Bob Wilson'S
(of Missouri pension committeeman
was next to mine. Wilson came In just
as I got seated and said: i've u
friend in my room who wants to he in
troduced to you" TO tell the truth,
thought II was some old confederate
soldier whom I'd known during the war.
Many of them had drifted to Missouri.
and 1 supposed Wilson'S friend" might
be one. Of these. "''iBrig him in,"
said, "I'Il be glad to see him."
In q moment Wilson returned with
a dark, bfight-looking man whom /
didn't know, and whom 1 was con-
vinccd at once I'd never met In my
life.' But 1t all cleared up in a mo-
ment when Wilson said:
"' "Colopel O'Ferrali, let me intro
duce to you Senator Hill, of New York
You've heard Of Senator Hill, no
doubt"
Wilson was right; I'll heard Of him.
1--WE shook hands, and Hill went
straight to the point.
a. "You didn't come up to my rooms
the other night" he said. There was
something blunt and dictatorial In his
tone and manner which l resented.
mo, sir" replied Il didn't call at
your IOOUlS.
". MAY ask why?" said Hill, hard
as IRON"
you may" / replied, "although 7
shouldn't have supposed you would
have found It necessary to ask the
question. did not call, sir, because
was convinced your purpose was to dis
cuss q contest case now before my COM
mlttee. Considered from that point.
SIR, ! regarded your request as an In
all 10 V1vpco1f N nd hlr n
committee YOU ADDRESSED. / dyi not
come. and did not answer your note;
course toward you which, when I re-
fleet on the insult you did me, I regard
as very forbearing, SIR
"'"Oh,- you do?" said Hill, with a
great sneer.
40 Yes, sir. do, very decidedly" I
felt was losing my temper, and ! pro-
posed to keep COOL
T1ill stood silent a moment as II in
deep thought. Then he left the episode
Of the invitation and started to talk
about the Rockwell case. He talked
rapidly and in an insulting, overbear-
ing way. He was going over the story
Of the case from the Rockwell stand
point. At last ] didn't care for any
more of II and stopped him.
"'"I don't care to listen to you any
further" said. "You say nothing new
or more than has been much better said
by Mr.. Rockwel's counsel in this con-
test. And beyond that, I don't like
your manner, sir. It Is offensive to me,
and I will not listen to another word.
SIR"
iIi,rs idea OF a Democrat.
".At this point Hill stepped back
and folded his arms and regarded me
with such a sneer of hate and wrath
combined that while my indignation
rose to considerable height. wondered
at the man as he stood there.
"""And yon call yourself Demo-
great contempt. You're going to vote
to turn out a Democrat, and put In a
Republican? You are an --''
AT this point I Interrupted him. /
contees was protoundly angry.