The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-05
HE STAKED ALL ON
GENERAL GRANT
Story Of the Famous Republican National
Convention Of 1850.
ONE MANS VERY RECKLESS WAGER
How He Was Saved from Utter Bank.
ruptcy by a Fortunate Side Bet.
Political ParOxysms in the State of
SunhOwers.
From the Chicago Evening Post.

| Let no man imagine the interest In O
national convention is confined to the
cities. When politicians gather from all
parts of the country to one common
center and h bat themselves to sultry
splendor with|the enthusiasm of politics
they becomeja magnet too strong to be
disregarded. And whether he will or
no. the citizen-no matter how far away
thinks convention. eats. drinks.
dreams convention. and goes into a par
oXysm of impatience because he cannot
quickly enough learn the latest news.
Kansas has more politics to the acre
than any place on earth outside a Meth
odist quadrennial conference, and the
national conventions of the Republican
party are perfect seasons Of fever heat
in the suntiower state. Rabid in their
partisanship at all times, they are in
tense. intolerant, abusive when the
chiefs are in convention. And they
search madly for news.
That was what saved Dick Williams
in 1850. If he had lived in a state
where the people could talk politics
within reason. caring no more for It
than for their religion or their family
ties, he would have suffered severely.
But i'm the lava heat of that place and
time Dick Williams simply couldn't
/ lose.
l.. \ Il
or course Grant was going to be nom
mated. OF that no reasonable man
could have the shadow OF u doubt. He
should have been nominated four years
before. but some people protested
against the third term. so he went
| "A lAl l,A. oh ki..S
of foreign lands with u broad blaze OF
American glory. He came back in lSSo
the greatest American--the greatest
man. his admirers Claimed-and landed
| in Chicago just before the national con
rention. He brought the impetus OF a
famous tour. the weight OF VICTORIOUS
war. and the prestige of two good presi-
Dental terms. Could mortal delegate
| withstand such argument?
besides, he had the united strength
of John A. Logan Of Illinois, Roscoe
ConEling of New York and Don Cam
eron Of Pennsylvania behind. him; aid
Ss0G delegates were pledged to him
| :. first, last and all the time" No man
had half that number. There was an
"anything-to- beat-Grant" sentiment
in the convention, but 1t could not
stand 1t had no nucleus candidate
on whom to crystalline. 1t was mega
tive The 30G was a positive force. 2
loyal following, an active, working,
trained, proselytizing army. And II
could not fail.
Dick Williams hustled about good
zeal, and he managed to find people
| a; l,'t x,ttb hin, IL.
surprised, but some of them We're will
ing to bet. Dick drew all his money
out of bank and posted it i'm the hands
of trusty shareholders. To his aston
ishment he even then didn't have them
betted to II standstill So he bet his
hGises one by one. and his farm was
next i'm jeopardy. If he had had wife
or children he would have bet them.
Usually he wagered that Grant would
be named on first ballot: but in the
case of the land he held out for a better
Offer, and staked his acres that 1.-The
man on horseback would be nOmi-
mated. making no limit as to time.
That hot June night when the con-
y,ntion really met in Chicago Dick
went down to the county seat. and
Joined the noisy. Incorporate crowd
that had gone to the tele-
graph Office. He "chipped in"
and aided the fund which rec
ompensed the operator. He had
More at stake than any of them. and
H. wanted to know. Kansas was
prohibition state even then; but these
substantial citizens threw law to the
winds, and either closed their eyes to
the evident bottles on the window
ledge or slipped out cautiously. and as
cautiously imbibId.
The telegraph operator first collected
the fund which was to pay him. Then
he read the first bulletin. 1t had 3O6 for
Grant and Dick Williams wanted to
cheers. It had some for Blaine. and
some for Sherman. and some for Haw-
ley, and one for Hayes, and three for
Window.
Then they sat about for an hour and
talked in voices that grew higher and
higher as the stock of beer grew lower
and lower. And the second ballot was
like the first. and the third like the sec
ond, and, with some little shuffiing of
the vote on the unimportant names. all
the ballots of the evening were alike.
Dick was surprised at midnight to know
the beer was consumed and the con-
Nention was adjourned till morning, and
Grant was not yet nominated. And
through his fevered consciousness
burned two things--of which he talked
till daylight. to all men,
Grant, 3O6; Window. 81
Next night it was the same thing
over. There was a departure from the
normal Excitement seized upon the
people. Men of the soundest Judgment
forgot lifetime habit Women of gem
tlest breeding cut their neighbor wo-
of political opinion.
Ballot after ballot was taken that
second afternoon. Crowds went down
to the telegraph office in the evening.
Dick Williams refused to learn caution.
Gil Martin. the richest merchant In
town, was against Grant. and Williams
wanted to catch him. He offered all
kinds OF bets. but Martin was eluding
him. The first ballot was read:
Grant. JOG: Window. - with the
same old varying range between them.
They resorted to the brown bottles.
and the telegraph operator tapped on
his key and held up his hand. Here
was the second ballot. Grant had
gained some. Window still held three
Williams was in paroxyism Of delight
He was sure to win. An hour--a third
ballot was announced. Grant had lost.
but Window held his three. That last
became a joke. Still another. Grant
had gained. Sherman. Edmunds
Blaine. half dozen others were more
or less. Window never varied. They
reached for the bottles.
Il Il
Bout time for another ballOt?"
callnd NXilIiams To the ailara tor That