The herald., 1896-11-27
REGULAR "BAcK-cAPP1NG" CLUB
Real Sociable Time at Republican Head
quarters-Martin Was There

The executive workers of the Repub.
lican city central committee were un-
easy yesterday, and it was not because
of an extraordinary feast of Thanks
giving turkey. The Republican aspir-
ant to the mayoralty, Mr. Martin. was
with them ,and he was a sharer in the
general uneasiness. In fact, the atmos-
phere of the headquarters on South
Broadway near Second. was decidedly
uncomfortable for everybody.
1t was all owing to the telephone in
terview with Rev. John A. b. Wilson,
pastor of the First Methodist Episcopa;
church and leading spirit of the Park
hurst society, which appeared in yes
terday's Herald, and in which DR.. Will
son had admitted that some kind of as
surance had been given by Mr.. Martin
that II elected the term of office Of John
M. Glass as chief Of police would be
shortened.
Mr.. Martin was anxious to hedge.
Others present, particularly the street
sprinkler, Mr.. Drain, who hopes to be
made superintendent of streets, die not
manifest much fondness for the Rev.
Wilson. That gentleman of the cloth
was even called an anarchist" and a
'fakir," and there was enough of tele-
pathy among the assembled wire-pull-
ers to give each face an expression of
assent, as though all We're of one mind
l.
son in the Republican camp is con-
cerned.
Mr.. Martin was rather nice-that is.
ciplomatic--about his hedging.
''Oh. mol" he said in a tone that was
soft, soothing. conciliatory and con-
Vlncing; that must have been some
other man at the other end of the teie-
phone. That could not have been Dr.
Wilson. I would not like to believe
that DR.. Wilson would tell lie. No.
1t must have been some other man.
When the circumstances of the hour
and telephone number were given to
assure Mr.. Martin that no other man
would be bold enough to occupy DR.. Will
sons domicile and speak for that excel
lent divine, they had not the slightest
effect upon Candidate Martin. He still
proceeded in way tnat was artless and
blan In perfecting the mental creation
by which he had managed to substitute
an entire stranger-vague. shadowy and
undefined-for the learned pulpit orator.
Then DR.. Wilson became the subject
OF general conversation and Mr.. Drain
proceeded to tell of particular occa-
sion OH which he had been casual lis
tener to discourse by DR.. Wilson.
Il made up my mind then and there
that the man was an anarchist and a
fallir," concluded Mr.. Drain, and that
settled it, for everybody within speak
ing distance looked satisfied on that
point.
From that the conversation drifted
on to societies and organizations in gem
cral, and even the labor congress of
this city came in for a share of abuse.
Tt was an unfortunate thing for the
labor congress that some misguided per-
son chanced to name it in his mention
Of the organizations of the city, for it
was Immediately pounced upon by a
eta1wart who wanted to kick some
thing, and was not very particular as
to what it was he kicked. He called the
labor congress ''snide affair."" though
whether this was intended as pun he
did not say. and he did not appear to
be in facetious mood. This was cue
for John c. Wray. whilom editor and
proprietor of the Ventura Free Press,
who was on hand
Editor Wray launched forth into a
wholesale denunciation of labor unions
and stormed around rather euthusias-
tically on that particular point, finally
careening completely as he ran up
against the Typographical union. The
wind was almost gone out of his sails
as he gave vent to a wish that Colonel
Otis and the Times would succeed in
"downipg the typographical union,"