The sun., 1897-01-16
U.L.CLUB DIDN'TOWN FORD
REPORTED DEMAND FOR Hrs VorE
AZ 4 M0RT0H8ED CBATTEL.

Choate Boomers said 20 Hsve Reni,dsa
the SENATOR That U.iou Le.su-r- Fat
Up $500 for Mis Csnpsixr Expenses
The Ci.s May l.vestig.to This scandal.
ALBANY, Jan. 15.-The headquarters Of the
Choste boomers In Albany, previous 10 the
Hon. Thomas @. Platts nomination to bs
United states Senator. were In an upper
room Of tho Kenmore Hotel In that room.
on Wednesday night there wero words
exchanged between certain OF the BOOM
ers and Senator John Ford Of this city which
somebody may be called upon TO explain before
smoeting OF the Union League Club.
All of tho prominent boomers were amateur
politicians who happen to be members Of the
Union League Tho chief boomers were Will
liam d. Guthrie and Paul ID. Cravath. The
former has been member Of the club for some
time. The latter has been . member about
eight months. Messrs Guthrie and Cravath.
as soon IS they arrived at Albany and had
opened the Choate headquarters. began to corral
legislators to solicit votes for Mr.. Choate. They
didn't meet with much encouragement, to be
sure, but whenever Plstt man asserted that
Choato would get but seven votes, the boomers
laughed at him and said their candidate would
have cght votes anyway.
Tho eighth vote. according to the figures Of
the boomers. was to bs cast by Senator
Ford. They knew. they said. that Ford was
ehth-Flhtt. VI course no was antl-Ilhtt. w non
ho was nominated for Senator in tho Nineteenth
district, was he able to get any money for cam
paign expenses from the machine2 Not
cent raid the boomers Where did he get his
money! From members of the Union League
Club. to be sure. Didn't membcrs Of that or:
ccourse they did. and of course Mr.. Ford would
feel II his duty to vote for the Union League
But a rumor reached tho Choate camp on
wednesday night that Senator Ford was going
boomers sont for him to com come It to the % head. d.
quarters. Senator Ford came. Tho story 10
sss aa md +. s, h%
than wisdom Mr.. Crayath, so IL is said, sailed
boldly into senator Ford and told him OF the
tori was going to vote for Plstt Senator Ford
pleaded guilty
the money contributed toward the Senator'S
campaign expenses by Union League members,
and also reminded him that Choaie was the can.
didate of tho Union League Club. Mr. Crayath,
as the story goss, intimatcd that Senator Ford
would be guilty Of rank ingratitude II he didn't
question Of personal privilege. He wanted to
LeaRuers who had contributed to his campaign
expenses considered that, In view OF that con-
on any aueston @ Il mot 20 Known Un9 tha, has Sio %r
G1ava,h ,,s made any reply to the Senators apss-
Piatt. and the Chos.o boomers are e inclined ito To-
look upon him as traitor.
Mr.. Cravath was seen yesterday afternoon by
SUN reporter. and ask ed to give the substance
OF what actually passed between him and Sem
ator Ford. This Mr.. CravAth absolutely refused
to do and he refused To affirm or deny the story
as given above. All that he would say he put
In the following written statement:
have nothing TO say about Senator Ford
but will say that no contributor TO q candi-
dates campaign expenses Is entitled, for that
reason, to claim the right to influence the can
didate's action when In Office"
II Mr.. Cravath was reticent members OF the
Union League were not. When they heard that
members of tho cluo were reported to have en-
deavored to influence votes for MIR. Choate. on
the strength Of tho contributions made by GER
tain mem bers to a certain candidates campaign
fund. they were hot. None of the members was
willing to be quoted at the present time, but tho
general opinion was voiced by ono of the oldest
members of the club. who said:
II want to know more about this business
before say anything for publication. II. how
ever. tho story rs | hear II is true. I shall on
deavor to have special meeting Of the club
called. at which certain memb bers will be re-
quired to explain conversations they are said to
have had with Senator Ford"