New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-09
HOFFMAN HOUSE GLOOMY
MCARREN KEPT UP "CLAIMING" UNTIL
LATE.
FINALLY HE HAD TO GIVE UP. AND THE crowd
AROUND DEMOCRATIC HEADouAR-

AROUND DEMOCRATIC HtAbCNHrt-
TIERS FADED AWAY.
Gloom descended upon the Democratic State
Headquarters like a pail last night soon AFTER
10 o'clock. when a bulletin from tine New
York Journal said that that Democratic paper
had just conceded the election OF Colonei hoose-
velt Up to thai hour Senator McCarren ana
his assistants had been trying their best 10
keep a stif upper lip. and at one time in the
course Of the evening had actually convinced
themselves that they were going to win
The night was full OF alterations OF hope
and despair. Early in the evening the returns
did not seem to indicate that Van Wycks piu-
rality in New-York City would be what had
been looked for. and as the big Republican vote
ND the State could be looked for confidently
things appeared a bit blue from the Demo-
cratic point Of view. The news OF failing OF
In the Democratic vote in the metropolitan ois
trict soon reached the corridors OF the HOFFMAN,
House and the gamblers and Oettors were tue
first to get It. In an instant the odds hdu
Jumped to . to | on Roosevelt, and they lou"d
no takers Numbers of men pushed ABOUT the
barroom and cafe waving bills ana caiiihs ior
takers Within ten minutes the odds advanced
to to / on the Republican candidate ana sew
oral bets were made at these odds. Even money
was a long way OF then. The offer that sounded
most like it came from the office Of Bell Co.
1t was an offer to bet even money that koose-
welt would not win by 23on majority.
Senator McCarren stood in the middle OF the
room gloomily chewing the end of big plack
cigar when the news Of the TO bets came
up to him
We'll" he said. you never can tell. III 5
going to be very close: very close" Just then
Oh whlSkprS
rushed to the Senator bearing a dispatch that
said Van Wyck had carried Putnam County ny
32o At this the Senator frightened visibly and
BURNED downstairs. He said he was going down
70 bet on Van Wyck. Those who know him
well. however. declared that he had not bet
cent on the Democratic candidate. neglect OF
wbicb no has seldom been guilty in previous
years.
Several renorts came in one after another
which seemed 10 show unexpected gains for
Van Wvck IN the State and the temperature
n, the teadouarters rose considerably above the
freezing point In few minutes. as the Brook-
lvn reports came in. the rooms filled win
cheers and the person with the yellow whiskers
declared TO an admirng throng that the DEM
ocrats had carried everything from Governor
to office boy. When message arrived over the
telephone saving that Chairman Odel OF the
Republican State Committee saw no reason 10
change his previous prophecy OF Repuohcah
victory a derisve shout went up. In the MIDST
Of the gee Elliot Dlnforth came in. He was at
once surrounded by an enthusiastic throng that
included Len Wager. who has been handling
most OF the Tammany money raised for bet
ting purposes. After he had been informed that
the earth was Tammanys he said he would
give out a statement in few minutes telling
the newspapers how it was done. But somehow
he forgot to do II. The general delight was en-
HANGED by the news that The New-York Her
aid had turned on its Van Wyck searchlight
from Madison Square Garden.
All the Tammanyites talking about col
lecting bets and opening small and large cold
bots" and slapping each other on the back.
and one Of them had just rushed into headquar-
tiers shouting Il just bet $1,000 on Van wyck.
It's a cinch"' when in came bulletin announc-
ing that The New-York Journal had conceded
the election Of Roosevelt This announcement
fell like blight upon the general joy "Ah.
gwan" said the crowd. And those in the hall
echoed "Ah, gwan." When Senator McCarren
came upstairs he also remarked, All gwan."
Had not Mr. Croker just aroused enthusiasm by
telegraphing that he claimed the State for Van
WICK by 23000? The thing impossible.
But the extras Of the evening papers began TO
float into headquarters announcing Roose-
velt's choice in letters inches high. The Her
aid" turned off it's Van Wyck searchlight. and
numerous woud-be bettors began to rush in.
Offering all kinds Of odds on Roosevelt
Senator McCarren continued to claim Van
Wyck's election by 5000. and Senator Guy en-
deavored to explain how this claim would be
borne out. But the upstate figures began to
show greater and greater pluraties for Roose-
Welt and even the bndest of the crowd were
forced 10 admit that the game up The
yellow whskered individual faded away. and his
shouts claiming the earth were heard more
The man who had been reading the bulletins
aloud TO delighted throngs put on his hat and
coat. He said he was going out to dinner. He
did not come back Down in the office OF Bell
e. Co. the betting centre. the odds on Roosevelt
mounted up and up, and finally dealt only with
the plurality the Republican candidate would
have.
In the corridors of the hotel and in the street
and the square outside. all was excitement and
hurry burly. 1t soon became known that Colo
mel Roosevelts election certain. and the
uproar that had reigned all the evening in
creased. Crowds armed with horns paraded
the middle Of Broadway. and fakirs at once
sprung up with large stocks of Republican
| ters The Herald" turned on It's Roosevelt
searchlight from the tower Of Madison Square
Garden. The crowd at the Democratic head
quarters faded away. taking what comfort it
could get out OF the Congress candidates elected
especially the victory Of William Astor Chanler
over Congressman Quigg. Senator McCarren
was obdurate. The last seen of him he was still
claiming Van Wycks election Probably he is
claiming it this morning.
SOLDIERS COULD NOT VOTE.
MEMBERS OF THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT DIS
FRANcHIsED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT