The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-13
Edward Murphy, Jr., Given the Empty
Honor Of denomination by the
Democratic Caucus.
QUAY'S OPPONENTS UNITED
WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE SENATOR
UNLESS HE Is ACQUITTED.
Agreement Signed by FOrty-Three Re-
pubIicans of PennsyIvanin LegisIa-
ture-The West Virginia Contest.

ALBANY, n. Y, Jan. 12-Chauncey M.
Depew was unanimously chosen as the can
didate Of the Republican partys rep
resentatives in Senate and Assembly for
United States senator at a joint caucus
held in the assembly chamber tonight.
There was very nearly full attendance of
the members of both houses. The election
will be held in both houses next Tuesday,
and on Wednesday both houses will meet in
joint session to declare the result.
The Democratic legislative caucus to-day
nominated Edward Murphy, jr for United
States senator to succeed himself The
Democrats are in minority in the Legisla-
ture.
Chauncey Mitchell Depew, "spellbinder, "
lawyer, railroad president and Republican
politician, was born at Peekskin, n. Y, in
1884. He comes of d acknowledgement fam
lily, and he still owns the home purchased
two hundred years ago by his ancestors
His mother is a descendant of a brother OF
Robert Sherman, of revolutionary fame
Mr.. Depew was graduated from Yale College
in 1856, and three years later was admitted
to the bar. He served in the State Assembly
of 1862 from the Third Westchester district
being chairman of the ways and means com
Tnittee, and acting as speaker a part of the
time. In 1868, the year after Governor Sey-
mour's election, Mr.. Depew ran for secre-
tary of state on the Republican ticket re-
versed the Democratic majority and was
chosen by about 10000 majority. He spoke
twice day during his canvass of six weeks
He declined reelection, and was made min
lister to Japan by Secretary Seward, held
the commission four weeks and then re-
signed to resume business. His commission
as collector of the port of New York was
made out once by President Johnson, but
in consequence of Senator E. d. Morgan's
refusal to sustain Mr.. Johnsons veto of the
civu-rights bill, the President never sent
the nomination to the Senate, but tore il
up in rage.
After Mr.. Depew's resignation as minister
to Japan William II. Vanderbilt was at
tracted by the Peekskill lawyer, and in 1856
he was made attorney for the New York &
Harlem road. On the union of the Central
and Harlem roads, in 1869, he was appointed
attorney of the consolidated company, and
in 1919 was promoted to be general counsel
He had, a few years previous, been elected
a director of the Central, and subsequently,
he entered the boards of the other Wander
btt lines-the Michigan Central, the Chicago
&5 Northwestern, the st. Paul & Omaha
and the Nickel-plate. In May 1882, upon the
reorganization of the CentraPs management
he was made second vice president, and
on the death of James Butler, June IL
1885, was elected to the presidency
In 1872, as candidate for Lieutenant Gov
ernor on the Liberal Republican ticket. he
was defeated. Two years later the Legisla-
ture, as he himself puts it, ''forgave" him
by electing him regent Of the State Uni
versty. He served one year as one of the
commissioners to build the new capitol at
Albany, then resigned the place In the
great contest in the Legislature, in 1881 Mr.
Depew received for eighty-two days the
vote Of three-fourths of the Republican
members for United States senator, retiring
only to secure the election Of Warner Miller.
Upon the expiration of Senator I4apham'
term, in 1884, Mr. Depew was asked TO be.
come compromise candidate for senator
He might have been elected without opposi-
ton at that time, but he declined the offer
for business reasons. William Nj. Evarts
was chosen in the expectation that his bril-
liancy and ability would reflect high honor
on the State.
Four years later Mr.. Depew heard the buz-
zing of the presidential bee. He was put
forward as the candidate of New York State.
He got ninety-nine votes on the first and
second ballots, but on the third ballot he ,e-
ceive5 only ninety votes, and he withdrew
from the race on the ground, it was stated
that the convention evidently thought it
would be unwise to nominate railroad man.
His withdrawal split the New York delega-
tion and in the fourth ballot General Har-
rison received ffty-nine Of its seventy-two
votes. He was nominated on the eighth bal
lot.
Mr.. Depew was a warm supporter of Pres
ident Harrison for denomination in 1892. op-
posing Senator Platt, who favored Blaine.
Mr.. Plat delivered thirty-lve delegates for
Mr.. Blaine, with the aid of Warner Miller.
while Mr.. Depew and Senator Hiscock gave
twenty-seven to Harrison. After the con-
vention Depew and Hiscock We're hailed as
the new leaders of the New York organiza-
ton, but the machine stood by Mr.. Platt.
Mr.. Harrison was defeated and Platts con-
troll remained unbroken. Mr.. Depew stood
with Senator Platt in support Of Gov. Levi
=. Morton in 1896. lie would not have re-
fused a nomination for Vice President had
the convention offered it to him, but it Sc
lected Garret A. Hobart instead After
President McKinley's election there was
some talk of giving Mr. Depew a Cabinet
place or making him ambassador TO Great
Britain, but nothing came Of it,
MUST CLEAR HIS NAME.