The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-11

Bitter Political Controversies That Mark a
Placid Part of the Town.

The most recent revolt Of a political faction
against established political leadership is in
the Smith Assembly district in which the party
friends OF former Police tommi-s Onor John G.
Shcehan arc rallying to his support in Tam
many and in which the opponents OF Mr..
Shoehan'S further leadership. or CrOkeritrs as
they are sometimes called. are organizing to
overthrow him. II is rathc: peculiar that the
Ninth or Chelsea district OF the city should no
tn" starting point of the first formidable revolt
there has ever been against the political LEADER
ship Of Mr.. Croker since fourteen years ago
h" stepped into the shoes Of John Kelly. But
though Chelsea. quiet ancient, rural. placid
Chelsea. with its air Of gcntlity. even in decay.
its park and terraces, wrought iron ralingS.
dormer windows. arched doorways and carved
halustradcs. might seem to be little suited for
political brawls and controversies, II has been
for many wears the starting point Of some OF
the most serious controversies which have be-
set the political parties and threatened their
integrity, os the Croker-Sheehan controversy
does that OF Iammany to-day.
Everybody Oh tn" west side Of town is famil-
lar with the long. bitter and iiu"tuatinG strug-
can National Committeeman from New York
state. and towi". the fish man" since de-
first gained political distinct on and much Of
his national fame. The end Of 1t was that the
two antagonists ran against each other Tor tho
same Office that Of member OF Assembly, both
running on til" Republican. ticket. and the
lDenocrntlc npmln"" went oil with the prIZe
and the district has been Democratic ever
since, But long before the Gibbs. towie con-
troversy there was a Tammany dispute. pro-
tracted for many years. which involved ulti-
mately ncIGhhorlnE districts and led to some
serious results. .. The rival leaders, in the
Chelsea fight in Tammauy were rX-Alicrman
James Barker. one of Whose d VI met IONS is
that he was III" last person t. en-
Devery. now Chirt Of Police. and Richard lau-
agan. Coroner N that period who asserted
III" right 10 Head III" Iammauy forces in tho
Ninth district. then the Thirteenth The fight
years, until AZ last i wa, decided at head
quarters in favor Of barker. AMI the name ~
Flanagan was left ul the 'lammany Hall tIrSrt
for Coroner, On which h" was 20 have had
the same Office. Tn" liarkriitrs accepted tn"
Judgment Of Fourteenth street as Il was called
the Flanu0anItrs did not They appealed to
the delegates from other districts, broke with
allttc~ TIA" established slate and nominated Mr..
/ aHaEan tor Coroner over tn" heads Of Tho
Iammany leaders, and the voters OF -" city
reelected him b. II majority considerably
larger than Mr. Croker had in the same con est
on the same ticket for the same Office,
Long before that time there was a fight going
on n the Chelsea district between those Rc'
nullIcauS who ace hrtrd and those ltrpuhlI cans
who rejected ia" leadership Of Hugh Gardner.
Gtcrward Police Justice. The !lght became
at last so warm that it was transferred to le-
street and BIundway, and continued until ono
faction OF tho local Republicans allied them
selves with the Liberal kcpuhl.cau party and
indirectly with Democrats. while the other re-
Just why ono OF the qurtost parts of town
should ho the starting point OF so many fac
tional controversies Is something which no
politician can tell. But tits 80 Just the same.