Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-07-26
How He Put Judge Sperry
Out OF Business.
Caused 0Id-Line Republican to
Appoint a Democrat.
Kent Republicans Angry--Democratic
Postmaster.
Especial Corrcspondence.)

Especial Correspondence
Kent, O., July 26-.There resides at
Ravenna an old-lne Republican around
whose ears buzzes the Congressional
bee. His name is Judge Sperry. He
is the only man in the Nineteenth
district that Col. Dick really fears,
for the Judge once had many friends.
Congressman Dicks only desire in
life was, apparently, to kill Off the
Judges aspirations, and this is how
he did it. In the village of Kent, half
way between Akron and Ravenna are
two factions in the Republican party.
One faction is headed by old Marvin
Kent who for years had the vote OF
the town in his vest pocket. His lieu
tenants were w. w. Patton, s. T.. VOL
colt, Fred Sawyer, Willie Kent and
l.. Il. Rodenbaugh. A few years ago
Fred Sawyer moved to Michigan. He
possessed the brains of the whole COM
bination. When he cut loose from the
faction, it commenced to run ashore,
for want of man at the helm who
could steer the old machine in its
former channel. The young Republi-
cans of the town were ignored, for all
the Offices in the town were filled by
Marvin Kent and his lieutenants, The
younger clement and the old-line Re-
publicans that were not admirers of
the manner in which the Kent faction
operated the party, concluded TO cut
loose from the politicians and form a
combination of their own. This COM
bination was headed by one Lew Kaw,
an old soldier and foreman in the car
shop, whose friends were legion. Their
combination was composed mostly of
the men in the shop, more
than 200 strong When Congressman
Dick conceived the idea that he would
make first class Congressman, and
\ went into the field to compete for It,
the Marvin Kent faction did not tbink
as Dick did, so they sent a delegation
to oppose him In the convention. The
reason the Kaw faction did not fur
nish the delegates, was that just as
the vote was TO be taken in the caucus
some of the Kent faction sent in q
! lire alarm, knowing that most OF tn,
Kaw faction belonged to the fire dc
partment. Then the Kent factior
rushed through the nominations.
When the other faction returned
from their run TO the fire the hall wa,
dark. The Kaw combination went (,
the convention in body and the mem
bcrs shouted themselves hoarsc 70
, Dick There was to be Postmaste
appointed mt Kent, aud the kaw fac
tion wanted 10 name the man, aud di,
name him TO Dick, who promised {,
| do what he could for him, The Ken
faction also named their man an,
, Dick sang them the same song. Th
: appointment hung fire for year
1. while Elmer France, Il good Democrat
|, filled the office for more than yea
. lover his time. Congressman Dick
= whose life was made miserable b,
Q both factions hustling for their map
|, concluded to unload the responsible,
4 Of naming the Postmaster upon Judg
i sperry, providing that he would no
. appoint the candidate of either fa,
= ton SO Judge Spcrry went TO Ken
/. Ito look over the situation. He ma
y turally drifted In TO the postoffice I
d see Mr.. France aud advise with hir
O as lie, being Democrat, was Q
}. course disinterested.
d 1t seems the Judges intentions wer
a all right in the start, as he mentione
Y the names of several persons he ha
picked out and whom he had learne