Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-07-20
ton in open revolt against ths nationa,



BY general consent Kittredge became
the leader OF the gold wing of the par
ty. AS the leaders Of both factions re-
sided in Sioux Falls, each made the
carrying of this county a personal mat
ter when 1t came to electing delegates
to the state convention at Huron,
which was called for the purpose of
electing delegates to represent the re-
publicans OF the state at the st. Louis
convention. After n OF the most Bit
tee contests in the history Of his or
any other county in the northwest.
the county was carried by Pettigrew,
VINO had not yet lost his popularity
with the republicans. The Kittredge
faction, however, was successful in
electing a majority Of the delegates
from the state, and controlled the
Huron convention. At first 1t was
planned to prevent Pettigrew's election
as enc OF the delegates to the ST. Louis
convention, but upon Pettigrew pub
licly pledging himself on the floor II
the convention to support the plat
form adopted by the st. Louis
ton, n more as a mark of respect
to the office of United States senator
which he held, than upon personal
grounds, Pettigrew was elected as 0ne
or the eight delegates to the national
convention.
w happtIth ~ llldl convention is
now a part of the political history OF the
country. K~ittredge, always far-seeing and
keen In discernment. fully believed that
Pcttigrew would bolt" the national con
v~cntion, and, when the expected hap
pened, PettiRrew's alternate was on the
ground and had taken his place a few
minutes after that celebrated walk out"
At the republican national conventions
OF 1892 and 1886 Kittredge was elected as
- "a IL ---l
lican national committee. He resigned the
place before his last term had expired and
had Charles n. Herreid, present governor
OF South Dakota, and the man who has
now elevated Kittredge TO the highest
place in the gift OF the people Of the state,
selected to III out his term as national
committeeman.
Ho Is n sphynx.
Many amusing stories are told OF the
unsuccessful efforts OF newspaper men to
interview Kittredge. He Is always cour-
toous to the quill-drivers, but II would be
az easy a task to wiring information from
a telegraph pole rs from him. He Ia one
OF the most rcticent men I'm the country,
and II Is because of this that he has been
nicknamed the Silent Man
He accompanied the train OF Senator
Hanna through the two Dakotas last
year, and one OF the eastern newspaper
men on the train, aware OF the interesting
contest for United States senator then
pending I'm the state, thought he would
ascertain the situation from KittredSo,
ard who would likely capture the plum.
lie approached KittredRe with a notebook
In hand and started I'm 10 secure the ma
tcrial for n half column or column story
on the South Dakota senatorial situation.
Kittredge for some little time invariably
answered his questions with Yes" NO.
or II don't know
The newspaper man finally realized the
hoplessness OF his task and switched the
subject by asking:
What town Is the largest In South Da-
kota?"
Sioux Falls" was the reply.
The interviewer then returned 70 nis
comrades, who had been Interested OBJ
servers of his unsuccessful attempt at In
terviewing,
II have been trying to get that South
Dakota mummy to talk" explained the
Disguised and chagrined newspaper man,
"bu after adding two words, Sioux
Falls TO his vocabulary / quit"
During the remainder OF the time Kilt.
redge was on the train no further at
tempts were IA 10 interview" him.
When Kittredge first came here he act
ea as correspondent for a st. Paul daily