Evening journal., 1902-07-15
HISTORY OF GASMAN ADDICKS
FROM THE NEW YORK TINES

the story Of his scheme to buy our lit
tie state appeared in the New York
Times in its issue of last Sunday:
Wilmington, Del. July 11-"Ad-
dicks Of Delaware" has begun to giyeI
evidences Of renewed eruption, and
there is every reason to believe that
ne win be in a state of volcanic activ-
ity during the coming campaign
Then will he have
reached the towering pinnacleI
OF his ambition; he will haveI
succeeded in proving what he hasI
long maintained. in perfect frankness.
that 1t is possible to buy a sovereign
State. and in the event of his success,
he will have pleased Senator Hanna byl
restoring to Delaware what he took
away, her representation in the upper
house OF THE National Legislature.
Gas Addicks, 4" Addicks OF Delaware,
John Edward Addicks was once a COM
mercial traveller, and he was Of thel
kind that "drummers' tales were told
about. Suaye, impudent, industrious,
and an absolute hereto regarding he--
reditary honesty in other men, hel
somehow managed, by reason of these
faculties or in spite OF them to amassI
fortune. This fortune he has forI
twelve years past been using to corrupt
Delaware politics. but though he hasl
spent enormous sums. his fortune has
diminished little if at all.
His battle lis at least half won, and
he has as much ammunition as when
he started. The greater part OF Adj
dicks wealth was made by promoting
and wrecking gas companies in various
States. His biggest operations We're in
Boston. and it was in that city that heI
developed as a "fixer" of legislatiyeI
bodies. His operations with the Bay
State Gas Company and the Beacon
Construction Company made him rich
man, and he was apparently sitting un-
der a steady stream from hole punch
ed in the cornucopia Of fortune when
he was brought TO book by ex-Mayor
Nathan Matthews, Jr., Of Boston. His
tribute to Addicks may be taken as in
dicative OF the character of the man:
"You could search all the cOmbina-
ti0ns and trusts that infest our land
today. and you could not find a sharper
brighter more acute, and more success
ful corporation wrocker than J. Ed
ward Addicks"
Addicks' venture in Delaware is pure
ly a speculation. After becoming we'll
known as a speculative figure in Fhil-
adelphia, New York Brooklyn, BOs-
ton and Chicago, HE conceived the idea
OF buying a seat in what was and is in
his eyes the finest club n the world.
If he had then or has now any idea of
entering the Senate as an actual legis-
lator and deliberatOr he has kept THAT
idea secret.
Why Addicks selected Delaware for
his venture is a question to be an
swered. It has been said that Ii was
because he found the Delaware Legis-
lature an easy one to work" when he |
wanted a charter for one cil
his companies; but when he
tried to work" that Leg
islature. after he had acquired a con-
stitutional residence in the State by
buying an estate at Caymont, he found
an obstacle in his path in the shape OF
Delaware's pride in the matter Of her
Statesmen.
All sorts and conditions Of men havel
been elected TO the Delaware Legisla-
ture, as well as to State and county
offices. some good, some bad but until
Addicks invaded the Diamond State no
man of SPOTTED record had ever dared
TO ask the Legislature for a seat in the
National Senate. That was something
reserved for men actually fitted for it,.
such as the Bayards and Saulsburys.
After the election OF 1883 Addicks or
fered to allow himself tofbe elected as
a senator from Delaware. His PROPOSE
tion fell fiat, and while the people
laughed at him he set to work, and
by 1892 he had built up a party, called
the Union Republican party, and VIC
tory seemed at hand. But that year the
i Democrats carried the State, and Ad-
dicks had to wait until 1894 He put.
In two years. at least S150,O00 into the
campaign, and in The fall of 1894 the
Delaware Republicans elected their
State ticket and Legislature. It is gen
orally admitted that this victory of the
Republicans could not have been ac-
complished without the aid of Addiclks,
and onthis ground he claimed election
TO the United States Senate.
He pointed out-just as Senator
Hanna pointed out during the last Ma
tional Republican Convention-udat
Delaware might have remained for
, ever Democratic without Addicks, and
that he should be rewarded To
strengthen his argument Addicks az
once flooded the lobbies OF the State
House with his money. Soon he was
in possession Of six of the thirty mem
bers. The thirteen other Republicans
were pledged TO Colonel DUPONT, the
: millionaire powder maker. There was
y no election; one seat from Delaware
3 was vacant. In 1896 the Democrats
4 captured the Legislature. and Richard
5 Roland Kenney was elected senator
e to fill the vacancy. During his tern
kenney was tried for bank-wreclIing
but was acquitted.
In 1895 the Republicans again cap
tured the Legislature, which was I,
: elect a successor to Senator Georgl
Gray. 1t did not elect a successor t,
! urIurInrn,c Arnrrnnnu