The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-01-23

during the evening 1t was authorltlVeiy
reported that he was for Stokes, Gardner
and Griggs until it finally became a
settled belief that he was for nimselL
alone and that man who would help him
the most in his now apparently hopeless
struggle for the State Treasurership Mr.
Reed varied his activity in this line by
working ait intervals for the proposition to
exclude the newspaper men from the next
days cause. But he made as little pro-
gress in this matter as he did in the other
and at midnight he went down to the
Republican Club, where on the top floor
Barker Gummere's spread proved strong
magnet.
A story which gained considerable cred
enee during the evening was to the ef-
feet that the Baird people were ready at
the proper time to go over to Mr. Dryden.
or course. every one around the Bradley
and johnson headquarters denied that
such a thing was possible, but the man
ner in which the story was set afioat and
the people who expressed the belief tnaS
it was so strengthened the conviceion
that there was much solid foundation un-
der the rumor Baird was on hand and
as loud as ever in his declaration that he
was in the conflict until the caucus was
over. Toward midnight he went across
tile hall and had conference with Gen
eral Gnggs, which gave rise to another
ruinor that the Passaic man would be
his second choice. But there appeared no
gcod reason to believe that was so and
the rrmor was short lived. Mr. Baird
haa the assistance of the usual Camden
ccrnty contingent to help him entertain
and if there is any strength in boastfui
CLAIMS Mr.. Baird is very strong
Mr. Griggs was also present and well
corned to his headquarters all comers
with a warmth and heartiness which
made those VINO remembered him in the
days of his Governorship seriously doubS
their senses. The Passaic candidate did
not have as large a corps of helpers on
hand as he had Monday night. But Col
Sheffield Phelps, State Committeeman
Harry Potter were with him, and tney
made all comers feel at home. Assistant
Postmaster General William NJ Johnson
did yoemans service in the Griggs cause
He out-Tappleyed Mark Tappley, and was
che Of the most hopeful of those in TIE
hotel. He declared that Mr.. Griggs S
chances had greatly improved since Mon
day and to him it was impossible TO see
how he could be defeated. Much better
than those OF Mr.. Dryden were the
Griggs chances, ne declared, and the Pas
sale man would have IA votes on the
first ballot When asked upon what he
based the roseate view he took OF the
situation and where the votes were com
ing from to fulfill his prophecy, the As
s;sfaut Postmaster General declared that
he did not feel at liberty to go INTO parti-'
culdrs; in fact he could not do SO with
OUT betraying condolences.
Another visitor to the Griggs headquar-
ters was Tom Flynn, the Speaker of the
infamous race track Legislature Tom
marched with the Murphy Association OF
Paterson in the inaugural procession on
Tuesday. and it was said that he hal
turned Republican and was working for
Mr.. Griggs selection. To the first part
If This proposition Mr. Flynn did not care
to commit himself, but that ne was help
ing to elect Griggs he did not deny
There was an important acquisition 10
the Dryden forces in the person OF Ma
jor Carl Lentz, the German Kaiser. VINO
mace his first appearance here since the
seat of war was transferred to til Capt.
ta.. He was a most enthusiastic Dryden
man and would not listen to any possiol1-
ity OF the Essex mans defeat. During the
evening the Major went over to the Baird
hcaGauarters and had a long conference
With the Camden leader. Senator Tom
McCarter and his brother Robert wilD
also made his first appearance in tnc
fight. also called on Baird. They sat on
sofa with the Camden leader and laid
down the law to him in an energetic
manner. What the subject of their con-
versation was of course could not be
learned. but the unusual broadness of the
smile on Tom MeCarter's face when he
left the room created the impression that
whatever the subject was it was entirely
satisfactory to the Dryden leader.
The air of confidence which prevaded
the Dryden headquarters wac infectious.
No one could visit the rooms and con-
verse any length of time with the Essex
men without becoming convinced that ne
was in the presence of yictors. In fact
this atmosphere of certainty spread
Through the whole building and when at
midnight most of the headquarters were
practically closed for the night most of
the politicians who were not blinded by
their devotion to particular candidate
were firmly convinced that John F. Dry
den would be the next United States
Senator from New Jersey. This impress
sion was not weakened when during the
discussion of the question of an open
caucus Senator Lee of Atlantic, a pro-
nounced Gardner man declared that if a
secret vote was taken in the caucus a
man would be selected on the first bal
lot.
During the evening there were all
sorts of claims for the various candi-
dates according to the vividnese of the
claimants imaginations. Most of them
were wild and e1ztravagan but some of
them were conservative enough to attract
serious attention A fair estimate was
on the first ballot t:-Dryden, q; Stokes. 12;
Griggs, II; Baird 7; Gardner 6, and Gum
mere s. The first ballot according to this
estimate will wipe out Baird, Gummere
and Gardner and the second ballot would
be Dryden, 25; Stokes, 2s and Griggs, Is.
AFTER that the deluge,'' according to one
of the Baird men, (which the strength of
Gibraltar alone can withstand
There was veiled reference to Mr..
Dryden from the fact that the Strength
of Gibraltar" figures emphatically in the
advertisements of his company, and
meant to convey the idea that he would
be nominated.
There wac much speculation over the
length of the caucus Some predicted
49, rr,o,xId MT heA in caecirr1 Io,1ey q nd