The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-02
WOODRUFF WON'T PRESIDE.
GETS HIS HANDS FREE FOR FIGHT
IN THE STATE CONVENTION.
Hut If Odell VIII Face the Music for His
Sins and Run for Governor There'n I,e
No Fight-But VIII He?-Tale OF Spies
Sent TO Find Out What Voters Think.

| VVht ~ FItu Vut WHbl NOttTb
Governor Chairman Odell announced al
the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday to his
satellites that ex-Lieut -Gov. Timothy L.
Woodruff had declined the invitation to
accept the place Of temporary chairman
OF the Republican State convention, to be
held in Saratoga on Sept. IA. The Gov
ernor-Chairman had no name to suggest
in place of Mr. Woodruff's for temporary
chairman. There was some speculation
as to the advisability of selecting either
Senator Depew. ex-Gov. Frank s. Black,
j. Sloat Fassett or Representative George
N. Southwick Of the Albany district. Sena-
tor Malby Of st. Lawrence county is to be
permanent chairman.
Outwardly the Republican nomination
for Governor has narrowed down to either
Lieut-Gov. Frank Wayland Higgins Of
Clean or ex-Leut. Gov. Woodruff. Mr..
Higgins is not seeking, delegates to bring
about his nomination and Mr.. Woodruff
| emphatically declared yesterday that he
had kept and most certainly would keep
the compact he had made with Senator
Platt and Gov. Odell and that so far as he
could make it, the Republican State con-
vention would be an open one.
| Col. Michael j. Dady, Mr.. Wood
rufus chief associate in the man
| agement of Republican politics in Kings
| county, had a long talk with Governor
Chairman Odell.
particularly interesting bit OF news
was brought down to the Fifth Avenue
Hotel last night by important country Re-
publicans. They said that within the last
two weeks they had stumbled across a
number of Governor Chairman Odell's
agents in the different counties, whose
mission 1t was to ascertain for the Governor
Chairman the drift OF sentiment toward
himself. These Republican up-Staters
went on to say that the Governor Chair
man had sent out these agents for the pur-
pose of ascertaining If it were advisable
for him to accept a denomination for Gov
ernor.
"Of course said an informant, who
said he knew the facts, these agents told
Gov. 0dell yesterday and to-day that the
grand uproar for him and demanded his
denomination. These agents could not tell
Gov Odell anything else. They are in his
employ, paid by him, and some Of them
hold places under the State Government.
which Gov. Odell can take away from
them.
Il don't blanc these fellows for coming !
back and telling the Governor that he il !
the only pebble on the beach," continued |
agents, though their mission and their |
reports to the Governor concerning him |
self, may be considered an interesting chap |
ter in the present situation"
Govemor-Chairman Odclls agents. it |
was also ascertained, in addition to their |
mission to learn II possible il he could win
IL renominated, were also instructed to tell |
all Of the upstate leaders to send unin-
structed delegates to the Republican State
convention at Saratoga. In this respect,
niaan tn hn |
an open one. The same old report, though,
from high sources, that il Odel at the last
moment does not take the nomination him
self he will give it to Frank w. Higgins,
was again circulated.
Mr. Woodruff 8 friends said that inasmuch
as he had kept the compact not to seek
delegates they would keep their eyes open
wide at Saratoga for any attempt on the
body other than Woodruff to break this
but that Woodruff would have
at his back the 1872 delegates from Kings
county as starter Keeping to the letter
Of the compact these 1872 delegates will not
be instructed for Woodruff.
The Woodruff people asserted that, while
they had kept faith and were quite willing
10 leave Mr.. Woodruff in the hands OF the
delegates at Saratoga, they would not for
an instant hesitate to fight and make
fight at that il Governor Chair
nan Odell furtively or secretly flung his
influence to Mr. Higgins or any other Re-
publican.
OF course, it was added, il Mr.. Odell is a
candidate for denomination that is quite
mother matter. The Plattites, the Wood
uffites and Higginsites and all the other
ties" would not oppose Gov. Odell il he gave
wen an lntimation that he desired renomi- !
iation. Then came the question, though,
Chairman Odell attempted
o influence the delegates in his own behalf
would he keep either to the letter or the |
pirit of the compact for an open conven-
ion?
AS a matter of fact, the thoughtful machin-
SITS in the Republican State organization
aid at the Fifth Avenue Hotel last night
hat it was really the duty Of Odell to accept
denomination and not to thrust upon
Higgins or Woodruff or any other Repubh- J
an the sins OF commission and omission !
4 the Odell administrations. In further +,
nee Of this statement these Republicans
aid that the Republican voters of the c
tate are TO hold Higgins or Woodruff or
ny other candidate OF the convention Z
for these Odell administrations
nd that it would be far better il Gov '
'dell faced these voters himself.
DDnnEIVN I,nD HrnnnDT-EI,