The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-16
ODELL IN A TOWERING RAGE.
DIDN'T LIKE THE CHEERS FOR
PL4TT AND WOODRUFF,
,or the Evidence That Plat Retains the
Hearty and Anecti Onate support OF
the Rank and File Of tho Party-His
Slate Wins by Threats and Coercion.

afternoon in a towering rage. He was ac-
oonnanied by the chief members OF the
Tapeworm Club. The Observation-Disclosures
IL not only the head OF the Republican or
oanization in the State, but he Is boss OF his
marty and boss of the Tapewormers. He has
been very seriously disturbed from the hour
he arrived here last Saturday night. He
was more than disturbed when he left this
beautiful little village this afternoon. His
anger is directed at Senator Plat, Timothy
7, Woodruff, William A. Prendergast and
Assembyman James T. Rogers.
Although for several years he has declared
that Senator Plat was the real leader of the
party and that he was merely assisting
in the manag cement Of party details and that
on all important matters he would consult
Senator Platt, he has not in any way kept
the agreement. From the start he has
been determined to nominate Frank Way
land Higgins for Governor and has known
of Mr.. Platt's Partially for the nomination
OF Timothy l.. Woodruff. The Governor
Chairman and his satellites are very angry
because it was demonstrated throughout
the convention to-day that notwithstand-
ing his power as Governor and as chairman
OF the Republican State committee, Senator
Platt still has the hearty and affectionate
support of the rank and file Of the Republic
can party in the State. Nothing has been
more clearly demonstrated than this, not
only in the preliminary work, but in the
proceedings of the convention to-day.
The Governor-C Chairman, though, by
mere strength and use of patronage and
coercion brought about the nomination
OF Mr. Higgins. The Governor-Chairman's
course has left bad taste in the mouths
. Of all Republicans who believe in the prin-
cples of their party. One of the chief causes
for the Governor Chairman's anger was
the attitude Of Mr.. Woodruff. The Gov
enor- Chairman and his satellites COM
planned bitterly that the Woodruff orators,
Mr. Prendergast and Mr.. Rogers, flung
odum upon him, both as Governor Of the
State and as boss of the party. One OF
Governor Chairman Odell's adherents ex-
pressed the Governor-C hairman's views
as follows:
IF Tim Woodruff was not to have ballot
In the convention why did he permit Prem
dergast and Rogers to make those speeches
in the convention which held the Governor
up to criticism and which exalted Senator
Platt to the skies? To-day's events will
be long remembered"
night, requested Mr.. Woodruff to see to it
that Mr.. Prendergast did not say anything
in his speech which W ould furnish ammu-
milton to the enemy" meaning the Demo-
cratic party. AS matter of fact Mr.. Wood
ruff regarded Senator Platt's injunction
to the letter and Mr.. Prendergast's speech
was toned down in many material respects.
Senator Platt, it was also ascertained,
gave a similar injunction to Col. Dunn
r0pcarpinu the apaach in the convention
to be delivered by Mr.. Rogers, and Mr.
Rogers obeyed most beautifully. He obeyed
by delivering Machavellian speech which
slashed through the ribs Of Governor
Chairman Odell and which exalted Senator
Plat SO that the convention broke into
an uProar OF cheers over 1t.
Senator Plat, It is known, all through
:, the odell episodes Of the last three years
and its fate In the State than the conduct
OF Governor-Chairman Odell. He has sub
ordinated every personal feeling to the
party's welfare, every humiliation heaped
upon him by Observation-Disclosures Odell,
his political son, has been accepted without
a murmur, the Senator being fearful al
ways that friction would cause trouble
in the party. But he stood by Mr.. Wood
ruff>to the last; and Mr.. Woodruff attitude
In not forcing his friends in the convention
to ballot is described as the most mag
unanimous act in the recent life OF Senator
Platt and Of Mr.. Woodruff.
Governor Chairman Odell and his satel-
tes for the last three days have used every
Woodruff's strength. Some of the Wood
ruff delegates from the upper counties
held places under the Odell State govern
ment at Albany. GovernorChairman Odell
leave Mr. Woodruff or something would
happen to them. These measures were
taken with delegates favorable to Wood
tufts nomination in New. York, Queens,
Kings and Suffolk counties. Early this
morning before the convention assembled
many of these delegates crowded into
Mr.. Woodrutf's headquarters and begged
him not to go to ballot.
For Gods sake. Mr. Woodruff" cried
one man to him who holds big State place,
Il want to stand by Plat and by you, but
Governor-Chairman Odell threatens to take
my head of if do
There were many more prayers Of this
kind made to Platt and Woodruff One Of
these men said tonight:
Terrorism has run riot here. The Odell
machine is nothing but a machine which
represents the COHESIVE power OF public
plumber. Within the last few days have
seen the blanched faces of delegates who
are paceholders as they besought Plat and
be counted in the convention. They knew
that if they voted for Woodruff and IL they
stood by Platt they would lose their jobs.
1t will, perhaps, never be known exactly
lON OeleRdteS senator ldtI anu MT.
Woodruff could have commanded in this
convention had ballot been forced. But
in future years. it is predicted. the open
convention promised by Governor Chair
man Odell will be looked back upon as a
political mockery. Scores of stories are told
here tonight Of the coercion practised by
Governor Chairman Odell and his satellites
on the delegates. They all have the same
story-that Odell and the Tapewormers
brutality used the bludgeon OF patronage
over them and compelled them to do his
bidding. The verdict of respectable Re-
publicans, fully acquainted with the pro-
ceedings here, declare it to be the most dis
graceful Republican State convention in the
history Of the party.
In broad contrast TO it is the Republican
State convention which nominated Theo-
dore Roosevelt for Governor over the head
OF Gov, Frank s. Black. Senator Plat
was leader Of the party and did not believe
that Gov. Black. 10 renominated, could be
elected. When the delegates assembled
In this village in 1898 it was found that
many of them we're Gov. Blacks office
holders. He had known for several months
that Senator Plat believed that Col. Roose-
velt would make the strongest candidate
Tor Governor. In fact, Senator Plat so
Informed Gov. Black on several occasions
In manly fashion. This was notably
han h.. -, II. l.,l