Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-11


spiracy that had been formed by certain
democrats in certain states to count Hayes
out and Tilden into the White House. He
described the tremendous efforts which he
was personally making to prevent its sue
cess. and Sothern was very much Impress
ed. A few days later he invited Halstead
to meet some friends at dinner at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel. During the course OF the
evening Halstead received several teIe-
grams-two or three from Indiana, three or
four from Oregon, from Florida. South
Carolina and other states, informing him
that new conspiracies had been discovered.
and implorfng him to drop everything else
and come Immediately to that particular
place to give the republican leaders the
benefit OF his counsel.
The great journalist and philosopher read
the first few dispatches without comment
and tucked them away in his pocket, but
the latter ones were so portentious that he
took Mr. Sothern and the other gentlemen
INTO his confidence. read them all the
kilograms he had received and explained
the political complications and dangers In
the several states. Everybody became very
much excited and the fever was at the
highest point when a telegraph boy came
In with the following message:
NEW ORLEANS. November IL. 1915.
hon. F MuRA .rI MALs STE, xo- it,.
The buildozecs have stolen the ballot boxes. New
Orleans will be ankle-deep In blood before morn
WILLIAM PITT KELLOGG.
That dispatch broke up the dinner. Hal
stead said he must leave for New Orleans
by the midnight train from Jersey City and
rushed Off to his room to pack his bag.
While he was buckling the last strap the
perspiration pouring from his classic brow
and his fingers trembling with excitement.
Sothern and his friends came in from the
dinner table to bid him god-speed. Some
body suggested that the dispatches might
not be genuine, whereupop Halstead's alert
mind instantly recalled eothern's reputa-
ton for practical jokes. He took the mes
sages out of his pocket, examined them
carefully and then went down to see the
telegraph operator. He did not leave for
New Orleans that night.
Disappointed Politicians.
And that not the only trouble the
waggish Sothern made for his friend that
campaign: more and worse was yet to
come. The politicians of Pennsylvania
have given all the Presidents annoyance
and anxiety. and Gov. Hayes was not ex-
empt from that sourse Of trouble. Rival
factions contended for a seat In the cab
met with their habitual fierceness and
fought for other official honors. Delega-
lions from Harrisburg. Pittsburg and
Philadelphia were visiting Columbus every
few days and camping on the trail of the
President-elect About ten days before
Gen. Corbin conducted the presidential
party from Columbus to Washington twen-
ty-fve or thirty Pennsylvania politicians,
leaders Of all the several republican fac
tons. received kilograms signed Hal
stead,' telling them that everything was
fixed to their satisfaction. and asking them
to meet him In Columbus on a certain day.
Although the dispatches were identical in
language, every one of them was marked
CONFIDENTIAL and the receivers observed
the injunction. There was not a whisper,
but every man started for Columbus most
of them by circuftous routes to avoid OBJ
servation and arrived there on time. You
can judge of their establishment and chag-
rim to find their arrival that both enc
mics and friends from whom they had kept
the mission secret, were there also: and
explanations. more or less satisfactory, had
to be made.
At 10 o'clock, the hour appointed, allies
and rivals. friends and enemies, appeared
at the office of Gov. Hayes, and were al
most overcome with establishment when he
asked them to what he owed the honor Of
their visit. One after another informed
him that Mr. HalStead had telegraphed
them that the Pennsylvania disputes were
settled and had asked them to be there on
that date. And some of them produced
their kilograms. Gov. Hayes replied that
he had not authorized Mr.. Halstead to
send any such messages and that he was
be able to do for Pennsylvania. So a mys-
titled and indignant party Of politicians
returned to the hotel.
There were no telephones In those days.
but the Pennsylvanians learned from Fred
Mussey. correspondent OF Mr.. Halstead's
paper, that the great and good editor was
quietly engaged at his desk In Cincinnati,
and began to lombard him with kilograms,
more or less peremptory, demanding an
explanation. Mr.. Halstead was as innocent
as he was ignorant. and never suspected a
hoax until several months after. when
Sothern accidentally let the cat out OF the
bag. The Pennsylvanians do not see tho
joke yet