Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-07
Hughes Has Not Accepted
Mayoralty Nomination.
FINAL ANSWER MONDAY
WAS NAMED BY LEADERS WITH
OUT HIS CONSENT.
Regarded the Most Desperate Move
Ever Made at Political Conven-
ton-Republican Comment.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, October 7-CbarIes r
Hughes. nominee OF last nights republican
convention for the office of mayor, has not
accepted the nomination and will make no
decision in the matter today
He stated at his home in West End ave
nue. today that he had nothing to add to
the announcement made by him at am.
after two hours conference with the
notification committee from the convention.
That announcement was as follows:
Il have given no encouragement to the
subcommittee. and I am strongly con-
vinced that ought not accept the nomina-
tion will say nothing further until for
NAL notification is given me of the nomina-
don- and this 1 understand will be on
Monday"
Mr.. Hughes, who is counsel to the legis-
lative committee now investigating insur-
ance companies, will spend today consult
ing with his friends. and by Monday he
expects to be in position to give the noti-
hcation committee his final answer.
Managers We're Desperate.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Hughes was
nominated without his consent The pro-
ceedings of the convention last night
showed that the republican managers. made
desperate by their inability to find a can
didate for mayor. determined to nominate
sacrifice for his party
AT O'Clock, the time fixed for calling the
convention to order Mr.. Hughes said. in
answer to question telephoned by re-
porter from the convention hall: II will
not be the candidate. 1 cannot be dragged
into It"
When the county chairman was told what
Mr.. Hughes had said his comment was:
I'VE Will nominate ticket. We won't t
leave here tonight until ticket Is put up"
Ex-Lieut. Gov. Timothy L. Woodruff and
Senator Elsberg. who made the nominating
speeches, were also told what Mr.. Hughes
had said, yet they went with program
prepared late in the afternon. Veteran
politicians say that it was the most des-
perate move ever made at political con-
vention in this city.
Kept Secret Until Last Moment.
Nobody except the managers knew for
certain until Elsberg went on the platform
that Mr.. Hughes was to be nominated. All
information on the subject was refused to
the reporters. Halpin and his associates
were evidently afraid that If Mr.. Hughes
discovered what they intended to do before
they did 1t he would send a message to the
convention which would smash the pro-
gram.
Senator Elsberg displayed great nerve in
making a speech nominating a man who
had positively refused the nomination. but
was what the politicians call gamble"
for he said he hoped" that Mr.. Hughes
would come forward and help the party In
this emergency. That speech was the ef-
fort of Elsbergs life and when he finished
he was limp and exhausted.
Once he tried to relieve the strain by
working of his well-known jokes about re-
porters not writing the truth, but it elicit
ed only a single hollow cackle from q GER
tain delegate who has been unfortunate In
politics because the reporters wrote too
much truth about him.
Intimation From Young.
For mayor. Chas. E. Hughes of Man.
haitian; for controller Richard Young Of
Brooklyn; for president of the board of al
dermen James L. Wells of the Bronx.
Mr.. Young intimated today that he will
probably decline the nomination that was
thrust upon him. Wells is a machine poll
tieian and Will do as he Is told
The nomination of Mr Hughes was made
unanimous. as the delegates did not know
what else to do. The nominations of Mr..
Young as controller and Mr.. Wells for
president of the board of aldermen were
made In brief and perfunctory manner,
and then the delegates and spectators went
out into the night to wonder and think 1t
all ove-.
The local republican leaders today would
not even venture a guess at what Will
happen should Mr.. Hughes refuse to ac-
cept the nomination. They were willing
to admit that the prospect would then
seem almost hopeless of getting any man
of consequence to make the race.
Little Part In Politics.
Mr.. Hughes is a wel-known lawyer. hut
came into public prominence as counsel of
the gas investigation last spring Because
of his work in that case he was retained as
chief counsel by the insurance Investigating
committee. He has never taken any active
part in politics.
Justice Seabury. chairman of the Munic-
ipal Ownership League notification commit
tee has not yet received a letter from Rem
resentatlve w. r. Hearst, who has been
formally notified that he was nominated for
mayor by mass meeting of the league
The decision of Mr.. Hearst as to whether or
not he will accept may be deferred until Mr.
Hughes has decided what he will do with
the republican nomination.
friend of Mr.. Hearst said today that the
cause of Mr.. Hearst's hesitation about ac-
cepting the nomination was the fear that
his extensive newspaper interests would
make II impossible for him to serve IL elect
ed mayor. He said that Mr. Hearst, IL
elected mayor. would want to devote the
greater part Of his time to the work of the
office, and would find ii difficult to do that
and at the same time continue the active
editorship and direction of his nine news
paDers