The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-20
HIGGINSHASWRITTENTOPLATT
JUST TO SAY THAT ODELL IS CON-
PETENT TO RUN THINGS.

Gov. Higgins which demonstrates, according
TO those who have read IT, that Gov. Higgins
Ia Odeil's man with all that the term i'm
plies. Senator Plat declined last night to
give out the letter for publication OF even
to show Il, but a number OF Republicans,
including Senator Derew and eI-Gov.
Frank s. Black, have read the letter.
IT'S the one letter Plat has received
from Higgins, said one Of those who had
read II IN return for the 80 COO letters
Plat sent out In tho last campaign, at lite
darkest period, urging his friends In the
State to support Higgine loyalty and
heartily"
what did the lotter say7
Among other things" was the reply
Gov. Higgins informs Senator Plat that
everything is running smoothly at Albany
and should any trouble arise the chairman
Of the State committee has indicated his
Willingness to return and arrange every
thing amioably.'
Mr.. Odel is chairman Of the Republican
State committee. Senator Plat, however
has Jared much better in receiving this
one letter from Gov. Higgins than eI-Gov.
Black
It was Mr. Higgins who. the day before
he was nominated at Saratoga, walked into
Mr. Bla ck's cottage at Saratoga and. grasp
ing the Troy statesmans hand, said, with
emotion; Governor. am 10 be nominated
for Governor tomorrow, and | owe IL all
to you. II you hadn't gone in with Gov.
Odel for me, | couldn't have been nomi-
anted II I'm elec ted you'll have n friend
in the Executive Chamber, and you know
what that means
Il ought TO-. replied ex-Gov. Black,
1--WE been Governor myself, you know
Gov. Higgins has not consulted either
Mr. Plat or Mr.. Black on anything con-
corning their wings Of the Republican
party in the State; Mr.. Plat has received
one letter. pointing out that Odell is in
charge, and Mr.. Blacks letter files since
election day are void. 40 far as writings
by Gov. Higgins are concerned.
It was learned yesterday that Mr.. Odel
before leaving for Europe, not only or
ganized along with Gov. Higgins, the trium-
vrate OF Senator's Rainey and Malby and
Speaker Nixon to run the machine at Al
bany, but arranged at the same time with
these Republican foroei at Albany TO make
IL possible Speaker Nixon his Mr.. Odells
suooes sor as chairman OF the State COM
not succeed himself as State chairman a
year from next fall because Of his action
in the Dcpew-Blaok Senatorsbip matter,
and his next best step was to have the vCy
for chairman who would defeat the Plau-
Black combination, which was bound to
be organized.
The first step 20 that end, It was said
yesterday is the point blank refusal Of
George W Aldridge Of Monroe county to
Join the Platt-Black combination Mr..
Aldridse. il was learned. declared to Mr.
Black and others at the Hotel Manhattan
on Saturday that re. Aldridge, held the
Lalance OF power and thought he ought
to lie State chairman himself or got rail-
road conuissioneship. and that odell
had promised him the latter. Getting his
long desired place on the railroad Commits
sion. II not this winter certainly ncXt, Mr..
Aldridae would climb into bed with Gov.
Higgins's friends and Mr.. Odeli's friends.
including Timothy l.. Woodruff Of Kings
and the OGcll State committeeman from
New York county and attempt to elect
Mr.. Nixon chairman Of the State COM
mittee.
The mention Of Mr.. Woodruh's name
brought out information Of the highest
importance. not hitherto printed. as to how
ito OdcH- Black coml ination against Platt
was first organized.
1t was on the nigh, Of Lincoln's birthday,
Feb. II, 1904 said one Of the participants
-and it was at tho Repuhlicsn Club dinner
in honor Of Lincoln where William Hamilton
Moody, President Pooacvelt Secretary Of
the Navy at the time spoke. After the
dinner Mr. Odell, William j.. Ward and
Mr.. Woodruff got together and organized
the combination II was pretty late and
ex-Gov Black was in bed at the Hotel
Manhattan We got him out Of bed by
telephone and asked him to come TO the
Republican Club where VIC laid the whole
project before him. Il was go from that
hour. Mr. Plat didn't know anything
about this, but we had a good laugh last
August when we read in the newspapers
Of MIR Woodrufrs visit 20 Mr.. Plat at High
land Mills whero Mr. WoodruT secured
Mr. Platt's unqualified support for tho
nomination for Governor az Saratoga in
the following month.
Mr.. Woodruff believed that having
secured Mr. Platt's support, he could gather
us in, he being with Us IL tho combination
against Platt but The Odoli-Dack pro-
gram only contc mp,ated getting Tim with
us and not nominating him for Governor.
We were for Higgins and we nominated
him. The next funny thing ca me VIII
the Platt United States Senate rship con-
ference took plncc ct the Fifth Avenue
Hotel in DC o. mbS and Tim was appointed
chairman OF the oonfert noe to lay before
Mr.. Odell its ~ sults, Tim being with us
Oden-Back fellows all the time. Now
Tim has got working agreement with
Oden for the New York Mayonlty oon-
vention next fan
Docs Senator Plat now know II wac
asked. of Tins participation with Ward
and OLcl in the original combination st
the Republican Club Feb -. 1907
"Ssrtingly. young man, "a rtingly.'
Another chapter. not hitherto printed, is
that Mr.. Odel not only entered into the
combination to destroy Senator Platt. his
political creator and bcnefaotor. and not
only 'gold-bricked' him but betrayed his
own venerable father, Benjamin B. Ode!l
ST., Of Sewburgh, in the United States
Senatorship nRttcr."
ii w was that"
Nj Ode told us all at the Republican
Club last January said one Of the original
B Lck-Odell combination. that he had just