The Washington herald., 1906-10-20
PICTURED CHANDLER'S FRIEND
Churchill Says He Dealt Gently,
Though, with Ruel Durkee.
Does Not Blame ex-senator for De-
Tending Political Boss Who
Figures in Authors Book.

Winston Churchill, the novelist. his face
overcast with the Dallor Of the studio,
is fighting shy of heated controversy
in which former Senator William Eaton
Chandler is striving to involve him.
AT the New Willard Hotel yesterday the
authors attention was called 10 a long
communication by the former Senator ia
a New Hampshire newspaper. in which
M Chandler takes Mr. Churchill severe
Is TO task for taking the late Ruel Dur
kee. Of the Granite Mountain State, as
the type Of the political boss Iimned with
so much strength in "Coniston. Mr..
Churchilrs latest book. The leading char
aeter OF "Coniston" Is Jethro Bass, and
in his lineaments. as presented by the
pen OF Mr. Churchill. folks down New
Hampshire way think they plainly dis
Germ the character Of the late lamented
Ruel Durkee
Reluctantly Mr. Churchill consented to
discuss with representative OF The Her
aid the sharp issue raised by Mr.. Chan
der. Il nave read that communication
Of Senator Chambers" said the novelist
II have also read other pieces written
10 the papers by Senator Chandler on
l II
well and Ike him. lie lives i'm the past
and IN the future. too" This was said
somewhat in a spirit of apology. as Mr.
/ Churchill continued:
Mr.. Chandler is entirely correct I'm mis-
surmise that I had his old friend. Ruel
Durkee, in mind when 1 wrote about the
character and deeds OF Jethro Bass in
! Coniston' lie is also entirely correct IN
his surmise that the New Hampshire
town OF Croydon becomes 'Couiston' In
my book Why. J distinctly state in my
aiterward in COnston' that il is inevi-
table that many people I'm "a certain New
England State win recognize Jethro Bass
There is no secret about il. l really
didn't picture Ruel Duurkee as bad as ne
was lie WAS perfect type OF the
modern political boss. I made Jeth.O
Bass do many things that Ruel Durkee
did and many things that he did not do
But that does not destroy the strength
OF the character or misrepresent Durkee
As 1 say. ] WAS not AZ hard on RueI
Durkee as I might have been Various
people who knew him well have said that
% me. Even his foster son IN Boston
ar Powell. friend Of mine, has told me-
that ne recognized his foster father in
Jethro Bass
i don't know what Senator Chandler
Is up Go by trying 10 raise a muss over
this matter. I hear that he is an invet-
crate humorist- If that Is so. maybe he
Is trying To- have some fun at my expense
don't blame the Senator for defending
his friend Dur6ec. II he thinks that is
necessary But ] shant defend him, nor
attempt TO shield him. AS J have said,
kuel Dgrkee was a perfect type OF the
political boss-au evolution Of our present
political system. He was such perfect
type that I chose him instead OF some
others l might have handled Senator
Chandler wrote "a eulogy Of him several
years ago-perhaps a short time after
his SeSih. / read that and 7 read many
other things that were written about him.
too. / aS0 talked 10 scores OF people who
knew him well many Of whom had work
ed for him. He was strange bower
mi. dangerous man-dangerCuS. I mean.
90 our institutions. as are all Of his kind. q"