The Washington herald., 1908-06-20
UTICA GOES WILD
AT CHEERFUL NEWS
Bells Ring, Whistles Blow,
and Other Din Let Loose.
PICTURES FLUNG TO BREEZE
Home Town of Vice Presidential
Candidate Takes Holiday Mt Re-
eeipt of News from the Coliseum.
sketch of Mrs sherman and Other
Members of the FamiIy.

Utica, n. Y, June 1s.-This certainly
has been a merry day and night in this
old town. The nomination Of James s
Sherman. Of this city. for the Office OF
Vice President OF the United States by
the Republican national convention has
sent the entire Mohawk Valley into a
state OF Joy that is simply undescribable.
Tonight Sunny Jim's" countenance is
peering forth from thousands of windows
in business houses and private homes;
it is being flashed by stereoptlcons on
sheets set against mercantile buildings.
and is being worn on the lapels Of thou
sands OF citizens.
Flags are huttering from thousands OF
poles, bunting outlines hundreds Of
buildings, pedestrians carry small flags
IN their hands. and even horses and
automobiles, with appropriate decorations,
proclaim the enthusiasm the community
feels at the honor conferred upon Sher-
man.
Starting with the receipt OF the news
OF Sherman's nomination. about 1925 this
afternoon, bedlam broke loose. and IL
has continued almost uninterruptedly
has hand in the local celebration.
Told to Ring the Bell.
A few minutes after the Official news
OF Sherman's nomination was received
here "a messenger boy handed the mayor S
clerk the following telegram:
Chicago, June ls 1908.
To J. PHI, Bsnnisan, City Hall. Utica;
Ring the bell TON WHEELER.
And how the city hall bell did ring.
Tommy Hooks. the custodian, swore in
a company Of the lusty fellows about the
building to man the bell, and backed up
by half dozen other administration Off
cials, climbed TO the belfry and proceeded
TO get busy. Then the hundreds OF whis-
ties in the local manufacturing plants
took up the din. and such a racket as the
community has never before knew was
soo2 In full swing. Within ten minutes
every one who had a telephone within
reach knew that the Republican party
had rendered TO Utican its nomination
OF him as a candidate for Vice President.
Other Towns Aid.
Rome. Little Falls and dozens OF other
communities whOoped up when the news
came. and they are still at IT tonight
The Sherman home, "Fairview. is beau
tfully decorated with flags. cut flowers
&c. the gifts OF admiring friends. and
constant stream Of friends and messenger
boys with telegrams from all parts of the
United States are keeping the members
OF the household busy receiving and an
swerng congratulations Mrs. Sberman's
mother. Mrs Ellen Sheriff. Babcock and
sister. Mrs. l.. b. Moore. received The con-
gratula-ory messages in the absence OF
Mrs sherman, whose Illness prevented
her receiving all of her many friends
Among these kilograms was the following
from Senator Knox:
Pi,tsburg June 49,
sincerely congratulate Congressman sherman ana
yourself upon his nomination.
PHILANDER c. KNOX.
Mrs. James 5 Sherman. when inter
viewed tonight by a reporter al her
beautiful home on Upper Genesee street.
expressed her pleasure at the great honor
conferred upon Mr. Sherman. Mrs. Sher-
man is recovering from four weeks i'll
ness. which prevented her attending tho
Chicago convention. A telegram from Mr..
sherman early this morning conveyed the
good news. and il came almost as a com
pete surprise 10 his family, because daily
kilograms from the convention had led
them to believe that political reasons
would give the nomination to the Mode
West
Biography of Mrs. sherman.
brief biography Of the lady who NAV
q be the second lady Of the land follows.
Mrs. Shermans maiden name was Car
ne Babcock and she was the daughter Of
L. II. Babcock. a lawyer of Utica. y Y
Born in Utica, she received her educa-
ton at the Utica Seminary, later the Bal
hol School. She has two sisters Mrs
J. c. DelOng and Mrs. L. 3. Moore. and
one brother. Mr.. and Mrs. Sherman were
married about twenty-eight years ago
and their married life has been ideal
They have three sons.
MIS-. Sherman's maternal grandfather
was Col. Eliakim Sheriff., OF the l2stb
New York Volunteers. was shot AT Cot
tysburs. July g. in the last charge. while
acting as brigadier general and died the
morning Of July T. A monument to his
memory was unveiled at Gettysburg
twelve years ago.
Mrs, Sherman's maternal grandmother.
Emily Eldredge' was direct descendant
OF Pocahontas.
The Shermans attend the Dutch Re-
formed Church in Utica. but while in
Washington attend the Church of the
Covenant.
Congressman Sherman's elevation IN
the Vice Presidential nomination means |
lively summer in Oneida County poli- |
TICS. The Congressman has held the DO |
sltion for so many years that its aspiring |
pohucians will be very busy from now
on.
one bit OF gossip that went the rounds
Io-hisht concerned Representa- tive Sher-
man early record in matters political /
II develops that Mr.. Sherman was a /
Democrat until along about 1876. when |
aIter going as a delegate from Oneida |
county 10 Democratic State convention
ne renounced Democracy and embraced /
the tenets Of Republicanism.
All OF his brothers are Democrats. and
one brother Richard w. Sherman. con-
eiuaed second term as mayor OF Utica
las. Ia January Richard w. Sherman is one
of the Democratic leaders of iItica