The Washington herald., 1908-06-12
GOSSIP OF THE CONVENTION.

Frank II. Hitchcock is q man OF nota
bly, few words Moreover. his reticent dis
position has developed 70 & marked degree
since the Taft boom began 10 do things
with the Republican national convention
Any delegate who gets a word" with MT
Hitchcock finds that he gets Just about
that
Frank must have been drinking heav-
ily," said a delegate sadly as Hitchcock
brisk and businesslike, passed by. He is
getting positively loquacious.
"How's that?' inquired the other dele
gate.
"Why. l said 20 him, Hello. Frank,
and he stopped and said. BY George.
am glad to see you. How's Mrs. Brown? -
Senator Charles Dick, or Ohio, blew into
the Auditorium Annex the other morning
his Panama tipped on the back OF his
head. and his face full OF sunshine. This
sunshine was felt TO be all the more cred
liable since the Senator is not a TAFT man
and can find but small comfort in the sit
uation these days.
(which side Of the fence are you on?
asked a reporter with an inQuiring mind.
Where does the fence run2'
/ "On one side are the Taft men," ex-
plained the reporter, luCidly and on the
other side are the allies
All" said the Ohio Senator, crisply.
Count me with the allies.
T. NJ. Blodgett. the Georgia anti-Tafi
delegate whose tongue is said 10 hang
in the middle and work both ways. got
hold Of Senator Dick and expounded at
great length the iniquities OF the steam
roller" now alleged 20 be operating at
the Coliseum.
There's a real Hardship In attending
this convention" protested T. N. Il am
weak with Indignation"
Are you?" said the Senator. sympa-
\ thetlcaIly. We'll, IL isn't pleasant,
admit. We are certainly entitled TO some
consideration"
! Then he turned to the reporters.
They have been too drastic he said
/ sharply. The country will resent such
high-handed procedure"
! Guests at the Great Northern Hotel
were startled this morning by the singing
/ Of some guest whose room was near the
I top Of the big house, and there was a
/ scurrying Of bellmen and porters.
/ II was John p. Malloy, OF Columbus,
Ohio, who will To general secretary Of
the national convention, and who Is
known as the man with the big voice"
Il was just pTaUticing." he said In re-
sponse 10 frenzied calls as 10 what was
the matter from the hotel office, eleven
| floors below. Noise? Is that a noise ?"
i
do you like thIs?" and he sent forth a
veil that was heard on Deatborn street
Marse Henry watterson stopped at the
Annex for the day on his way. he ex-
planned. to Lincoln. Nebr, to 'see Mr..
Bryan"
What do you think Of the situation?"
he was asked.
We'll, he responded. this isn't my
baillwick, but II looks TO me like Taft on
the first ballot at the Coliseum. and Mr..
Bryan on the first ballot at Denver"
And then what?"
It's anybody's fight" he said. Il can't
predict"
rs the panic going to cut much Of
figure7''
II think so, but I cannot tell"
Then he ruthlessly destroyed a genial
Kentucky tradition.
NO. JOHN he said. waving OF an in
vitation to come and have one" 1T
is too early in the morning for me"
II was II o'clock.
Delegate j. NJ. Coombs, Of Florida, who
is also national committeeman from that
State, got real vexed with his eight col
leagues this morning when they set up a
great hue and cry that he was missing
when he disappeared quietly from the
Grand Pacific Hotel. AS a matter OF
fact. he says, ne went straight to the
Coliseum and sat with the national COM
mlttee behind closed doors, and there
was. therefore, no need to call the police
in to look for him.
Just because I didn't tell them where
was going, and accidentally left my
gold-headed cane In my room. they fan
cied I must have wandered on into an
alley and had heart failure" he said.
Their idea OF attending a national con-
ventlon is 20 ride around Lincoln Park
In tallyho automobile and to play pin
ochle all night. A national convention is
real work"
The eight alarmed delegates declared
that Coombs had suffered from the heat
that his heart was weak, and that his
failure even to tell his wife where he
was going raised a natural presumption
that he had been overcome somewhere or
other. Before they got through advertis-
ing for the lost" delegate all the police
stations had been given his description
Then he turned up with dignity, a ma
tional committeeman, In the calm exer-
else Of his duties and prerogatlyes.
Secretary Ralph Easley, Of the National
Civic Federation. came into town on
some mysterious business or other, the
nature OF which he would not dlvulge.
He registered at the Annex.
Bet you're going to draw up the plank
on capital and labor" said a delegate
jocosely, in the rotunda. Come, now.
aren't your
Thanks" retorted Easley. You must
think ! am an artist, sure"
Indeed, we do" cheerfully responded
the delegate.
Well" said Easley, that's neither
here nor there. / am worried about
another matter. I overheard a fellow
say that the hotels had started4fh to-day