Norwich bulletin., 1909-10-18
POLITICAL SKELETON
 RATIFIED IN NEW YORK.
Record of William M. Wins in an Ai- most Forgotten Campaign Dug Up.


 New York, Oct. 17.-Taken from the graveyard of forgotten campaigns a political skeleton. covered with the dust of twenty three years was rat tied in New York tonight. adding in- tensity to the three cornered struggle for the mayors chair of greater New York between William J. Gaynor, dem ocratic, William R. Hearst, independ- ent. and Otto T. Barnard. republican. The nominees rested today and tonight out the fight centering around Hearst produced new issue of the campaign the political record of William NJ. Twins, Hearst's ardent republican sup porter, albeit his opponent four years ago. This fresh phase came in the form of a statement issued tonight by Henry George, Jr., son and biogra- pher of the famous single-taxer who charges in effect that Wins went to his father in 1886 and offered him inducements to withdraw from the mayoralty race against William R. Grace. As a matter of history, Mir George refused to be sidetracked and entered the contest only to meet de- feat.
 In a formal statement given out last night, Wins, apparently expecting an attack on his alleged connection with the George-Grace campaign, denied that he ever made any offer to Henry George to retire. As opposed to this, Henry George, Jr. says tonight: Tn his prepared statement, publish ed in the newspapers this morning. Mir. William M-~Ivins denies a story that in behalf of Richard Croker he of fered to Henry George, my father, $25 600 to withdraw from the mayoral- ty contest in 1886.
 Tn response to a statement made in the newspapers by Abram $. Hew- itt. relative to the 1888 campaign, my father toward the close of the 1897 campaign, and just few days before his death. issued a statement which, with the attendant circumstances, may be found on pages 1923 of The Life of Henry George by me. The state ment is as follows:
 Before my nomination had for mally taken place Gin 1SS6) l received a request from Mir. William M. Wins. then chamberlain of the city. and a close political friend and representa- tive of Mir. Grace, to privately meet him. did so at Seighortner,s on La fayette place. We sat down in 8 pri- vate room, Unattended, and smoked some cigars together. MT. Wins in- sisted that could nof possibly be elected mayor of New York, no matter how many people might vote for me; that the men who voted knew nOth- ing of the real forces that dominated New York. He said that I could not possibly be counted in. He offered on behalf of Tammany hall and the coun- ty democracy that if I would refuse the nomination for mayor they would run me for congress, select city dis trict in which nomination was equiva- lent to election: that I should be at no expense whatever, but might go to Europe or anywhere I wIlled, and when I came back should receive certificate of election to the house of representatives. I said to him finally: You tell me I cannot possibly get the office. Why, then, if I cannot possi- bly, get the office. do you want me to withdraw ?' His reply was: You can not get elected. but your running will raise hell.' said: You have relieved me of embarrassment. 1 do not want the responsibility and the work of the office of the mayor of New York, but I do want to raise hell. I am decided and will run
 Twins had made no reply to the George statement late tonight but it is expected that he will do so later. As a supporter of Hearst he has been bitterly attacking Gaynor throughout the campaign.
 Twins Reply to George.
 
 issued the following statement late to- night:
 'Ehe quotation which Mir. Henry George, Jr., new makes is, if my recol- lection serves, taken from the gentle mans life of his father. My own mem ory is in no respect faulty with regard to my relations with Henry George. Sr., but that is no issue in the present campaign.
 Tn 1897 I denied that I had ever of- fered Mr. George nomination in be- half of Tammany Hall, and I also de- nied that any such conversation as that here given took place between us; I still deny it. MT. George is dead. and I care to say nothing further of the matter. Even the courts will not per init one to testify to a conversation with parties deceased.
 Tt will be noted that MT. George does not repeat the accusation which was made yesterday. that attempted ka lii f-A