Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-03-11
To Be Buried by First Wife.

10 De buried by Fist VIE
Late in the evening his body was taken
to the home of his son, Frank, 272 West
Seventy-fourth street, and ON Tuesday
neral services will be held in the Pres
byterian church, and Plat will be buried
III the churchyard beside the first Mrs.
Platt. who was his cousin.
A political writer some time ago thus
cited what he considered the three great
events In Platts career.
Alliance with Conkling III hight on
Garfield and their joint resignation from
the Senate.
Fight for the gold standard plank in
the st. Louis platform in 1896.
Forcing the nomination of Roosevelt
for the vice presidency, an act winch
made Roosevelt president.
With his retirement from the Senate
In 1909 Plat completed over half cen
fury of political activity. For nearly
half Of this time he was the undlsputed
boss of the Republican party of New
York state. but he was known as the
"easy boss"
Plat had many storms in his domestic
life. On October II, 1903, he married
Mrs. Julian 7. Janeway. Mrs. Jane
ways first husband was a travelling man
named Snow, from whom she was di-
vorced two years after their maria &C.
Later she married DR.. Theodore Jane
Janeway's death in 1897 Mrs. Janeway
met Plat. Isl.
Illness Cuts Short Yale Career.
Thomas Collier Plat was born in Os-
wego, N Y, July Is, 1888 His cole
giate career at Yale was cut short by i'll
hess, not however, before he had taken
prize in Latin. Believing he was fitted
for literary career, he took 10 writing.
First he wrote poetry-love rhymes, at
IL 7 Ill
never would tell who she was. Then he
had charge of a column of ''Wasps and
Stings' in st. Nicholas, paper that
lived less than year, under the
direction of himself and partner,
From the editors desk the future SEN
ator went to the prescription counter in
the Corner Drug Store" which, with
ture. In the rear was a little room. 1t
was the Sanctum SanctOrum Of the mem
bers of the firm. but chiefly of Platt
1t was the scene of the genesis of the
politician who half a century later be-
rame United States senator and the boss
Of New York
In that little rear room friends per
suaded the young druggist to run for
clerk of Tioga county. Run he did; and
was elected. 1t was the first of the
pnly four political offices Mr.. Plat ever
held. This position he held through
1908, lSOO, anu lSOl-
Between the time of his relinquishing
the Office of county clerk and his nominal
ton to Congress in 1872, Mr.. Platt de-
voted his time to building up his banking
and lumber business. But he was grad
ually becoming stronger in his grasp Of
state politics and politicians, SO that at
the convention deadlock in 1872, when it
seemed impossible to secure the nomina-
ton of congressman from his district, he
was named. He was elected In 1874
he was reelected. Besides having been
q delegate to the Republican national
conventions of 1876, 1880, 1884. 1883,
1892, 1896, he was member of the ma
tional Republican committee.
Goes to Senate in 1881.
Mr.. Plat became chairman of the Re-
publican state committee in 1877, and in
1881 he first took his seat in the United
States Senate. Then came that astound-
Senate, along with Roscoe Conkling, in
1881.
When Platt was first elected United
States senator on January 49, 1881. he
already had come to be regarded as one
of the shrewdest politicians in the state.
he had won certain amount of notori-
ETY. throughout the country for the
speech he made at the Rochester con-
vention, over which he presided in 1873
In which he attacked the administration
of President Hayes, and, with great hot
terness, censured him for his alleged
treachery to the Republican organization
of the state of New York
In 1888 Platt assisted in the nomina-
ton of Harrison, and Morton was nomi
mated for vice president. 1t was decided
to be good politics to nominate Warner
Miller, who had kept alive the old half
breed-stalwart feud, for governor. The
surface politicians cheered and said tbis
mean harmony at last. Platt smiled
grimly. He could see little harmony in
it. Harrison carried New York, Miller
was defeated and in the suuabble over
the federal spoils Platt and Miller were
both worsted and the old feud continued.
There was no one to consult but Platt
in all the state conventions, from 1883
on. The boys" who wanted to nomi-
nate Fassett at Rochester in 1891 dared
not make move until they got the word
from Plat. 1t was Millers turn to
smile grimly. Fassett was nominated.
and the young man from Chemung was
defeated in the half breed strongholds.
Thereafter the ''old man" did not have
to reach out for new alliances They al
ways came to him. He stood the undis-
puted boss" the aggressive, uncompro-
missing Republican that he was when
Conkling called him "a stalwart" He
believed in the principle that to the VIC
tors belong the spoils.