New-York tribune., 1910-10-04
From Yesterdays "Ereniag Post."I
MURPHYS SKILFUL GRAB
IN MAKING UP STATE TICKET HE
LOOKED OUT FOR TAMMANY.
Selected His Own Candidates for
State Engineer and Controller Be-
cause These Two Offices Are Most
Desirable from Point of View of
Patronage Laughs Now.

How Charles T. Murphy. boss of Tam
many Hall, managed to reserve for Tam
many, as its share of the Democratic state
ticket, the two OfficeS-State Controller
and State Engineer-which control about
30 per cent Of the patronage is the talk
of politicians, big and little, to-day. That
there are widely different opinions as to
the wisdom or political sagacity or that
procedure is fact apparent TO any one
who talks about it first to a Tammany
man and then 10 some Democrat who is
not affiliated with Tammany Hall
Tammany is jubilant over the treat
ment'' its candidates received at the hands
of the men, or man, VINO made up the
ticket Long before the matter of the head
of the ticket was disposed of they were
telling how they expected to see Tammany
land some of the best plumS One Tam
Tany district leader declared that he did
not care who was named for Governor SO
long men who would give the boys
something to fight for were lined up on
the remainder Of the ticket. It was COM
monty thought about the hotels that Tam
many had something up its sleeve" and
the day Of nominal tionS progressed II
ing" whereby the offices which carried
with them the great bulk Of the patronage
were to go TO Tanmany Hall.
Well informed political observers be-
lieved. however. that they saw more than
one reason why BenSel consented to take
the nomination offered him One was Mr..
Bensel's known ambition to go higher in a
political way than he would ever get by
means Of the Board of Water Supply. The
other was that the nomination of Bensel
with record Of handling a big JOB well
would provoke less objection and arouse
less suspicion than would that of a
not so well known, one who would be ex-
pected to take his orders SO far as patron
age was concerned directly from Murphy.
But Murphy, who has known Bensel ever
since he used to be his boss in the Dock
Department. was convinced, so his friends
say. that he could count on Bensel just as
surely as he could on g man who would at
once be recognized as his mere tool.
Sohrer Perennial OfficehoIder.
AS for the candidacy that went 10 Tam
many, that of State Controller there
was less attempt 70 make 1t appear to be
into the middle of the Wigwam. For
William Sohmer, who received the place
Is treasurer of Tammany Hall, and has
been as far back as any one can remember
\ perennial place hunter and off1cehoder.
Ostensibly a real estate dealer. he comes
very near being nothing more nor less than
a professional politician
He has been County Register. County
Clerk and state Senator, and in all of
these places he has had the usual Tam
many record Of servile loyalty to the ma
chine and nothing more. The controller
ship has always been looked upon by the
bosses In both parties as the most useful
for the purpose of patronage Two years
ago the Republican convention allowed the
place on the ticket 10 Barnes. At Roches-
ter IL had been said all along that the
office was 70 60 to Tammany man.
While these two offices can be credited
70 Murphy. with all the discredtt that that
fact carries. nothing more favorable is
being said about the other men the
ticket below Dix. Thomas r Conway.
nominee for Lieutenant Governor. has been
An inveterate place hunter in Democratic
politics until a recent real estate speCua-
ton and new line of legal patronage
of being continually on the lookout for A
job. He was long 4 protege OF Smith
Weed, Democratic boss Of northern New
York. and II was TO Weeds influence that
he owed his nomination for Attorney Cen
ersl on the Democratic ticket in 1898 and
again in 1900.
Later he and Weed broke with the Dem
ocrstc machine over the naming OF the
state ticket in 1909. and. as it was reported
At the time. threw Clinton County 70 the
support of Odell. Subsequently the two
partners sold TO the state A parcel of
Adirondack land for S20A,00 which they
had purchased few years before for
I legislature that this deal was consum-
mated by Governor OdeN in payment for
their support Of him ir 1902. Since that
time Conway has figured in other deals in |
state lands, II is said, and has been con-
uarted with some of the water storage |
schemes which have had for their purpose |
orally been credited with being the per
sonal representative Of Thomas T. Ryan |
and men interested with hun in the north |
ern counties This, al any rate. is the |
talk about political gathering places, and IL |
fs expected that he Will be called upon to |
explain many things before election
day
Kennedy Ward Boss.
Years ago John J. Kennedy, who is I
named for State Treasurer, was a political |
ward boss in the machine OF William r |
Sheehan IN Buffalo. OF late he has been |
allied with "Fingey" Conners's organiza- |
ton. but recently stood up with Fitzpat- |
rick the man who unhorsed Conners from |
tbe place he long occupied He is typi- |
cal ward boss. but he is wealthy. and that |
fact determined the Erie County leaders |
to put him forward for the nomination. IL |
is his only qualification for the place.
Thomas F. Carmody. IL was recognized |
As soon as his name was mentioned for |
the place is merely being paid for the part |
he played as the tool Of Murphy and Con- |
ners when together they carried the state |
convention of April. 1908, roughshod over |
ali opposition The feeling against Car |
mody at that time was so intense that IL /
was determined not TO pay him at once. |
He was told TO wait. His turn came this 1
year, but his action OF two years ago was /
moi forgotten and the opposition TO HIM |
that developed on the convention floor is |
not likely to die out