Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-05-11
An Interesting Story of the
Career of kittredge.

An Interesting Story of the
Career of Kittredge.
Sioux Falls, S. D., May special:
Alfred B. Kittredge was distinctively
self-made man. He was born March
2S, 1861, in Cheshire county, N. H.
His early education was obtained in the
public school and by private tutor.
When II years of age he entered Yale
university, graduating from that
famous institution in 1882. He
then commenced the study of law in
the Office of Judge Veasey, at Rutland,
VT, afterward studying in the law
office of Bachelor & Faulkner, of the
same place.
The study of law was continued
until 1884, when he entered the Yale
law school, from which he graduated in
the spring of 1885. In June of the
same year he was admitted to the bar
by the supreme court of Connecticut
After reaching this goal he decided to
follow the advice of Horace Greeley
and come west.
He arrived in Sioux Falls in 1885 and
looked about for an opening for the
practice of his profession. During
this time he was uently seen about
the office of the Sioux Falls Daily
Press, then the only leading republican
daily paper of the state, showing a lik-
ing for the newspaper business.
During this time and after opening a
modest little law Office, while awaiting
the appearance of clients, he employed
a portion of his leisure time by acting
as the Sioux Falls correspondent of
the st. Paul Pioneer Press. Suisse
quently he entered co-partnership
with c. H. Winsor, then as now, one of
the leading attorneys of Sioux Falls,
and practiced his profession. The firm
was very successful. The partnership
existed until October, 1895, when Mr..
Winsor removed to New York city,
atterward returning here and remain
ing up to the present time.
Became Active in Politics
Almost from his first appearance in
Sioux Falls, Mr.. Kittredge took an
active interest in politics. R. F. Petit
grew, ex-senator from South Dakota,
was then in the height of his popu
larity with the republicans of the state.
The silent but shrewd young lawyer
soon attracted his attention, and it was
not long before Mr.. Kittredge was
Pettigrew's chief lieutenant When a
county or state convention was to be
manipulated in the interests of Petit
grew and his friends, it was Kittredge
who was sent to set the pins and see
that the wishes of the leader of the
republican party were carried out to
! the letter.
Kittredge occupied the position of
| Pettigrew's chief lieutenant and right
hand man until the spring of 1896,
when the free silver wave swept over
the state and country. Pettigrew and
many of his immediate followers
inaugurated an energetic campaign,
having tor its purpose tbs arraying of
the republican organization of South
Dakota on the side of the free coinage
of silver, Notwithstanding that there
appeared little question that the
approaching national convention at St.
Louis would declare against free silver.
Mr.. Kittredge broke with Pettigrew,
and naturally became the leader of the
anti-Pettigrew and anti-free silver
republicans. Here it might be stated
that as a slight reward for his services
to Pettigrew in the early campaigns,
Kittredge was in 1889 elected to the
state senate, being reelected in 1891.
At the republican national conventions
of 1892 and 1896 he was elected as the
South Dakota member of the repu6-
lican national committee. He finally
resigned this position.
Fight Bitter One
After the break between Pettigrew
and Kittredge, battle OF giants for
control of the delegation from this
(Minnehaha) county to the state con-
vention at Huron, which was called
for the purpose of electing delegates
to represent South Dakota in the
national convention at st. Louis,
ensued. The leaders of both factions
resided here and both made it per-
sonal fight for control of the county.
| At that time Pettigrew was yet very
popular with. the republicans of the
county and state, and a. comparatively
few of his followers at that :time
believed that he contemplated his sub
sequent boiling" Of the St Louis
convention, he was enabled to win an
overwhelming victory. electing all but