Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-27
COLBY APPROACHED
TO QUIT CAMPAIGN
Told if He'd Step Down Now
He'd Be Taken Care OF
Next Election.

Just to prove what a warm cam
paign there Is to be waged during
the three-cornered fight for governor
of New Jersey this fall, a story has
leaked out today of how an attempt
was made to buy off a candidate.
But the villain was foiled.
Former State Senator Everett Col
by, Progressive candidate for gov
ernor, was chosen for the victim of
the dire plot. On Thursday afternoon
the candidate was about to leave his
office in the Essex building when he
nearly collided with stranger in
the private hall. The stranger was a
well-dressed. refined-looking man,
wearing a Stokes button on his coat.
He. the villain. was about six feet
tall, and his eyes shifted uneasily
about the office as he button-holed
the prospective governor.
Mr.. Colby did not take kindly to
this reception, but he inquired pleas
antly:
What can 1 do for you, sir?''
Instead of answering, the stranger
gripped the lapels of the candidates
coat even tighter and his side glances
were even shiftier. He was asking
the unspoken question, Are we
alone?"
Mr.. Colby answered in the regular
manner:
go ahead; speak up. Tell me
what I can do for you. There Is no
reason why anyone here should not
hear what you have to say"
With this assurance the stranger
exposed the plot.
"If you will step down in this cam
paign-understand, let Stokes have
the field to himself-we will stand by
you three years from now and make
you governor"
The candidate could harly believe
his ears.
do you mean that7" inquired
Colby, but his voice was far from the
tone of one who was eager to assent
to the plan.
IT certainly do" answered the
stranger. you lie down In this cam
paign and let Stokes win, and we
will take good care of you the next
time a governor is up for election"
Then the jesting ceased as far as
Colby was concerned He turned
ashen pale with anger. Pointing to
| the door, he demanded:
Get out of here as quickly as you
can, unless you want a little assist
| ance. Get back to where you came
| from! Do you think would do such
a thing after accepting the nomina-
| ton the people gave me? Get out!''
| The suave stranger saw that all
chances of making a bargain were
null and void. He departed. The
Colby men have been trying to learn
who the stranger Is and who sent
| him to make such a dastardly propo-
sition. Also the Stokes men have
their opinions about the matter.
| The latter say that either the man
was bug" or an enemy to the re-
cuperating Republican party. They
think it a joke to even suggest that
! the stranger was deputiZed by
Stokes's campaign managers to make
such an offer.
| Next Tuesday the Progressive state
committee will meet in Treton, name
| their chairman, announce the Pro-
gressive platform and start the ball
| rolling.
Mr.. Colby announced that bright
and early on Wednesday morning the
Colby Flying Squadron" will be
started in one of the most vigorous
campaigns ever waged in New Jer-
sey. Already suite Of offices have
been rented on the fourth floor Of the
Essex building gand labelled Colby
Publicity Bureau" Axel VT. Beeken
has been appointed manager Of the
Colby campaign. He has several as
sistants and a corps of stenographers.
! w lcu Inc SOlby fiyluS foQuduTOn
makes it's speedy start from Military
Park next Wednesday morning at 9
o'clock, the squadron will be COM
posed of four automobiles full of
ammunition. The first car will con-
tain Mr.. Colby and the Progressive
leaders Of Morris county, which will
be the first point of attack by the
| Progressives. The next car will be
for the accommodation Of the news
paper correspondents, the third car
will contain a fife and drum corps.
and the last car load of campaign
literature, buttons and other material.
This equipment will be brought or
flown" around the State during the
campaign. At the various points the
squadron will be met by the mos
quito fleets" those smaller attacking
parties.
I'VE will start working early the
morning after the State convention
in Trenton" said Mr.. Colby. "and
will continue every weekday until
the campaign is closed. We will
treat New Jersey to one of the most
progressive and systematic political
campaigns ever seen here. And we
expect to carry everything before us
New Jersey Is overwhelmingly Pro-
gressive and we will prove it on
election day. United States Senators
Clapp and Cummins, former United
States Senator Albert S. Beveridge
and former Governor Stubs, of Kan
sas, will be among the nationally
prominent Progressives who will be
here to give their assistance. We will
win