New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-16
Old Political Skeletons
TrOtted Out at Dinner
for Quigg.
WHITMAN NOT THERE,
BUT GETS PANIED
WigWag Signs for Silence from
Committee Fails 10 Shut
Off Speaker.

The ghost OF Tom Plat, the old state
Republican boss, stalked in the ofing
and the political skeletons OF twenty
years ago ratified bit at an unusual
testimonial dinner" given for Lemuel
Ely Qugg by his old personal and
political friends" az Reisenweber's
last night. a hundred Of Quigg's old
friends foregathered 10 pay him q trlb-
ute. A dozen Republican district lead
ers OF to-day were there, but beyond
that the diners were mostly the lead
ers and fighters with Quigg in the old
days.
Theodore P. Gilman, chairman OF the
dinner committee, and its members ex-
planned that the dinner had absolutely
no political significance, and was not
held in any sense as a "vindicstion" OF
"our honored guest" in the light Of
NJ. Quiggs recent notoriety in tes.i-
flying before the Thompson committee
as counsel and accelerator FOR the
Interborough Rapid Transit.
Governor Whitman was not present.
II was regarding the Governor that Mr..
Gillespie wrote, IN a letter read before
the Thompson committee, that no one
was closer 10 him than Mr.. Qulgg.
Some members Of the dinner commit
tee declared Governor Whitman had
not been invited. George Fentr!cs, sec
rotary of the committee and one OF Mr.
Quigg's old district captains. seemed TO
belle the others denials when he said.
Charles s. Whitman is the son Of
minister. Let Us hope this son OF
minister will not advance further po-
litically. Why is he not here tonight.
Is he ashaued that he was once dis
trict captain Did he not use that
place for his advancement? Mr.. Barnes
was right when he said he made mis-
take IN putting him up
Members of the dinner committee sst
across the room and wlg-wagged with
their heads p g desperate effort 70 smut
of the old-time captain. Some OF them
aftcrward took pains 10 explain that
Mr.. Fctrick had no right 20 say any
thing Of the kind about the Governor,
because he had not been invited.
Fetrick kept going, and ratified some
Of the old political skeletons. lie told
how Mr.. QuigG had personally offered
the nomination for Governor 10 Colo
mel Roosevelt and how the Colonel. after
he was elected. broke all the pre-elec-
ton pledges he had made 20 Mr.. Quigg
and the organization. just as he later
broke The Republican party"
Il was al first intended 20 hold the
dinner behind closed doors. The re-
porters were turned away BY a repre-
tentative Of the committee, who said
that II was a strictly private affair.
The committee later relerted and le.
the reporters in. The members OF the
dinner committee were Theodore j..
Gilman. George Fetrick, Richard SheD-
ard. Charles O. Mass, julius Il. Sey-
mour. J. Van Nechten Oleott and Will
lam j. Smith.
Those at the guest table besides Mr.
Quigg included John q. SAKE, former
counsel to Governor Glynn; Martin
SAKE. State Tax Commissioner; Charles
II. Murray, Mr.. Olcott. Surrogate John
P. Cohalan, William VI. x. Olcott, Ed
ward 3. lie Fetra, Theodore p. Gilman.
Charles " Van Heusen, Robert Z.
Moore and Sheriff Alfred L. Smith.
Primary System Denounced.
Mr.. Mas, who was POSTMASTER. de-
clared that the dinner grew from the
magical circle Of friendship, without
political grievance or chickering's, and
that the old friends Of MIR. Quigg had
got together" 70 pay tribute TO their
"truest. most loyal and red-blooded
friend" He declared that Mr. Quigg
was the most violently abused and
most misunderstood man Of his day
and generation. Mr. Olcott declared
that he was "for the morals Of Lemuel
Elv Quigg. and regretted that the old
conditions did not survive when I'VE
had real leaders and didn't care # the
papers called them bosses" He de-
nounced the primary system and advo-
Gated a return 20 the old convention.
Louis Runkle. an oldtime district
leader. paid a high tribute 10 the guest
Of the evening Joseph Levenson, Re
publican leader Of the I'd Assembly
district. described Mr.. Quigg as the
best county chairman the Republicans
ever had.
The district leader said that the din
rcr had no political significance, that
Nr. Quigg was not looking for Office,
either as Governor or IN any other
Office. To be frank. he said QuigG
couldn't get nomination II he
wanted It. ,
Mr.. Olcott presented 70 tho guest OF
honor a silver watch pitcher from ms
friends. properly inscribed. Nr. Qulgg