The New York Times/1901/08/01/Senator Platt Did Not Dine with Governor Odell
SENATOR PLATT DID NOT DINE WITH GOV. ODELL
One Ate at the Oriental Hotel, the Other at the Manhattan.
Intimated by Politicians that the Governor Was Not Pleased with His Reception.
Gov. Odell was at Manhattan Beach last evening, but he did not dine with Senator Platt. There were surface indications of some friction between the Senator and the Governor.
Gov. Odell, accompanied by his private secretary, James E. Graham, Senators T. E. Ellsworth and F. W. Higgins, Speaker S. Fred Nixon, Assemblymen Jotham P. Allds and Otto Kelsey, reached Weehawken from Middletown at 11:15 o'clock. The party was met there by Dr. A. H. Doty, Health Officer of the Port of New York, and escorted on the Quarantine boat Governor Flower. They inspected the House of Refuge and other buildings at Randall's Island. Then a trip was made to the Quarantine Station, from where the party went to Coney Island, and thence to the Oriental Hotel at Manhattan Beach. Senator Platt was there, and the expectation was that the Gubernatorial party would dine with him. But the Governor had been at the Oriental a very few minutes when Secretary Graham telephoned to the Manhattan Hotel to prepare dinner for six persons.
The Governor and the officials who have been with him on his tour of inspection of Institutions at once went to the Manhattan Hotel and sat at a table on the near the entrance to the theatre. They ate leisurely, and supplemented the meal with coffee and cigars. It was nearly 10 o'clock when they left the table. Senator Platt always retires early.
Soon after Gov. Odell left the Oriental Senator Platt sat down to dinner with his sons, Edward and Harry, and Mrs. E. T. Platt. At a table nearby was Reuben L. Fox, Secretary of the Republican State Committee. When Gov. Odell returned to the Oriental about 10 o'clock Senator Platt had retired. He invited Gov. Odell to his room. The latter said he would not disturb the Senator, but would see him to-day.
Gov. Odell. and his party left Manhattan Beach and went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where quarters had been secured. They will leave Long Island City on a special train at 8 o'clock this morning, going to King's Park, and then to Central Islip, where they will inspect the insane asylums there. The Governor will then return to New York, will see Senator Platt, and will then go to Lake Mohonk to rejoin his family.
Talking with a New York Times reporter, Gov. Odell said:
"We have had a pretty long trip, having been on the road seventeen days. We have traveled nearly 2,000 miles and halve inspected more than forty institutions. I am not going to say anything at this time about the Inspections made. I shall reserve all that for my next message to the Legislature.
"We also inspected the sights at Ray Brook, Clear Lake, and Dannemora which have been suggested for the proposed tuberculosis hospital. No objection was made, as that matter is in the hands of a commission which will report to a board composed of Senator Ellsworth, Speaker Nixon, and myself."
Asked whether he had discussed the Mayoralty question with Senator Platt, the Governor replied:
"I only had a few words with the Senator, and nothing was said about politics. I did expect to see the Senator again after dinner, but when we returned to the Oriental he had retired for the night. He sent word to me to come to his room, but I decided not to disturb him, and will see him to-morrow."
"Have you done anything yet with regard to the appointment of a successor to the late Adjutant General E. M. Hoffman?"
"No," replied Gov. Odell. "nor will I for some time to come."
When Speaker Nixon was asked how it was that Senator Platt and Gov. Odell had not had a conference at the Oriental he said:
"When we reached the hotel there was a bunch of people with the Senator. So we went to the Manhattan Hotel. When we returned to the Oriental the Senator had retired."
Politicians at the beach who noticed the events as they transpired, expressed the opinion that the gubernatorial party did not appreciate the reception accorded to them at the Oriental, and resented it by going to the Manhattan for dinner, and remaining there until such a time that assured them that on the return to the Oriental the Senator would be in bed.