Stephen Ryan, Chairman of the Chenango County Democratic Committee
Little Napoleon of Chenango County
Utica Saturday Glove, December 1916
Stephen Ryan
1861-1927
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]: Stephen Ryan familiarly styled the "Little Napoleon" in Chenango county politics, has been very much in the local news headlines during the past week. Mr. Ryan is the chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and also aspires to become the party member of the Board of Election Commissioners. He secured the endorsement of the county committee and as chairman signed a letter in his own behalf recommending his appointment by the County Board of Supervisors, which has the appointive power.
The matter came up before the Board of Supervisors Monday afternoon when upon the recommendation of James S. Flanagan, chairman of the Republican county Committee, the reappointment of Archie D. Gibbs as their party election commissioner was made and confirmed, but the recommendation of the Democratic committee to appoint Mr. Ryan was turned down by a practically unanimous vote of the board.
In commenting on the situation, the Norwich Sun stated that the "Little Napoleon" wanted a plum for himself and the office of election commissioner was the only available one; that the members of the Democratic committee held their noses while they administered the anesthetic preparatory to the decapitation of the present election commissioner, William Hayden, etc., etc.
Now Mr. Hayden comes to the rescue of Mr. Ryan in a letter to the Board of Supervisors in which he says that no anesthetic was applied or decapitation necessary; that he is for Mr. Ryan and has favored his appointment for some time. That he stated at the meeting of the county committee on Saturday that under no consideration would he become a candidate against him. He has given the supervisors to understand that he does not approve of their action, though under it he would become a holdover in the office. His letter takes him beyond consideration as a candidate and leaves the situation like this.
The Democratic County Committee has power to recommend a candidate to the Board of Supervisors. The committee has recommended Mr. Ryan. Mr. Ryan has been rejected by the Board, who will recommend somebody else or who will be appointed election commissioner is one of the interesting questions of the hour.
Thirty-one out of the 40 Democratic county committeemen of Chenango county were in attendance at the county committee meeting in the Eagle hotel this afternoon. The meeting was called for the purpose of nominating a Democratic election commissioner, the board of supervisors having unanimously turned down the previous designation of Stephen "Napoleon" Ryan for that important election office.
Since that action of the board of supervisors, several candidates for the office sprung up within the county. Harry B. Smith of this city, Carol Reed of Smithville, Edward O'Connor of Sherburne and William Hayden, Sr., of McDonough who at the time of Ryan's cold turn-down said he wanted Mr. Ryan to have the office.
Each candidate mustered his roll of committee friends and although but short notice was served, the telephone wires were warm enough to bring almost a full committee together when "Boss" Ryan called the meeting to order. Just what transpired within the committee room at the Eagle is not given to Republicans at this moment to know, but the meeting must have been more interesting than that speech-bound meeting of a month ago for it was in session nearly an hour and a half before the committee men left announcing that once more harmony prevails in Chenango Democracy and that William Hayden, the present incumbent, is the party's choice for partisan election commissioner.
The obituary of Stephen Ryan was posted to this blog on February 27, 2016.
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Hayden Indorsed by Democratic Committee
Norwich Sun, December 20, 1916
Thirty-one out of the 40 Democratic county committeemen of Chenango county were in attendance at the county committee meeting in the Eagle hotel this afternoon. The meeting was called for the purpose of nominating a Democratic election commissioner, the board of supervisors having unanimously turned down the previous designation of Stephen "Napoleon" Ryan for that important election office.
Since that action of the board of supervisors, several candidates for the office sprung up within the county. Harry B. Smith of this city, Carol Reed of Smithville, Edward O'Connor of Sherburne and William Hayden, Sr., of McDonough who at the time of Ryan's cold turn-down said he wanted Mr. Ryan to have the office.
Each candidate mustered his roll of committee friends and although but short notice was served, the telephone wires were warm enough to bring almost a full committee together when "Boss" Ryan called the meeting to order. Just what transpired within the committee room at the Eagle is not given to Republicans at this moment to know, but the meeting must have been more interesting than that speech-bound meeting of a month ago for it was in session nearly an hour and a half before the committee men left announcing that once more harmony prevails in Chenango Democracy and that William Hayden, the present incumbent, is the party's choice for partisan election commissioner.
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The obituary of Stephen Ryan was posted to this blog on February 27, 2016.
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