The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-09-01


Marietta Times, copies our Personal
RecoIlectious of A, II. Samson, and
then says:
"Ths man, Samson, came to Ironton, Ohio
whence know nOt,-in December, 1851. was
then foreman in the Spirit Of the Times office.
Ralph Leete, who owned the concern and edited
the newspaper, is known near and far for his
kindly manners and practical good will towards
all sorts OF people, ana espeelally t1os9 VINO are
son went at once, as II by instinct His appear
anCe was that of "a scareCrow, and his ways were
so strange that shrunk from him, as from one
half-crazed. Though we did not need a eompos-
itOr, Mr.. Leete gave him WORKOUT Of pure
pity. The fellow, | suppose, at some time, had
tried TO set types; but he knew as much about
the art as most boys may learn In the first three
months Of his novitiate. did not like to have
Mr.. Leete put to the expense Oftwenty-flve cents
| q thousand tens" for Work not worth bawbee,
| II the bother of correction were considered, and
| So after two or three weeks trial of Mr.. Samson,
| | discharged him. He then went out into the
country, and tried his skill at teaching, but with
| no success. Through the summer OF 1856 he
would once In q while, glide into town, looking
| the impersOnatlon of squalor, and OF whatever
else that dreadful substantive may express or
imply. He went to Mr. Leete always, as though
| he had claim on that gentleman's benevolence
which could not be evaded, denied or ignored.
Samson presently thought that there was an
! opening for lawyer Mt Oak Hill, an inconsid-
|
Just the man TO fill 1t. Full Of this Idea, he laid
| his plans before Mr.. Leete, who, doubtless glad
10 get rid Ofhln, agreed to what he said, and not
only did so, but, that the poor creature might
have fair start, he forthwith took him to q
clothing store, and had him dressed up In new
suit complete, 1.-The first, perhaps, he had worn
for years, Leete gave him few OF the indls-
Samson was now himself again. Very soon, he
became postmaster at Oak Hill, but not through
the official influence supposed by the Standard.
In his own contemplation this heggar was now
the greatest man in that part of the state.
Apparently shy at first, he really possessed q
larger stock of assurance than anybody | have
ever known. At the Cincinnati Convention,
though not q delegate,-and obliged to lodge In
q gnTret on Sausage ROw,-he nevertheless con-
trived to get on the floor with the assembled rep.
resentatives Of his party nay, more,-he edged
his wny up to the platform where the officers
were seated and took his place among them
While distinguished statesmen were debating
Samson stood right at their elbows, in full view
OF the vast crowd, as imperturabe and as self
possessed as Aaron Burr could have been. In
appearance, will say, then corresponded to the
description given by Mr.. MaclSley.
lie was so lmpudent by nature as to be wholly
unconscious Ofimpudence. His faith In himsel
was supreme. Though usually polite to Obso
quiOusness he could be-and when he had thu
power he would bc-insOlent and dictatOrlRl
Deduction must be made from the good nutur'
which the Standard allows him, His tempe
was under perfect control so long rs hopes nnC
expectations were before him; but once wheI
/
J he became rs naughty as u SpantQrd, and, wheI
I his pretensions were disposed Of he falrly dane
cd about the room for rnge.
Samson was good NJ getting IN debt, hut IN
; never paid one per cent. on what he owed. FO
! the law cards published on his account IN tn
\ local newspapers, The the prlnters will have Il
t take Judgment at the Day OF Judgment.
:, He was seriously bent ON the new count.
i project that should hand down his name to dis
! iant days,-thOugh the provisions Of the Stat
D Constitution Of 1881 are such rs to render IN
. creation of single new county oil but impOss
: BILE, no odds what the urgency Of the case ma
y be- He also wished TO make Oak Hill dlstrit
utlng pOst-oliCe, and, on this subject, he did c
y fectu0lly tense the Congressman, Miller, an
u Senator Pugh. In 1857, started the PortSmOut
= Times newspaper The cases were not mirly 81
9 upon the stands, when In walked Samson, wilt
@ a proposal to 90 into partnership. Heoflerod n
: capital, he had none; but he would assist me I'd
2 itOrially, and, by canvassng so widen the circt
. lation ofthe paper that u would soon becom
course declined, hut had 10 be explicit wit
y him before he could be shaken off. The truth
g that, In some ways, he was as visionary as q II
I, matte, and as In the case of greater men, freak
7 less strange than this have been thought "goo
= grounds for absolVing felOns and for settln
y aside Wills. Still, Samson was not insane. IL
. mind was unbalanced "Only this, and nothin
y more" He Ind u Tetentive mOmoFy, and
1 strong Imagination, but hisJudgment was imml
y ture as thai Of "a child. His command Of wore
y was ready enough, but they were not well col
u sorted with Ideas. When he worked on the Spi
II u Qfthc Times, he busted himself when nigl
came ut the writing table, of this took no M
-, ticc, until one afternoon, he showed me af
% manuscript pages of q tale, concerning love an
war, which, he thought would greatly embellis
: the paper. Gancing at II, answered, "the 81,
- ry Is very wOl, but---realy, I've no taste f
} tales" lie appealed to Leete, the senior cdlto
4, but LCeto was oven less apprcclntive than III!
self. | remember that samson looked sadly di
"a appointed lIogarth's Grub Street Poet wore
" vlsage not more rueful, Whether he ever fnis
n ed his novelette,, | cannot say saw no mo
" oft.
a The circumstances under which he dccampe
after living In Lawrence and Jackson countl
" about two years and half were about rs u
, Mdnddrd hns told them. His post-ofiice sureti
!. alone excepted, there was general feeling
relief that he had gone.
y "SomSonriNs," So, then, the greatest bore G
erseen In the region between the Scioto and Mu
l. kingum rVcrS-this pushing, begging, pestiie
Gus scarecrow, did at last leave his name
" the map of Ohio With but a modicum of su,
y sense as day lahoTeIS commonly possess,
D might have caused II to be repeated sever
times over! W, c. n, VI
70 We saw that love story, He sent
By us from Oak Hill TO Jackson, to
l. r. Mathews, who was then publishir
u the Standard. 1t was headed; "For Il
q the Jackson STANDARD" and then can
n the title--we do not remember VIII
II that was, aud then the words, "By
N II. Samson Esq" What Mr. MATHEW
y did with it we do not know. He d
4 not publish it.
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