The Van Buren press., 1874-09-22
SAM HOUSTON.
How He Resigned the Governorship of
Tennessee. Forsook His Beautiful
Wife and joined the Chero.
kse Indians.
Nashville Dispatch to the Chicago Times.l

oS 0dS StOiN VI Sau iiouStOh . ~
signntion of the governorship OF this
state and joining the Cherokee Indians
In Arkansas has never yet been published,
and when heard it few days since
from the lips OF grey haired resident ot
this city, who had been the warm person
al friend Of the hero OF Jan Jacinlo.
made mental note of it for the benefit
OF the Times readers
" You see, said the old gentleman re-
ferrcd to, Houston and were employ.
ed in store together at Kingston, East
Tennessee, when We were boys. That
was about 1912. The next year he en-.
listed as private in the army and
marched off to the Creek war. He was
soon made an ensign, and was the first
to scale the works at the battle OF the
Horseshoe, where he was shot twice in
the right arm.
g He came home and finally got well
and appointed sub agent to the Cherokee
Indians, but he soon got into quarrel
with Calhoun, then secretary OF war; and
was removed. Then he came To Nash
vile in 1918 he began to study law
with Judge Irimhle, and in six months
time was admitted to the bar. AT the
first session of the legislature, after this
he was elected attorney general Of the
state over Francis b. Fogg, who was one
Of the most prominent aad scholarly
lawyers in the state.
"H He was then sent TO congress where
he was warm Jackson man, aud while
there had difficulty with John f irwin,
and when they both came back to Nash.
vile Irwin challenged him, sending his
challenge by noted desperate oi St
Louis, who had killed several men He
was not considered gentleman. and
Houston would not take a challenge
through him. Gen. White heard of this
and made some remarks about Houston,
which led to q duel between Houston and
White, in which White was seriously
wounded.
This added to the popularity ofious.
ton, and he was elected governor of the
state in 1927. He had succeeded Gov
Carroll, who was very popular man,
sni who was spoken of prominently as
candidate for re election Houston was
AFRAID OF him, and in order to secure his
own re election to congress in case Car
rol beat him for governor began to
strengthen himself politically, and in or
der to carry out this scheme married, in
January, 1929, lady belonging to a very
influential family in Gallatin, thirty miles
north of Nashville. She was very
handsome, brilliant young lady, and at
tracted great attention wherever she
went, which exasperated Houston, who
was of moroso, jealous disposition. |
used to see him frequently, and knew
that he had married purely through po
ltical reasons, and soon saw that his do |
inestic life was an unhappy one.
"One Saturday in April met him Al
big barbecue justwest ofthc city, where
he and Carroll both made speeches, |
saw that the feeling Of that crowd was all
in his favor and told him SO, which |
caused him to be in the very best Of spir-
its, and while in that mood we Sc Jarated |
Monday morning l called at the Nash
vile inn, where he and his wife had heea
J. boarding since their marriage, but was
cr ntuscd admittance to his room. per. !
nj th ted. however, AID rws finaf,s admitted
'hor .DssSse'ly. 1 found Houston iei"s
~ :, ~ 81 tfrts<h his face covered up, AMI,
sstk 'Nnswer TO my astonished inquiries,
DR.. Shelby told me that Mrs. llouston's !
father had come down from Galatin for
her the day before, and that she had left !
her husband and returned to the home of
her childhood.
"Said l., General, what's this hear 2"
"Said he, I'm a ruined man I'm a
ruined man.
II told him he owed it to his friends
to give some explanation of his conduct, |
and asked him why he and his wife had
separated, to which he replied that he
hadn't word to say against his wife
that she was o high minded, virtuous
lady.
" He then said that he alone was to
blame; that he had decided to exile him.
self among the Cherokee indians, aud
that he wanted me to carry his resigna
tim as governor to the secretary of state.
This l emphatically refused to do at first,
but at his earnest solicitation and that OF
DR.. Shelby, finally consented.
The next morning Houston, Shelby
and went aboard steamboat, Houston
being disguised SO that no one recoguiz
ed him. We bade him good.by, and he
went down the Cumberland He toLl me
afterwards that he got as far as Napol,
eon, Ark, without being recognized, and
in that case he begged the man to say
nothing about meeting him. He went on
to Fort Smith, where he joined a Chero
kee by the name OF JULY, whom he had
been familiar with while he was agent for
the tribe. lie assumed the Indian dress,
painted his face, and could not be distin
guishei from them
"a few years afterwards he passed
through Nashville with delegation OF
Indians on his way to Washington. l.
recognized him, but wouldn't speak to
him The fact is, his friends here con.
sidered he had disgraced them, and were
disgusted with him. While in Nashville
he went with his delegation and called on
Gen. Jackson at the Hermitage.
'And how did Jackson tcat him p
asked.
~ don't know but suppose he treat
cd him all right. as they bad been great
friends After reaching Washington
know he whipped a member of congress
by the name Of Stansberry for say ing
something dsrespectfnl of Jackson.
After this we heard nothing more Of
Houston until just before the Mexican
war, when we heard that he had gone to
a