The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-01-14
Where are They!

"Every tub must stand upon its own bottom"
is applicable to human as well as 70 wooden tubs.
He who shines by the reflection of another mans
light is doomed to remain in obscurity when that
light is extinguished. This was illustrated in
the case of the late Senator Lane, of this State.
He had host of satellites, who existed in his
favors, and prospered in his success. They had
no will but to follow as he led. Right or wrong,
lie was always right to them. He had only to
command, and they were ever ready to spring to
do his bidding. One fine day, he blew his brains
out; and that pistol shot scattered brains in
every part of the State. We have just been
thinking over the many persons who used to
form Lanes life-guart, and a fearful number of
wreekers appeared before our mental vision.
There was Sid. Clarke, who started in as
Lanes private secretary; afterwards filled vari-
Gus positions in which he could do Lanes work /;
and finally worked himselfint" Congress. When
Lane proved false 10 the Republican party,
Clarke the mistake, and kept ont Of it; and
after Lanes death, he tried to become what
Lane had been, and control the party in Kansas.
The old satellites reyolved around him for n
while; but he soon lost bis grip, and went under;
and to-day he is political hummer, possessing
/ the CDnICenCe OF ldiig" 'ho 10 wv hNHu ~
| skin.
There was SAM, Crawford, Lane, after several
times failing TO get Governor of Kansas who
would allow him to run the State, finally deter
termined to put in man without brains, who
could not think for himself. So he selected
Sam. Crawford; and faithfully did The latter fill
the bill. Lane died, and after Crawfortrs term
as Governor expired, he tried to step into other
high positions, but Invariably failed. To-day he
is a renegade frc4i his party; and recently, when
he walked Ir, and wrote article in favor of
Government inausnratins gigantic scheme of
iutcrpSI improvements to make times easier peo-
pie wondered who that fool was, who wanted to
make times easier by running the country deeper
into debt.
John Spcer fairly existed in Lane, and was al
ways recognized as the confidential month-piece
of the General. He sounded Lanes praises by
day, aud dreamed of him at night. He got fat
Office, and Lane & Co. appropriated the emolu-
ments. When Lane died, Spcer was impoverished
to repay the public funds that the Lane ring had
used. His printing Office sold, his property
was given up, and we have recently heard, that
in his old age, he is about to so into an Office as
a common compositor TO earn living.
S. S. Prouty swore by Lane and prayed to him. |
Soon after Lanes death, he secured lucrative |
office, the proceeds of which he ran through with |
as fast as they came in: and now he is down to |
the bedrock. lie, too, We have heard, is about |
to go on morning paper, as composition.
Chester Thomas was always around when
Lane had any work TO do, and usually managed |
to make it pay. Since Lanes death, he has been
l mere ward hummer, and to-day cannot get a
nomination in County which he formerly ab-
'olutely controlled.
Dan. Adams always came when Lane whistled
got the position of Paymaster in the army by
he influence of Lane in which Office he gathered
Up fortune; with his money started bank,
md for time flourished as one of the Money
Kings of the State. The panic flattened him,
nd to-day he is even without honor in the First
Nard.'
Billy sPriggs used to sneeze when Lane took
au4f aH.l rtrr5 fistrn f1.rr,s>, !
.anc made him State Treasurer, and Sam. Craw-
ord perpetrated the joke of making him a District
udge. The people excused him from the latter
osltion, at the earliest opportunity; and since
hen, he has never been heard of, except as a
py and go-betwGen in political bribery eases.
). ID. Houston always had his mouth open, like s
young robin, to eat dirt for Lane, and always {
managed TO have snug office. After Lanes
cath, he held on like grim fate, but had to sue
lmb, at last; and now he amounts to about as
ueh as a last years birds nest =
And 50 1t goes. They may be found every /
here over the State. Here, in Doniphan Coun- v
:, we have them-men who always carried their S
'int, when Lanes interest was at stake. but /" "
10 could not now be elected Township Trust a
s. They have run their brief course; the pow $
that Kept them up having DEPARTED they .
I'VE sunk down to their natural level, which. r
ith many of them, is far down in the shades n
obscurity. e
LOUISIANA 10 .r ,;.., e