Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-09-27
GOVERNOR BLACKBURN.
An Ex-Memphian Tells What he Knows
About the Yellow Fever Hero.
oineinnati c%ommercial speelaI.l

-HSAAOoShi ioihhSiA9 VI 1tnutSaCc, Dut
at present in this city, kept hotel in
Toronto, Canada, during the war. His
hotel was a sort of headquarters for
leading Sontherners during the war,
AT least a great many stopped with
him, as he had been long a resident Of
the South and had very e~xtensiye
range of acquaintance. Among his
guests was DR.. luke P. Blackburn.
Your correspondent asked Mr.. Nc
Keogh if this Blackburn was the
present governor of Kentucky. Ger
rainly,' he replied, 81 knew him
WE'LL
is there any truth in the stories
that he attempted while in Canada to
introduce yellow fever into the North
ern cities and armies"
Not a word. Why, Luke P.
Blackburn is one of the kindest-
hearted men lever knew. He wouldn't
harm a flea"
How do you account for his name
being associated with this matter ?"
We'll, the doctor was a great talker,
and had certain theories about yellow
fever sometimes. When heated with
wine he may have boosted that great
things could be done by starting a vel
low fever panic. But | never heard
him. He was one of the kindest-
hearted men | ever knew. There is
no harm in DR.. Blackburn, but much
good. He has benefited a hundred
people where he never injured one
He is a gentle-hearted man and a
born philanthropist. l have known
him to travel all night to relieve sick
ness and distress, when he knew be
would never get a cent for it,"
You helped hide him, did you not,
when the detectives were after him
in Canadaf'
Yes, indeed; we had him hid out
two or three weeks. Several times |
have hustled him up the second fight
Of stairs when the detectives were
coming up the first flight
Were they Federals?"
"Oh, no; they were Canada people
that were after him.
WAS he frightened"
yes, right smartly, though he is a
brave man. But he was in a strange
country, and he felt at a disadvan-
tage."
Gould he have escaped to Europe?"
"Yes; and it was his own choice
that he did not. After we had kept
him hidden for about three weeks,
waiting for the storm to blow over. we
found it would be useless to try much
longer to keep the officers away from
him, so We told him that we could
smuggle him out of Canada and into a
European vessel, and he could thus
cekway. He did not want to 90 to
Efropc; that he had no acquaintances
there, and that he did have friends in
tie United States and Canada, and
that he would give himself up and
stand his trial, as he was conscious of
MS innocence. W nat he feared was
that the excitement and strong preiu-
dice against him would prevent his
having a fair trial. That is the reason
we kept him out of sight"
Did he have a trial ~
Yes; two of them, | think. The
first one, | think, he was bound over
in the sum of $4,000, and the next
trial he came clear, just as | knew he
would from the first"
Have you known DR.. Blackburn
since the war {"
"Oh, yes l kept hotel in Mem
phis. several years. | was there
through two epidemics, and if ever
there was a hero and philanthropist,
DR.. Blackburn is the man. He came
into the midst Of the epidemic, and
saved hundreds of lives, and would
never take a cent for it. During the
worst Of one of the epidemics, | had
a friend living eight miles out of
Memphis, who took the fever. DR..
Blackburn rode out there in the night
and back to see the man, but would
not take a cent for it. l could never
hear of his charging anything for all
the work he has done during several
epidemics. He gave his money, his
time, and put his life in the balance,
all from love and charity toward the
sick and suffering"
Mr.. McKeogh scouts the idea that
DR.. Blackburn attempted to introduce
yellow fever into the Northern cities
and armies. He says he does not be-
lieve one word of it.
Mr.. McKeogh was for some time
keeper of the House Restaurant after
the Democrats captured that end of
the capitol. He was superseded by
Freund, who in turn was turned out
to put in Chamberlain, the gambler.
1t is said that Joe Blackburn, brother
Of Luke p, warmly championed
Freund's claims, and was largely in
strumental in giving him the House
Restaurant.
When Freund was deposed, and
Chamberlain, the gambler, given the
place, Speaker Randall was very much
annoyed. After the committee had
selected Chamberlain, Randall tried
to have it re~considered, saying, This
will do our party no good" But the
committee having chosen Chamberlain
by six votes out Of eleven, refused to
reconsider, and Chamberlain, the
gambler, remains at the head of the
House Restaurant, and probably will
as long as the Democrats remain in
power.