Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1879-12-03

By JACOB b. JULIAN
For the Palladium.
The fret newspaper pubitsAed In
Centrevllle, IL not IN the county, WIS
the Western Emporium. started and
conducted by John Scott.
In. che sunmee. of 1877. Sep.imas
Smith and Cyrus Finch bought 1t out
and &C the same tiue purchased the
Public Ledger from - Buxton. who
was then conducting 1t in Richmond.
The two papers being consolidated,
were Issued as one at Centrsville UNDER
the name ofthe Westera Nres IL was
for some time. the only. paper In the
county, and came to be regar ded dur
ing its existence Is one Of the best. II
not the beet. papers In the State. Mr..
Finch, at the time Of the purchase. was
rapidly declining In health. and never
participated actively In its manage
nent. Tue paper was after the death
Of Mr.. Finch, which occurred soon az
ter the purchase, In the exclusive con-
troll of Mr., Smith for short time,
when he took into partnership with
him Andrew Bulla. son OF William
Bulla,. Q well known citizen OF the
county, residing near Richmond whore
he was born.
Septimus Smith was born IN Phila-
delphia, where he WAS brought up.
| Coming West, be settled for q time at
Connersville. where his brother, o. b.
Smith. then lived, and where3he had
already acquired q fac reputation as a
lawyer. Sep" az he was Familiarity
called, married against the wishes Of
| his more aristocratic brother. and was
suffering at bi. hands onst this account
sort OF social ostracism. His change
| Of residence to Oontr eytile was due. no
| doubt, to this circumstance. Sep. In
his new as well a. his old place OF reel
| deaoe, soon became very apopu!a ar. He
| was the peoples fsvo,ite wherever he
/ went. Men who were the admirers OF
the talents OF Oliver H. Smith. who
| were even proud Of him as . citizen.
loved Sep" for hfs good qualities all
/ the more for his brothers unjust treat
ment of him, and lavtshed their friend
ship on him without limit or qualihca-
ton. .E5,., ..ar .2-f 'asa :,
Mr.. Smith was we'll read in general
literature, was ready and fluent
writer. and his editorials, though short,
were we'll prepared, and the suhjects
judiciousiy chosen, He possessed q
nice Decentralization "a to what ought to
60 In the paper and what ought net TO
90 tn. The result was. that while no
one ,wass bored by lengthy editorials. all
| were satisfied and pleased with the
contents of the paper, and 1t becsme
exceedingly popular. He WAS dne
looking fellow, . genial companion, q
faishfui friend, . most devoted husband
and father. He seldom indulgad In
abuse OF people. though. be bad Views
| of his own, and expressed them lear
lessly. From the time Mr.. Bella. who
was a quiet. unassuming. true gentle
man, entered the office as his partner
they were bosom friends. and so Con-
upued during their lives. eTe.f
During the existence of the paper
there was no other one published In the
eoifnty, and 1t WAS the organ OF tbs
zka3eleRaRRie 1hk2u8e sits column.
thetffriende for ONCE, dIsousS6d meal
religious, and educational questions
and solicited place for their poetica
illusions. l~fts+ zs I-r
Joe Andrews, a young gentleman o
poetical turn Of mind residing In Rich
mond, had bored. the editors OF tn,
Times unendurably with his produc
tions. One of them happening to men
| ton It to John Finley, he produced TO
publication In the Times. his Lines t.
Troublesome Poetical Correepon
dent" in which, after reasoning the cas-
| with the poet with much gravity, b,
comes to this ooneolatOrys conclusion
"But if fate forbids you rise ID
To mansions Hens oman,
/ (Nxny, tor, fvn ySklf ut N faor
| Or rub them with an onion"
Il need not say that this settled til,
writer.
Mr.. Smith and. Mr.. Finley we're warn
friends. There was In fact q stroni
resent fance between them. Tn,
Bachelors Hall" was written for tn,
Times, and in fact first cav the iigh
through It's columns. SO With seusra
other poems Of less note. By the way
Bachelors Hall" went over the worle
attributed to Tom Moore. a compli
ment to Mr.. Finley which could not bt
excelled.
AS I have said, the claims o. candi
dates for office were canvsssed through
the Times. Colonel William Steele, ar
old-time gentleman of Salisbury, was
often in the laid for the Lsgislsture
and so vac Henry sHeoveF, and thE
stump baine then an iueeation an
Il
Times The Colonel went for Hoover
with many Wonds, and som t1nes made
point against him. Hoover was not
slow In returning the FIRE. The Colonel
wore a very long and we'll tied queue,
referfing to which Hoover said Sit re-
minded him OF little dog Of his. whose
tail was go curled up on his back that
he could not touch tAe9roand With bis
lhind.feet. And so, 1t was, with the
Colonel. His queue was 30 tightly
tiad 1p behjad as 70 prevent him from
shutting his eyes or closing his mouth
These little ealhes, however, were
good hundred, and led to no, unplsas-
ant consequences. -
Among the many aspiring gentleman
who sought the use OF the coiumns of
i the Times for their own prom otfon Was
| Matthew D. Springer, who Was q
/, standing candid ate for the Legislature
| In 1882 be issued a circular to the peo-
ples etating that II he, was elected. he
would do and have done great num-
| Der of extraordinary things for their
| benefit. The opportunity was thought
| to Assa Goodsone to s0Uelch. Matthew
| out~ some pRetty sharp kAloVs Henry
| Hoover And John Finley were At the
bottom OF IT, prevailed on q worthless
| fellow living In Rieh0ond to annauDce
hiueeA ne candi dste against Spring