The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-06-04
INGERsOLLL's GREAT FEAR.
A Belief that He viii he shot on the
staEe
THREATENING LETTERS IN EVERY
MAIL FROM ALL PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY -$2O,0OO FOR ONE Lee
TURE-HIS FAMILY AND HIS HOME.

NAIL FROM ALL PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY -$20,0O0 FOR ONE Lee
TURE-HIS FAMILY AND HIS HOME.
A Washington correspondent of the
Philadelphia Record tells this curious
story about Col. Robert G. Ingersoll,
who has attracted SO much attention
in this city lately: rs.
Bob Ingersoll expects to be shot
every time he lectures. He goes on the
stage with fear and trembling, and
with dread that he will not come off
alive. There has been revival Of
Ingersollism during the past month,
and nearly everyone has had some
thing to say about the remarkable
man who is Tan enemy of Garfield
says the spiritual adviser of the adj
ministration. The great mass of the
people have seen IngersOll only on the
stage, and know little if anything of
his domestic life. Before the Cincin-
cinnati Convention he was a promis
ing attorney in Chicago, and made
fair living. The speech he made in
nominating Blaine drew attention To
him. That was the best argument he
ever made in his life, and proved the
turning point in his career. 1t has
been worth thousands of dollars TO
him, and exceeds the fee in any argu-
ment he could have made before a
court of justice. He removed to
Washington, where his peculiar style
and manners We're appreciated by the
mixed population. Strange as 1t may
seem to those who have heard him
pronounce his views on christianity,
and who have been shocked thereby,
there Is no man whose compsny is more
sought after than Is that'of Bob In
gersOll. He has big brown stone
house on Lafayette square, furnished
In lavish style. His hearth-stone is
his altar, and his large family follow
the teachings and precepts of the
father. There are no skeletons in the
family closet. The children would fol-
low their father to the deepest recess
ses of the darkest cavern, SO great Is
their faith in him. He is stickler for
morality, seldom INDUCES in the flow
ing howl and has but one aim In life
TO BE HAPPY.
Ingersoll has been made the appolo-
gist for all the 'isms' and 'schisms' and
schemes of all the cranks In the
country. The grand army of crack
brains look upon him as u leader, and
deluge him with their plans and ideas
until he is compelled to cry enough.
He does not like to lecture, and would,
If he could, refuse the tempting offers |
made him but the large fees and the
talk 1t creates are inducements to
which he yields. He is firm in the
conviction that during one Of his dis
cussions he will be shot at by some |
f,natic on religion. Every lecture he
de ivers he vows will be the last, be-
cause of this dread Of being killed by |
n hidden enemy. / don't know |
whether he fears death, but he says |
IL would not lie fair to the audience to
stop him In the middle Of his dis
course. The daily mail carries 70 him
letters, telling him what
will be- his fate II he blasphcmes In
such and such a town. One of niger
soils tricks Is to station friend In the
who will PROFOUND some
question upon current events, 80 ~ to
allow Of an answer being made out
side of the regular discourse, and thus
excite his hearers. The readiness with
which he responds eXcites admiration.
But this Is all fixed up beforehand.
Ingersoll has turned lobbyist, and his
influence with the present admins
tration is powerful, he being a close
friend both of the President aud Sec
rotary Blaine. He has made so, 200
out Of his lecture on Hell, which, as
he believes there Is no such place, is
making great deal out Of nothing"
IN. Y. Express.