The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-09-06
THREE REp-HEAnEn RoYs.
The Youthful Days of Justice Harlan, Sen
ntor Vest and Grntz Brown.


In 1913 Or "A there were three very wild
and very red-headed boys living on the same
square in Frankfort Ky, and going to
school TO the same master, Prof. b. b.
Sayre, one of the best educators of the old
regime, and man of marked character and
eccentricities These three red-headed boys
were Geo. g. Vest, John NJ Harlan and b.
Gratz Brown. Brown was known by the
sobriquet Of Reddy Brown. After school
was out, and the darkness Of night had
thrown veil of comparative protection over
the apple orchards of the neighborhood, the
three boys would gather on the front porch
of the Vest mansion and talk They used
to make wishes and resolves, and no resolu-
ton stopped short of the ultimate President
of the United States One of them is now
an associate justice of the Supreme Court,
another United States Senator from Missou-
ri, and the other has been Governor of
Missouri, United States Senator, and in 1872
received the complimentary voteof the dem
ocratic electors for Vice President The three
have met in Louisville frequently since boy
hood, and these reunions were always men,
orable ones, at least to the three. One of
the stories told with particular delight by
Senator Vest at the last meeting was of Pro-
fessor Sayre's school. Sayre was man of
high temper, and when in bad humor was
the cause of terror TO all his pupils One
day when the class was called he was so
plainly out of temper that the lesson was
frightened out of the head of every pupil, as
David Copperfeld "felt whole pages slip
ping away" "Spell mouse !" he called out
to the head Of the class "M-o-u-s-e," was
nimbly passed over Every well-what is
the plural 7" was the next question fired at
the boy with the precision of bullet.
"Mouses w answered the frightened Ind.
Next, " cried the teacher, and every boy in
the line lost his head, and one after another
answered mouses, including Vest, Harlan
and Brown, all very close to the bottom
Mr.. Sayre's rage was complete. Beginning
at the head of the class, he took every boy,
one after another, by the ears and bumped
his head against the WALL and judicial, sem
ntorial and gubernatorial heads echoed as
profound and reverberating thud as any of
the others.
Young Vest graduated from Centre Col
lege, Danyille, in 1913, and returned home
to study medicine. II was during this time
that he wrote Legislative letters to the old
Courier edited by W. II. Haldeman. There
were no regular reports, and such thing as
a newspaper reporter Gas known now had
not taken form. Young Vest wrote some
very eloquent and graceful letters about pol
tiles and measures during one term of the
Legislature His medical studies came to q
sudden termination He was studying with
M old physician who was called upon one
day to perform a surgical operation upon
the leg of patient who had been injured
by n runaway horse Vest was called in to
raold the bowl to catch the flow of blood.
When the frst incision was made ne tainted
dead away at the sight, and was given up Us
nnrromisinq student. He afteywnrd grad.
nated FROM me law depursmena slansJr
ania University, but pewpapep writing had
,tiekled hs fancy, and he went to Ovens
! boro, where he established newspaper.
This was probably the Monitor afterward
edited by Thomas s. Petit. At any rate,
Vest remained in Ownesboro only n few
months. 1t was then so unhealthy that he
lett, and soon moved 10 Missouri. Up to
this time he had never made speech, and
though licensed TO practice, had never been
at the bar. He was going on horseback to
Georgetown, Mo-, where he intended to set
tie, and while riding along early in the
morning overlook crowd of men having
negro in charge, whom they intended to
lynch for horse stealing The future Sena-
tor inquired into the case, and, finding TINT
II was one merely of strong suspicion, asked
permission to make a speech for the ac-
oused. The mob agreed, and, coming to
halt, Mr.. Vest mounted stump and made
IN eloquent appeal for justice and fairness,
urging them to deliver the negro mp to the
COURTS for trial. His appeal had such effect
tiIat aiter some discussion the accused was
marched off to jail instead of the grave and
was subsequently acquitted. - Loaispiik
(Ky.) Commercial.