The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1882-06-27
A RED-HEADED TRIO.
Justice Harlan. Senator Vest and
Gratz Brown as Boys.
II.ouisrIlle uommercIal.l

tso no "OWFPoPSs aStosNt tu A<oui"
vile. This Is not true, although Mr.
Vest had u quasi connection with the
old Louisville, Courier, and subse.
queutly nursed desperate intention,
Of going into tho newspaper business,
and did actually project himself into
u country weekly; at Owonshoro. in.
lsiy or 80. In 1913 or ~ there
were three very wild and very red.
healed boys living on the same
square in Frankfort, KY, and going
to school 10 the same master. the well
know Prof. Is. B. Say-e, one of the
best educators OF the old regime, and
man OF marked characters and &C.
ceutricities. These three red-headed
boys were George G. Ve.t, John NJ.
Harlan and d. Grstz Brown. Brown
was known by the sonbriquet OF
"licdGy" Brown. After school was
out, aud the darkness Of night had
thrown veil Of comparative protcc.
tion over the apple orchards of the
neighborhood. the three boys would
gather on the front porch OF the Vest
mansion and 1talk.p They used to
make wishes and resolves, aud no
resolution stopped short Of tho ulii.
mate Presidency of the United Ststes
One ot them Is now an Associate
Justice OF the Supreme Court, another
United States Senator, from Mis-.
souri, and the other has been Cover.
nor of Missouri, United States Scna.
tor. and In 1872 received the compli.
msntary vote Of the Democratic elec.
iors for PRECEDENT fg
The three have met In Louisville
frequently since boyhood, and these
reunions werc always memorable
ones, at lcast TO tho three. One OF
the stories told with particular do.
light by Senator Vest at tho last
meoting WAS of Prof. Sayre's school.
Sayre was a man Of high temper. and
when IN bad humor was tho eau 90
of terror to all hrs pupils. One day
when the class was calle,l, he was so
plainly out of temper that the lesson
was frightened out of the head of
every pupil, as David Copperfeld,
would say, they "felt whole pages
siippm2'away."
"Spoll mousc!" he called out 10 the
head OF the class.
"M-o-r,s.c," was nlmbly passed
over.
ivory wcll-wllat Ia the plural? p
was the next question fired at tho boy
with the precision OF bullet.
"Mouscs T. answered the frightened
lad.
..N,xt." cried tho teacher, and
every boy in the line lost his head,
aud one alter another answered
"nonscs" including Vest, Harlan and
Brown, all very close to tho bottom
Mr.. Sayre's rage was complete
Bcginning at tho head Of the class, he
took every boy, one after another, by
the ears aud bumped hi. heal against
the wall, aud judicial, Senatorial aud
Gubernatorial heads cchod as pro
found aud rcverbera;ing thud as
any Of the other.
vEsT AS A REPoRTER.
Young Vest graduated from Center
College, Danville, In 1913. aud 70.
turned home u study medicine. II
was during this time that he wrote
Legislative letters 10 the old Courier,
edited BY Mr.. w. N. HaIdema.i
There wcrc no regular reports, and
a. such thing as y newspaper re.
porter (as known now had not taken
iorm even In tho effeie old journalis.
tic empire Of tile East. Young Vcsl
wrote some very eloquent and grace.
fui letters about politics and measures
dnring one term Of tho Legislature.
IIis medical studies came toa sudden
| terinination. lie was studying with
an old physician who was called upon
one day to perform surgical Oper-
alton upon tho leg ofa patient who
had bcen injured by runaway horse
Vest was called In TO hold the bow
TO catch the flow OF blood. When
the first incision WAS made he tainted
dead away at the sight Of the crimson
fluid, aud was given up ne an unc0m.
promising student, lie afterwards
graduated from tho Law Department
OF Transy vania University, but news.
paper writing had tickIed his fancy
and no went TO 0wonaboro, where he
established a paper. This was prob.
ably the Monitor. afterwards edited
hy Thomas s. Petit. At any rate
Vest remained In Owcnsboro only q
few months. II was then so un.
healthy that he left, aud soon moved
TO Missouri, w u,
vEsT's FIRST SPEECH.
Unto this time he had never made
speech, and though licensed 10 prac
| tice. had meyer been at the bar. liz
was going on horseback TO George
town, Mo-, where he intended to 10
cate, and while riding along early IL
the morning overlook q crowd @
men haxing negro In charge, whom
they intended to lynch for horse
stealing. The future Senator in
| quired into the case, and finding tina
It was one merely Of strong sdspic
ion, asked permission to make
speech for the accused. Tho mol
agreed, and coming toa halt, Yes
mounted q stump and made MI elo
cuent appeal 10 Justice aud fairness
urging them TO deliver the negro uI
| to the courts for trial. Ills appea
had such effect thar after some dis
cussion the accused, was marched OF
10 jail iustead of the grave, and wa
subsequently, acquitted.
MEETING DURING the WAR.
In the civil war, as is well known
Gov. Brown and his boyhood friend
Vest, differed. Vest went into III,
gray ranks, while Brown did nobl'
service for freedom. They did'no
meet until after 1t was all over, ant
then they came together In Louisville
Brown was waiting IN the old Plant
ers' Bank and Vest came in. Their
was some embarrassment, but Yes
walked up, and extending his hand
said heartily. ' til's !.
"(iratz, old fellow, how are you I
4 1First.ra,e, George, how arc your
responded Brown.
| ooh. licked ans wered Vest with
laugh. whipped out. There was onl!
one thing | was afraid Of during tn
lighting. and that was that my boy
would plug this red head OF min
from the rear, thinking IL was Graf
Browns.