Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-08-26
TIRED at these demonstrations. He had been


three DAYS ON his couch, he said 'And
give you my word I wasn't drunk" says he.
Under any other circumstances he said he
would be at home trying to build up his
weakened constitution. He proceeded
then with rehash of his usual speech. ''It
is well known" he said, that have occa-
sionally taken wee bit of drop" but he
had the efrontery to reiterate
the thoroughly refuted falsehood
that he ''don't drink as much as Bill Rule !"
He would admit there is occasionally re-
spectacle man for Rule, but they were very
few, and every rascal in the country, espe-
cially around Knoxville, was ''hollering
for Rule While he was going
on to relate the record of his
mighty doings' n Congress, the Little
Count" from Campbell, with broad smile
on his countenance, approached him with a
grape vine telegram, which seemed to be
something of great importance, but fell
fiat. Pretty soon colored youth was sent
up and placed in his hand one of the last
clinching letters of Col John B. Brownlow
Another CIRCULAR" said Houk, in plain
tive tone; 'tAnd it's from John Brownlow,"
and then he laid it down and proceeded to
abuse him for while, though said not a
wordas to the charges but proceeded with his
record, and with an obscene anecdote or SO.
Soon, however, he was reminded, covertly,
to pay some attention to the Brownlow cir
cular, and he again took it up reluctantly,
and with long drawn sigh. AS to that
arrest and confinement in the station house
at Washington, June 18th, he said he never
heard of it till he saw it IN that dirty circu-
lar. He declared - before God
that If he was ever arrested and
locked up IN the station house, he
had no earthly recollection of it. He
would tell them that there was but one time
when it might have occurred. That was
when some black hearted, murderous
scoundrel, he didn't know who, entered his
private room and attempted to take his life
by poison, by putting drug in his water
glass. And for ten solid hours he did
not know anything a. all He came near
losing his life, and had his physician work
ing on him for days after he came home to
get the poison out of his system He had
never said anything about it to any one be-
fore, for the reason that he had detectives
after the villainous rascals, and will
catch them if possible. During this
remarkable deliyerance he labored and
painted at fearful rate, almost wept, and
the perspiration rolled off in great streams
He said Rule tells lie about his getting
drunk at Nashville, but he was pretty tight
before he got there, he would acknowledge
that. He reiterated again his charges
against Rule, claiming that he had two men
there to prove it by, but failed to give their
names. He said there are very
few decent men for Rule, but, said he,
there is not a Republican in the district
that is in any way leading and reputable
man opposing me, except those who have
been turned out of Office, or disappointed in
getting Office
Brother Ruble, he said, had started out to
organize the Methodist Church against
him, but they wouldn't do it. Final
ly he turned up and is quoted
by Rule that he (Houk) had said CARTEL Id
would so down in infamy." Ruble, he
said, is riding over this district in the char
acter of a presiding elder disgracing his
church and his calling. He denied that he
ever said or thought that about Garfield,
but said Ruble was in as bad q condition if
he (Houk) did say it as if he didn't. Ru-
ble's only visit to his house was in the char
acter of his preacher, and if he gave forth
a private conversation for political effect he
ought to have his clerical robes stripped off
There, were calls for Hughes at this june
ture, but Houk signalled for them to hold
on, and he wormed in an advertisement for
his Knoxville organ, which he pronounced
the gospel Of political salvation, and the
only paper that will tell the truth He made
a piteouR appeal for the extension of its cir
culation.
He didn't blame the Democratic papers for
lying; they can't do otherwise, he said.
Finally by way of remembrance of his
former ministerial experience, he called up
on all who believed he was going to be elect
ed to rise up and they came up with
whoop, when he retired
A. Nj. Hughes, ir., one of the Washing
ton ofhcehoders, was called up to add his
mite, by giving his testimony in hehalf of
his boss" stating that he felt it to be his
duty. He said he had been with Houk
more and was more intimate with him than
any other Tennesseean; been with him day
and night. He failed however to state
whether he was one of the 10 certificate
makers who was with his boss" on the
memorable 18Th of June, when he was lock-
ed up in cell No. 5, Washington station
house.
Henri R. Gibson reluctantly CD re-
sponded to a call, lust to acknowledge the
honor" but half the crowd was gone before
he got started. He said he proposed to visit
and speak in every county in the district
He was afraid that in the factional fight in
the party the real questions would be neg
lected. He proposed to discuss the great
political questions, and battle with the
ancient enemy, the Democratic party. 1t is
the same party, he said, which the
Union forces antagonized at the outbreak of
the rebellion. He intended to make it warm
for them on every stump and carry the
party to a glorious victory over that ancient
enemy. He was for principles be-
fore men, always, in sending
men to Congress- or elsewhere, and would
rather the most ignorant and degraded and
drunken Republican would cast his vote in
Congress than the most intelligent and de-
cent Democrat. He advised them to go slow
in the war on Rules friends, and said that in
the election they will all come up and vote
for Houk, but what few don't, they can af-
ford to give them pass into the Democrat
ic party.
The chairman announced the following
executive committee: Anderson, DR.. L.
Jones Price; Blount, W. G. Chumlea;
Campbell, FIR. de Tavernier; Jefferson, d.
II. Meek; Knox, W. L. Trent; Loudon,
Joe D. Foute; Morgan, S. F. Scott; Roane,
81. Crumbliss; Scott, J. M. Cordell; Sewer,
W. G. Chandler; Union, 1. G. Dyer.
The convention then, at about $3.50 p. M,
adjourned.
That poor bedridden, invalid wife, sister,