The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-25

had a man with a book arranged in alpha
betIcal order. showing the names and politics
OF the voters of the ward, and il was discov-
cred that the man who offered his vote was a
Democrat. with the note in the remarks
column, No papers He had a white apron
and white cap, the latter made of paper, in
dicating that he was a miller. His dialect
betrayed his German origin. About that
time the Germans, who had generally
voted the Democratic ticket, were beginning
to change to the other side. They had a holy
horror Of the enslavement of human beings,
and did not share the prejudice against the
black race that made the division upon party
lines in this country subservient to the prop
erty interest in African slavery. This voter,
being a German, was regarded with doubt by
both party watchers until it was discovered
by the Republican challenger that the ticket
held by him was a Democratic ticket. The
challenge was Immediately given, and the de-
mand made that the voter produce his papers.
1t turned out that he had no papers, and had
not even declared his intention to become a
citizen. Under the laws of Pennsylvania,
however, it was only necessary to take out
the declaratory paper and prove residence
under the local law of the State to entitle a
foreigner to the right of suffrage. Randall,
who was a shrewd LAWYER. got hold OF the
poor German and carried him away to the
county clerks office, where his first papers
were made out (the fee paid ~bysRandall out
OF the party campaign fund, no doubt, for
Randall had no money in those days of
tariff for revenue only, and coming back
TO the polls with his new fedged voter,
arm in arm, Randall produced the GER
tlflcate declaring intention to become q
citizen, and demanded that the vote of the
poor, bewildered miller, who would gladly
have surrendered his right to vote for life to
be let out of the scrape, be accepted, l think
l never saw anything so quick as the blow
that knocked the miller out of time and Oft
the scene, except it was the terrible rapidity
with which Randall cleared the precinct by
the most astonishing strokes from the
shoulder. He did not escape unhurt for he
got a blow on the nose which must have sew
cred an artery, | thought, from the reeking
red en- his shirt front. But he, and perhaps
a half a dozen followers, had possession of
the polls from that moment, although the
innocent German who was the cause of all
the uproar not only did not get his vote in,
but left the country on the next steamer
under the impression that his life was not
safe here, l, being one of his neighbors, hav-
ing bought his ticket after vainly attempting
to undeceive him. Strangely enough, he
could not be persuaded that Randall's con-
duct was friendly to him, and he left Tor
fatherland in the firm belief that Randall
would make trouble for him even after he
reached Germany"
l said l could not reconcile my knowl-
edge of Mr.. Randall with such a story,
and my friend asked if he had not confused
the wrong man with the incident he had re-
lated.
He did not seem to take offense at this
doubt of his veracity, for, Notwithstanding
knew him so we'll and believed him so thor
oughly, l could not help treading closely
upon the heels of questioning whether his
recollection or my estimate of Randall was
inaccurate, but said laughingly, "Oh, ask
Colonel Mcclure or McMichael, both of
whom are familiar with his early history, al
though they may not remember the incident
| have related, if Sam. Randall was not the
ugliest, most vicious, most quarrelsome, and
withal the most courageous OF political bum
mers in those days when the platform of
Democracy was free whisky and pro-slavery.
Sam. was a hard one, and in all his future po-
litical career he will never be so thoroughly
aud ~fearfully a boss as he was when he hit
from the shoulder. He is a greater man in
tellectually than John Morrissey was, and of
better birth and education, but 1 doubt if
there was a better 'slugger' in his day, or one
OF the smuggling fraternity who took greater
pride in his physical powers"