The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-03
HENDRICKS, THE SLY ONE.
Stories of His Tricks and Success as a Cheap
Politician.
louisville Courier-Journal.

Louisville Courier-Journal
The coming of Governor Hendricks to this city
revlves some stories about his wonderful suavity.
Perhaps there is no man in the United States
who has figured so long in politics as Governor
Hendricks has who has retained his popularity
so well A well-known official of this CITY, who
holds high Office here, was in indianapolis dur
ing the famous "Blue Jeans Williams cam.
paign. He was talking about the race yester-
day.
Il had some money up, you see, and had big
interest in what was going on l used to see
Hendricks around the committee-room every
day, and took unaccountable dislike to him.
One night there was a big ratifca
ton at indianapolis, and Hendricks made
speech. Everybody went, and Le
created great excitement and enthusiasm by his
effort. After he got through he was going of
the stage, when l met him. / was pretty full
and felt in a bad humor, and thought 1 would
settle it with Hendricks then and there. He
had magnificent pyramid of flowers in his hand
which the ladies of Indianapolis had sent him.
He laid them down when he saw l wanted tc
speak to him.
Tom Hendricks, said I, !'do you know what
| think of you?"
81 hope it is nothing bad" said he, laughingly.
"Well, just think you are blank blanked
fool and amt got as much sense in year old
Joe Mcdonald has in a minute"
"Will you take these flowers as special
favor to me" asked Hendricks sweetly.
I'm be damned if don't" said l, and he
handed me over the flowers ga man who can
talk that way is too smart for me- and you bet
I'm for him."
II was going to Indianapolis one night" said
Main-street drummer yesterday, "when
noticed an intelleetual-faced man Just ahead of
me. We passed some little country town and a
large party of country people got on board,
They were pretty rough-looking citizens. Pres
entity the messenger boy with his basket of fruit
passed along
Il want to buy all the fruit and candy you
have" said the intelligent-looking gentleman.
The boy got his basket and piled up all he had.
be brought it back to the gentleman. He took
the basket and walked through the crowd, hand
ing the fruit out right and left.
Accept it with my compliments" said he
blandly, i may be able to give you more when
am elected Governor of Indiana. My name is
Tom Hendricks"
They love to tell over in Indiana how Hen
bricks used to electioneer when he was first en-
tering into politics. He was probably the best
electloneerer the Hoosier State ever saw. One day
he was going home from New Albany to Indian
apois. 1t was during his first race for the
Senate, and a member of the Legislature
was in the same car He was very bitter against
Hendricks for some reason or other and took no
pains to conceal it, He was going up to the cap
ltol with his wife, who had little baby in her
arms. The baby was crying violently and the
mother seemed unable to soothe it.
Let me have the little fellow" said Hendricks,
walking up and reaching out his arms
The mother handed him the child reluctantly
and he started to dandle it up and down, and did
it SO successfully that the baby stopped crying
and soon fell fast asleep. He carried the child
all the way to indianapolis, and when he left the
crying baby helped to make United States Sen
atOr