New-York tribune., 1886-11-07
A VOTER FOR EIGHTY-ONE YEARS.
HIS FIRST BALLOT WAS CAST IN 1905.


HOPING TO VOTE FOR Mr.. BLAINE IN 1Sss-DISAP-
POINTED AT THE DEFEAT or ROOSEVELT.
The oldest voter in NewYorE City lat least nothing
is known OF one who is older cast his ballet Tor
Roosevelt His name is William REYNOLDS he is 90
years and eleven months old, and he lives in the
Eleventh Ward. A L BUNE reporter called him
yesterday and found him depressed in spirit the
defeat OF the young Republican candidate whose
father had been his friend years and years ago. The
old man sat in his straight backed armless chair with
a shawl over his sholiers. A fringe of white hair
encrced his face like the halt beard that Horace
Greedy used to
The face itself was like the face of every extremely
old man-thn the skin stretched tight the bones
blue and red arteries showing plainly through It,
teeth all gone and the lips drawn in the gums
eyes-no the eyes were not those of an old man
They wide awake and saw without the aid OF
glasses both to read and write. Their vivacIty ind
Gated the Lurity OF the old mans life In his left
Mr. Reynolds is deaf. but his right still catches with
out effort the ordinary voice Of the speaker. lie
walks without assistance.
had the pleasant duty on election day." said G. B.
Lawton OF No. 529 West St, friend OF the Reynolds
family " TO escort Mr.. Reynolds TO the polls. He
voted the straight Republican ticket. He has voted
for every Presidential candidate this side OF the
house since his majority When gave him his ballots
tickets. Hs ambition is to live long enough to vote
for Blaine IN So"
To all of this the aged voter NODDED assent Then
he seemed to detect an error somewhere.
VI began voting WHEN | was eighteen" he said
with great seriousness, and | have voted every
wear since except last year Then my friends forgot
me and went to the polls without me. don't remem
Der who was running last year, but wish they had
let vote"
aWhom did you vote for IN 1905, when you
eighteen = asked the reporter.
" Don't kno >" he responded shaking his head
wears All their names | have forgotten. But don't
forget that voted when was eighteen years old"
Mr.. Reynoldss granddaughter here explained that
his wife died last year and was buried election
day She eighty years old. About the same
time the old man, while walking in the back yard,
1ell and broke his left arm Up to that time he had
never known day OF sickness. Notwithstanding his
great axe the fracture gave him little trouble, the
bones knitting quickly, that he was well in three
weeks.
elected, continued the aAd voter remember his
father used work for him ard do business with him
when he kept store down in Nader lane Ha-ha-ha-
he-he- he he-he haven't forgot the turtle dinner
vet. Mr. Roosevelt got the bigges: turtle you ever
saw-weghed over 700 pounds-and had us all at
dinner That a great tIme-and good soup, too.
Ha-ha-ha I'm sony the young wasn't elected
Mr Reynolds came to New ork from Orange County
at the age twent without dollar in his pocket
He was not good TO WORK long shore. carry hod,
wheel truck do any honest labor for living By
and-by enough money was laid aside TO buy horse
and cart and the young man TUNED carman n bust
ness followed until he could retire with comfort
able iucome from property 1t enabled him to buy. 10
this day he collects his own rents, signs his own
receipts and makes his own leases. -
twenty or thirty years ago" he said yesterday l
wrire plain old opy-book hand that any body can
read. used 10 spectacles couldn't see without
em but don't need EN- now.v
- Were YOU in the war y
" Eishteen-twelve Yes Never shall forget those
days, ha-ha-ha-he-he. Why, hear the boys singing
the old camp songs now, while their biscuits are cook
ing on their ramrOls Twas down at Grayesend,
Long leland, you know Mustered it tor three months
Ha-ha ha. Born deaf in my lett and the doctors
gave me certificate You know, 20 | didn't have 10
serve. But did serve. anyhow. a few days. Then
hired IA 5oat-hand 10 take my place at Sl5 a month.
lie answered to my name at rocall Ha-ha he-he-he.
| paid him in advance hey-hey he and he ran
away. So lost 100 acres OF land or 800 in money
the bounty offered recruits. hear the boys sing
ing the Old songs now and saying the old verses But
| can't recOlleet any OF their names. Ihey are all
gone from my mind-oh yes. there's Captain Little
Little-Littleield that's it. | remember Captain
Littlefeld."
It was a curious lapse of memory-1sl2 to 1856.
Events in that time had stamped themselves
upon the old mans mind. All he remembered was
the turtle dinner and what year that eaten he
could not recOllect. The history OF the Revolutionary
war he knows by heart and repeat with dramatic
eject he incidents OF the Battle Yorktown told him
by his father VINO there. Washington the old
mans ideal and his idol No soldier or statesman ever
approached him in greatness, in his eyes. Blaine Is
his candidate TOR 'ss and he hopes live to vote for
him. and he seems vigorous enough 10 do it. VIXEN
the reporter bade hu good bye he halt from his
chair and held out a warm and steady hand.