The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-08-26
A KENTUCKY CHARACTER.
Anecdotes Of IN Old Brigadier Congress

One of the characters in the house j.
Gen. Wolford, of Kentucky. When b.
is at home he wears an old flannel shir
and pants strapped about his waist
When he came here he found he had to
change his costume and put on a ''biled'
shirt and black clothes. At first he wa.
averse to this, but some friends bought
him black suit He has worn it cvel
since, and this is his second term. Bu
he would not dare 90 home dressed as
he is now, for his constituents would
think he had become effcminate. Sew
eral good stories are told of his firs1
campaign, when he took the stump
against Gen. FRY. When he was first
nominated by the democrats for con.
gress Gen. Fry asked him TO unite with
him and make several speeches together.
Wolford accepted the invitation. The
first meeting was enough for Gen. Fry.
Gen. Wolford commanded the 1st Ken.
tucky cavalry in the union army, and
the regiment was known as the ''critter-
backs" He had several of his men on
the platform with him when he made
his speech. He opened most brilliantly,
but suddenly startled Gen. Fry by ask
ing the assemblage if they knew what
the union had done with Gen. Lee after
he surrendered at Appomattox, "Why,
gentlemen-will you believe it?-when
he was out walking under an apple-tree
near the very house where he surrender
ed, they grabbed him. Yes, the men
who had granted him parole seized
him, and, sir, they not only did that,
but they hung Gen. Lee to the very
apple-tree under which he was walkingI
Hung him deadr' Gen. Fry at first was
so surprised he could not speak, but,
jumping to his feet he said, Gen. VOL
ford, you know that is not SO. Gen. Lee
was never hung"
'.But, sir" exclaimed Gen. Wolford.
81 was there, and l know it is SO. Wasn't
it John?" and he turned to one of his
"critterbacks." The man nodded his
head, as did the others who sat near
him. Gen. Fry sank back in his chair
overcome.
This is not ALL" said Gen. Wolford,
turning TO the crowd in front of him.
''The union men locked jeff Davis up in
Fortress Monroe, and one beautiful
moonlight night when the tide was low,
they took him out and tied him to a stake
on the beach. The sea came in gradu-
ally, the waves swept over him, and he
was drowned, and they stood and heard
his cries"
4, This was too much for Gen. Fry.
Again he protested, and said that JEFF
Davis was alive still, but the ''critter-
backs" indorsed Gen. Wolford. and see
ing that his opponent intended to keep
the thing up, Gen. Fry withdrew, and
Gen. Wolford was elected by rousing
majority.
Another story is told OF Gen. Wolford
when he was trying a case in his native
town in Adair county. Kentucky. His
client had been charged with poisoning
someone. The chemist for the state had
testified to finding arsenic in the stom-
ach of the deceased. and then Gen. VOL
ford took the witness in hand.
..Did you find any flies wings in the
stomach?" asked the General.
NO, sir; for did not look for any. /
found arsenic," answered the chemist
Gould you swear that there were no
flies wings in the stomach?" he asked.
No, sir; because did not look for
them.
How did you know they were not
therepn
II don't say they were not"
That's funny. You say you found
arsenic, but no fly wings. Yet you are
not certain as TO their not being there"
said Gen. Woiford. The witness in vain
tried to explain, the lawyer had twisted
the witness up, and SO he addressed the
jury. Gentlemen, demand the acquit-
tai OF nv client. The chemist says he
found arsenic in the stomach of the de-
ceased, but 10 f. wings. Yet every
body knows that when anyone swallows
one or two flies they turn 10 arsenic in
the stomach, yet no fly wings were
found, therefore doubt if there WAS any
arsenic there either" The man was ac-
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