The Indianapolis journal., 1888-07-30
AN INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
How w. H. Mcdaniel, a Democrat, Happened
tn Vote for Harrison.

South Bend Tribune.
Mr.. w. H. Mcdaniel, of New Carlisle, was in
the Tribune office to-day to have his name en-
rolled among the Harrison veterans of 1910, who
intend to vote for young General Harrison next
fall "My first vote" said Mr.. Mcdaniel. "was
cast for William Henry Harrison in Farming
ton, Mo-. in 1910. / was only twenty years old
at the time, and Democrat. In Missouri, at
that time, all males over eighteen years of age
were required to work on the roads. and the
Democrats told me that any man who worked
on the roads had q right to vote. even if he
were under twenty y-Cue years of age"
being Democrat how did you happen to
vote for Harrisonf
1T was just this way. The Democrats ran
things in Pennington to suit themselves. Early
on election morning they rolled two barrels OF
knocked in the heads and driving nails around
the edge hung tin cups on them. This whisky
free to every Democrat every one who
would vote for Van Buren. did not like this
proceeding at all. but something worse followed.
1t was known that delegation OF Harrison men
from Potosi would pass through Pennington
that day on the way to Franklin. carrying a flag
on which was q life-siZe portrait of General Har-
rson. A company of Democrats was organized
and the members took a solemn oath that this
Harrison delegation should never be per-
mitted to pass through Pennington with the
Harrison banner. A DR.. Moore was made cap
tain Of the company, and when the bugle blast
Of the Harrison delegation was heard he
marcneQ DIS company just OUTSIDE tno Town 10
q position where he commanded the road Many
of tho citizens followed the company as specta-
tors and among them q number Of Harrison ad-
herents. DR.. Moore halted the Harrison delega-
tion, which consisted Of only six men on horse
back Moses Elvans was in the lead and carried
the Harrison flag DR.. Moore stepped forward
from his command of seven:y-fve or eighty
men, and presented the written VOW. or
rather resolution. to Elvans. He read It
aud replied that they meant no
harm, and that Wings had as good a right to q
demonstration as Democrats. At this DIR. Moore
jumped forward and grabbed the flagstaff. at
the same time drawing wicked looking bowie
knife. At the same moment Harrison man
from Pennington grabbed the other end of the
staff and attempted to wrest it from Moore.
Moore made q lunge at him with his knife An
other Harrison man warded off the blow, and
for it WAS struck down in his tracks. Then a
blow from gun crushed DR.. Moore's skull. kill
ing him instantly. The fight became general.
and before it ended fourteen men were killed
and twenty-seven wounded.
"Elvans, the man who carried the flag, at the
beginning of the fight, cut it from the staff and
rode for homo as hard as be could. He Was .
famous deer hunter and it was rumored he had
gone for his rife. This proved to be true. Sons
OF his friends followed him and found him with
il. swearing vengeance against Dr. Moore, he
not knowing that the latter had been killed.
The fight made lasting impression on my men,
ory. After it was over / made up my mind that,
though raised Democrat. could never vote for
Van Buren. and so cast my first vote for Harri-
son. OF course shall vote for young Ben. Har-
rison next fall, if live