The Portland daily press., 1888-03-19
Foreign Notes.
TOM coRwIN.
An Incident in the Life OF the Great
Orator.

kNhAtdko mdlAsl
Many years ago Ohio had a governor by
the name Of Bibb. At the expiration Of his
term he concluded to leave the State. He
bought farm in Winnebago County, ILL.,.
and not many miles from Rockford. One Of
his family was daughter and a young man
loved and married her. The people where
the wedding occurred believed In extending
their congratulations in their own way, and
this was the eharivari party. Governor Bibb
and his wife objected 10 the Illinois eharivari
He sent message to the leaders that they
must desist, and II they attempted to carry
out their plan somebody would get hurt.
In the midst Of what the Winnebag0 tribe
considered fun, the old man, who had had to
deal with an Ohio Legislature, got his gun.
He took 1t from its place over the doorway,
walked out in the darkness and fired. Two
of the men in the party-estimable citizens,
who liked bit Of fun-fell wounded. and
Governor Bibb was arrested and taken to
Jail.
which indicted the ex-governor Of Ohio, a
man rode into Rockford one evening and tied
his horse to a post He walked over TO the
tavern, talked to the landlord few minutes,
went to his room and to bed. The landlord
walked out and put the guests horse In the
stable. The next morning the guest called
for his horse; was gone all day and came In
at night. The appearance Of a stranger In
place like Rockford at the time was an event
and as this one rode out every day and came
back for nearly two weeks, people piled the
landlord with questions, but he knew moth
ing, not even his guests name.
The day came for the trial of Governor
Bibb, indicted for murder. The character Of
the men murdered and of the man who was
indicted for the crime crowded the little CAP
ital Of Winnebag0 County, and the court
house was jammed. Governor Blbb was
brought in by the sheriff. The court asked
him If he had lawyer. He replied In q
most digniied way that he had not. The
Judge asked. ''Is there no one to defend the
old MANI" The prisoner was standing like
a white pillar In the midst OF people present
He was silent and had the statelinesS OF an
Indian brave. There was another man in
the audience who quickly attracted their at
tentiOn. He was, like them, q pioneer In
manner and dress, but the years had not yet
made any inroad upon his face. lie had not
the acquaintance OF tailor or barber. lie was
slOyenly attired. He walked inside the bar,
threw his old slOueh hat upon the table, and,
strengthening himself to his fullest measure,
he said, Your honor, I'll defend the old
man."
"Who are you? Where do ycu come
from?" asked the Court.
SIN the country that L hail from, your
honor" replied the stranger, whose words
were clear cut, "they call me Tom COrwin."
He was the stranger who had ridden into
town, and had excited the wonder OF the
community. ftt Udu lTdNtiitu All tut way
from Ohio on horseback. He had visited
nearly every house in Winnebago County,
felt the pulse of the people, learned that all
they asked for was justice, and presented
himself as council for the prisoner. When
he told the Judge who he was and what he
was there for, he did IL In manner which
crowded the little town thereafter during the
trial. | am told that when he addressed the
Jury the doors were taken from the hinges OF
the court house and the sash from the win
dows, so that the people withou. could catch
the matchless eloquence OF the man who
hailed from Ohio.
Governor Bibb was acquitted, and in the
scene that followed he said, "All l have is
my farm; take it and when am able l will
CorwIn replied, 'Why, am still In your
debt You took me from the tOwpath In Ohio
and gave me my first opportunity; and when
/ heard you were in trouble, rode out here
one morning the old gray horse which had
brought the stranger TO Rockford was brought
around TO the front door of the tavern. The
landlord brought out pair Of
saddleeags and put them over the saddle.
The street was crowded with people from
town and country. The lawyer who had de-
Tended Governor Bibb came out aud rode
away. The landlord watched as the horse
and rider disappeared in the distance. He
lived to tell the story many day and always
finished 1t with this remark: "He was the
eaSlest-sulted man, and the funniest man,
and took the least kiver to keep MIN warm,
that ever stopped at the tavern"