The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-05
HE LEAVES HIS OLD PARTY
Once a Democratic Postmaster, Mr.. King
Decides to Vote Against Cleveland.
Details of the Parade and officers of the Meet
ing To- Morrow Night-Bynum Addresses
Very Small and Spiritless Audience.

James King, a harness-maker as No. 256
Massachusetts, avenue, is another lifelong Dem
ocrat who has become Disguised with his party,
and as a consequences deserted its ranks. II
have voted the Democratic ticket since 1866, he
said to a Journal Reporter yesterday, 'but Ii
has had my last vote. Although / was in the
war 1 drifted after ward into the Democratic
party in q peculiar way. When I was mustered
in was not old enough to vote, but when /
came out / cast my first vote in Greeusburg for
Holman, who was then running on the Green
back ticket. 1 voted purely from personal
grounds. Soon afterward, the Democrats, from
some unknown Gauss, offered me the position Of
postmaster at Greensbure. At the time l could
not exactly understand their action, for it was
entirely unsolicited by me. Indeed, it was a
great surprise. but, as / afterwsrd found out, it
was merely q piece of policy. 1 took the posi-
ton, and since that time 1 have stuck to the
party. Bat I have become fully convinced that
it Is no party for me to support if I want my
friends to believe / am an honest man. Its
leaders are q set of men who are absolutely de-
void of principle or honesty. and when / say
that 1 speak from actual acquaintance with
many whom / have known for years."
what are your grounds for changing your
belief2' the reporter asked.
SWELL, let me say first that this 10 not a re-
cent.thing with me-. for / had my eyes opened
in 1885. Although I voted for Cleveland in
1884, l will not do so this year, and / told my
Democratic friends as much three years ago.
My observations have been such as to convince
me that no dependence can be placed in what
The A~nD.-u+ 10 1I~-~-.. T1I--I hn11
papers in my possession which the Democrats
would do almost anything to get, aud they have
confessed il right to my face"
What is the character of those papersp
They are personal letters to mo from some
OF the leading men in the city, making promises
that have never been fulfilled. The story
is not o long one. On Dec. 10, 1884, /
received a letter from William Henderson, invit-
ing me to attend q meeting in his Office the next
night Not thinking anything of il, / went,
ana found it was nothing but q political meet
inc. l was there informed that l had been Sc
lected as q man worthy to be mme for
the position that Captain Fox now holds as
superintendsnt Of the mail bag repairing de-
partment That was the FIRST thing 1 had heard
OF the affair, and, like the post-offce appoint
ment at Greensburg, it was a complete surprise.
But l was handed q written recommendation, In
which q conversation between MIR. Henderson
and e.-Governor Hendricks, then Vice
president, was quoted AS favor.
Ing my appointment. Congressman
Bynum and the gang of tally-sheet forgers were
also mixed up In the communication But to
make a long story short. Notwithstanding the
written promise of Hendricks and others, I was
left entirely alone after that night. l want ii
understood that it was not the fact that l was
not appointed that hurt me, for it was all I'M
asked from my side. But / WAS Disguised at
utter lack of honesty in o man who held the
next highest position at the hands Of the people.
And right to-day, if there is any doubt about
tho authenticity OF their signatures, l can pro.
duce the letters themselves
Has there ever been any attempt to recover
them on the part of the Dsmocrats7'
"Yee, they have sried a hundred times to get
hands on them. They even tried to work .his
scheme on me-. They sent an old shoemaker,
whose name is II. L. Osborne, who rented halt
my shop. He stayed with me six months, and
then II leaked out that he was a Democratic SOY.
/ have since learned that he is q member of the
Knights of the Golden Circle. After that
scheme failed, 1 have been asked time and
again to loan the papers. but that won't work.
i have them, and they will serve their purpose
| in a short time. l think they will expose Hen.
bricks and the rest of the Democratic gang in
i such a light as will make it unpleasant for them
now. / have Fever regretted the time when
| got clear Of them