Evening journal., 1888-07-31
HOLMAN AT HOME.
The Man Who Won the Title of the
Great Director Among His Neighbors.
Especial Correspondence

hutle business town OF Dearborn county in
southeastern Indiana. Its residents call it a
city, and it has mayor and all the requisite
adjuncts of municipal government Over
| looking this little city from the west rises
hill which long ago was given the name
"Vae Iestan"-"the homo of man, On its
summit is tho home of Hon. William S. Hol-
man, of whom the country has heard but lit
tie Of late. Mr.. Holman has lived there all
his life, having been born a short
| quarter Of a mile from the site of his
present residence, which is an old fash
toned, comfortable and home like place
two stories high, with verandas in front.
| giving wide sweeping panorama of the
Ohio valley. The view looking up the
river can SEQ the Great Miami, across the
river his eyes look over the beautiful hills Of
Kentucky, and northward and westward in
Indiana he sees the most charming prospect
in hills and valleys with interlacing little
water courses like threads OF silver weaving
in the green Of wood and field. This old
fashioned residence is about GOO feet above
the Ohio, but is not always observable from
Aurora on account Of the trees.
Judge Holman lives plainly but with open
handed hospitality. He is thoroughly demo
cratic in his manners and knows more men
in his congressional district than any man
who has ever lived in it. He is agreeablv
chatty end pleasantly informal with every
one, and has an especially strong grip on the
young men. lie has a charming way OF slip
ing his hand under ones arm while walking
and in conversation, and does it so easily
that even to the new acquaintance it seems
the most natural thing in the world for the
great objector to do. In his social relations
he makes no distinction between men Of re-
spectability, whether they be rich or poor.
When he gets back TO Aurora after an alb
sence In Washington and steps upon the
street all men, women and children are
ready to shake hands with him. He knows
everybody and seems TO have personal in
terest in everybolys family affairs, asking
after every one down to the smallest chill
dren. A large part Of the young male popu-
loton OF the district have been named after
him by admiring fathers. In Aurora Judge
Holman drops in anywhere the saddler
shop, drug store, bakery or grocery where
the gossips most frequent, and there listens
with the keenest zest to the annals OF the
neighborhood. By this means he is thor
oughly conversant with what is going on for
miles around, and he has time and again sur
prised bis friends as web as his political i'd
yersaiies by bis intimate knowledge Of local
incidents.
he q a man Of wonderful individual ef-
fort in his political movements, relying
largely upon his knowledge Of men and his
ability to gain their favor. Never on any
occasion has he been known to fail to recog-
nize a man whom he has seen before, or to be
able to cab up in conversation with him
some incident or circumstance attending
their former meeting. His memory Of names
| and faces is a continual surprise even to
those most intimate with him. He never
sights the Republicans Of his district, and
during his numerous canvasses has managed
to eat n meal or stay all night with every one
Of them. In the town of Aurora, through
all his career, he has been able to retain I'M
interruptedly the support of from 100 to $50
positive Republicans, who vote for him UNI
der any and all circumstances
lie IS exceedingly generous to the poor and
! needy, giving sometimes to those who, from
old acquaintanceship, he thinks have a closer
hold upon him much beyond what he should
as his means are limited. He has really lost
money by being in public Office, as he would
| have made money in his profession as a
lawyer. AS an attorney at law, he is con
sidered the best trial lawyer in southeastern
Indiana, and really without superior in the
state. In religion he IS a Baptist, his father
! before him, Jesse l.. Holman, having been a
/ Baptist preacher and man of great force Of
character While Baptist preacher he was
made judge Of the supreme court Of Indi-
ana; Later he was appointed by President
jackson judge Of the United States district
court for Indiana, and died while holding
thet office. -
When at home on his little hill farm of
forty acres Judge Holman devotes most Of
bis time to horticulture, in which he is a
| great enthusiast, priding himself upon his
| grapes and fruits, and no praise can reach
him quite as effectively as to extol the quail
ity Of these products. 1t is a little farm, but
BY it's owner it is looked upon as a slice right
out Of the ccnter Of Eden, and no amount OF
money could buy it.
Judge Holnaan's career affords great fund
OF anecdotes for his political associates, but
none Gro ever told that do not carry with
them q feeling of good fellowship During q
canvass some years ago the judge was riding
bv Che premises Of a poor tenant farmer on
I
speak. The farmer was in the yard, doctor
ing & sick COW. The judge offered his assist
ance, and between the two the COW died
AT the meeting he related the incident
and pleaded for a subscription for tbs
benefit Of tho COW owner. lie headed
il with SIS and succeeded in getting sSI
more. That election district and township
went for the judge, although it had been DO
fore strongly Republican. BY q neat appea
to the Judge he once secured an extra day
nay for a jury that had defeated him a
trial Some years ago he and Tom Brown
were having joint discussions in congres
sional race. Browne always travelled in tn
lsdes' car, but Holman preferred the smoker
as it brought him near the stations at ever.
stop. He would jump on to the platform
, aud greet as many passengers as possible
leaving Browne to the enjoyment Of his luz
! uries 1t was in 1876 that the people Of hi
, district were in doubt as to whom Holma
! favored-Tildcn or Cooper He could neve
! be led into an avowul That year he an
! Browne were again on O tour Of joint discus
) sion. At Groensburg, as they came from th
! depot, a native met the two candidates anC
I turning 20 Judge Holman, said; Jack and
, have q bet say you intend to vote for ii
4 den. Now arc you for him or Cooperp
I "Have you any tobaccoF asked the undi
! turbcd judge A plug was handed TO nun
i ana, after taking a generous chew, replie'
' "That is excellent tobacco; very good indee'
4 Thank YOU. Come, Browne, we must be s.
i ing.p
!. aBut, JUDGE urged the native, as the tv
r Centlemen went on their way, ''you have ~
u answered NV question: