The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-10-24
LlUGHTOY TURNED the TIDE.
How His Seductive Violin Redeemed DcmOuatit
Douglass County in ksada.

county, tells a new story on Charles Z.
Laughton, lieutenant governor-elect Of
Washington, and his ability as fiddler.
The doctor was surgeon Of the Virginia 4
Truckee railroad at the time that Mr..
Laughton, who was then auditor Of the
road, was elected lieutenant governor ol
Nevada.
"Yes," said DR.. Smart, yesterday, 10
Post -Intelligencer reporter, Charley
Laughton and were chums In 1882, when
he was elected lieutenant governor Of
Nevada. An incident Of that campaign,
which was 4 decidedly warm one, l shall
never forget. The state was democratic,
but the republican party made strenuous
efforts to carry the election. W. W.
Bishop, Eureka lawyer; John P. Jones,
Mr.. HalleCk and George TuAey, all
prominent men then, stumped the state
in the party's behalf.
about two weeks before the election q
big meeting was advertised to be held al
Genoa, the county seat Of Douglass
county, and q democratic stronghold.
The day for the meeting arrived and the
speakers, including Bishop, Halleck and
Tufley, started for Genoa, fifteen miles
from Carson, at 8 O'Clock in the morning.
Laughton wanted to 60 also, but was de
tanned in town until the afternoon. He
then determined to hire a team and 60
out, but to his dismay he was unable to
get one at any livery stable in town. Al
last resort he appealed to me. l had q
fine span Of horses and good buggy,
and readily consented to hitch up and
drive him out. We hastily prepared ioI
the trip, but 1t was nearly s O'Clock in
the evening before we left town.
eve made Genoa about Z O'Clock, and
after taking dinner started over TO the
hall. We found Bishop haranguing the
crowd in a maudlin sort Of q way. He
had been In town all day and had par
taken freely Of liquor. By and by he
made some statements that didn't suit q
German democrat in the house, and the
fellow jumped up and howled "Liarp'
This naturally angered Bishop and be be-
gan TRADE Of abuse against the German
democrats Of Nevada, commencing by
comparing them to ignorant negroes.
Now, that whole valley was inhabited by
Germans, and they made three-fourths Of
his audience. Fifteen minutes after he
began his abuse be didn't have an audi
ence Of a dozen. saw the whole thing
was a failure, and, fearing that our time
had been thrown away, l began to study
up some scheme to redeem ourselves.
l knew Laughton could charm any crowd
in America with his violin, and the idea
OF giving free concert struck me; but !
was afraid l could not find q fiddle In the
whole town. The county treasurer, how
ever, had one and l succeeded in borrow
ing IL. Then Laughton and went down
to Lvingstones saloon, the largest drink
ing place In the town. Laughton got up
On q barrel, and before he had played his
first tune he had 200 spell-bound miners
about him. He played "Suwanee River"
and several other'Popular airs, and soon
nearly every resident Of the town, includ-
ing the women and children were In the
vicinity Of that saloon. Ovid Musin
never held the attention Of more de-
lighted audience than did Charley Laugh
ton. To vary matters we all took drink,