Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-22
GLOVER'S CAREER.
The Rise and Fall of an Ambitious Missouri
Politician-He Wanted to be Governor,
Rut nj

But Was Unable to Make it.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
WASHINGTON. d. G., January 2l.-One Of
the members of the House who will not be
member of the next House, and who, like
number of his kind does not seem to be in the
least interested in the subsequent proceedings.
is Little Johnny Glover, of Missouri. The
rise, career and end of Mr.. Glover is almost
tragic. 1t is certainly pathetic. Glover is
SON of Samuel Glover, in his day one Of the
most influential Democratic politicians in Mis-
souri,, and who himself served several terms in
Congress. Consequently the son fell naturally
into politics and Congress. The son has all of
the eloquence of the father. Perhaps he was
even his superior in vigor of expression. He
is little. stoop-shouldered, Insignificant mani
personal appearance, but he has remarkable,
massive, bulldog jaw. and an extraordinary
frontal development of the Uranium.
He was elected to Congress. 1t cost him
good deal of money, and he is not good
financier. Here in society he met the daughter
of a wealthy widow and married her. Mrs.
Patton, the lady referred to, was the widow of
Californian who had made millions in the
mines. Like many of those Croesuses of the
mountain streams and caverns, Mr.. Patton was
not gentleman of broad culture He and the
partner OF his poverty and riches partook Oh
the nature of the rough life, and in their sub
seQuent luxury found themselves too old to
take on the fine polish of idle and polite So
ciety. A few years ago Mrs. Patton. having be-
come widow, removed to Washington with
her seven manageable daughters, built mag
nifcent residence at the terminus of Massa-
chusetts avenue, kept open house, was en-
phatically 'in the SWIM" The first marriage
celebrated in that brick palace was that OF the
Hon. John Glover and Miss Patton. But Mrs.
Patton was exceedingly ambitious to have her
family allied to higher official, as she viewed
or1k hon ,tar Of 6n
Representatives. Her new son-in-law was also
ambitious. Their aspirations lay in the same
direction. Examination of the roads leading
to fame and social distinction LED to mutual
decision that Johnny" should make the can
vass for the gubernatorial nomination for Mis-
souri,, and once Governor, use his power and
distinction in that position to accomplish his
election to the United States Senate.
To have United States Senator in the fam
lily and move in the circle assured by such an
alliance, was the final goal of the ambitions of
the family of the late Mr.. Patton. Mr.. Glover
found himself confronted for the guberna-
torial nomination by the young rich, popular
and aggressive Mayor Francis of st. Louis.
1t would take money to win victory over such
an opponent, but Mrs. Patton was willing to
pay to have son-in-law Governor and Sena-
tor. The canvass was ferce. Money was
poured out like water. For every dollar spent
by Glover Francis flung out two. As nat
ural consequence when the convention was
held Glover had beggardly exhibit of less
than dozen votes He had spent $4,000 of
his mother-in-law's money and had not got
scent of the odor of the gubernatOrial ban
quoting board. Francis spent $4,000, but his
iberality paid.
What vast gulf between success and failure.
If Glover had got the nomination he might
easily have marked out his ambition and that
of his wealthy mother-in-law. Now he finds
himself without the Governorship, the Senate
rial chair lost forever, his career in the Lower
House ended. not a single hope of official
preferment left. his mother-in-law who helped
to lay the foundation of his magnificent plans
called away by death, his affairs involved,
quarrel between him and his sister-in-law,
which is already in the courts. 1t seems that
the late Mrs Patton gave Mrs. Glover 100000
soon after the marriage of the latter. The
other heirs claim that this was intended
by their mother to be the entire por-
tion of Mrs. Glover, and they now sue Mr..
Glover for the $4,000 given to him to
secure the Governorship and work out his
final ambition. This seems rather hard, as
Mrs. Patton was to share in the glory Of his
success; but such is life. 1t is hard to forgive
failure. But this is foreign to the story. The
point is that six months ago Mr.. Glover was on
the high road to fame, full of hope and enthu-
siasm. Now he is forever extinguished and
rarely thinks enough of his future to even make
his appearance on the floor OF that chamber
from which he will finally pass away on the 4th
of March, E. W. L.