Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-12-14
What Has Become Of Aspiring Chi
CagO Statesmen Of a
Decade Ago?
Colonel Cleary and Dan 0'Hara
and the Boys Who Bet
Them High.
Likewise Michael Evans, Whose Famous
''TwO Pairs" Have Passed
tntO History.

People often wonder what becomes
of the old politicians. 1t is not gener-
ally known, but it is nevertheless a fact,
that most of them never get chance
to grow old in the party harness. They |
are placed on the retired list long be-
fore they are permitted to mature. In
Chicago the ambitious statesman who
survives five years of political activity
is a wonder. The men now at the helm
of the two great parties are compare
lively new at the business. New blood
seems to be a necessity to politicians,
says the Chicago Times Stroller"
Ten years is not very long time to
look back, but how many of the men
who were on top in Chicago ten years
ago are on deck to day? Very few of
them. Honest Dan O'Hara, who
was on the very topmost rung of
the ladder then, has long since
passed to his rest. Frank Agnew, who
had a great pull in the '7O's, is not
only out of Chicago's politics, but he is
out of Chicago. He is living in St.
Paul now, with his family. Carter H.
Harrison ten years ago was at the very
head of the procession, and, flushed
with triumph, had just commenced
serving his first term as Mayor.
Charles Kern, who had a great follow
ing, was considered quite a leader in
those days, and his active lieutenant,
Frank Cunningham, died several years
ago in California. John Hoffman,,
who defeated Mr.. Kern for Sheriff
when that gentleman ran for re-elec-
ton, has been gathered to his fathers,
but his old partner in business, Franz
Amberg has caught the political fever
late in life, and is now City Clerk with
the shrievalty bee in his bonnet. Gen.
O, l.. Mann used to be considered
great politician. He is now entirely
out of the swim. He was Coroner in
1878 and Sheriff in 1880. Then there
was Perry H. Smith, who ran for,
Mayor in 1877 on the Democratic
ticket, and was shamefully sold out.
He was royal leader In his day, but
is long since dead Gen. John M.
Corse, the hero of Allatoona Pass, was
great figure among Democrats between
1876 and 1879 Corse was a gallant
fellow He lost his left jaw bone at
Allatoona Pass, and in that condition
signaled Sherman that he would "hold
the fort" until the warm regions re-
Gently dubbed hades froze over. p. p.
Bliss, the great evangelist, who lost
his life at the fearful Ashtabula dlsas-
ter, knew Gen. Corse WELL and liked
him 1t was Bliss who wrote the great
hymn, Hold the Fort. and he took his
inspiration from Corse's memorable
defense ofAllatoona, with the profanity
| ltlb Ouus NOISc was tudlI HILL Ol lue
Democratic State Central Committee,
and managed things for Samuel J. Til
den in the Northwest in 1876 He went
to Boston after leaving Chicago, and
during Clevelands administration was
Postmaster of the bean-eaters' metrop-
Oils. A great character i'm those DAYS
was Col. p. NJ. Cleary. No gathering
was complete without the Colonel
Cleary always had money and was
popular with the boys He was a mem
berof the County Board and cut quite a
dash. The Colonel liked q little game of
cards once in while, and it is in this
connection that good story is told of
him. Mike Evans was big power in poll
tics ten years ago, and his word might
stand against the world in the South
Town. Mike always had happy fac.
ulty of looking more innocent and yer
dant than he really was. One night he
happened into Aid Tom Foley's place.
on Clark street, while some ol the
boys were enjoying little game Zoo "a
. back room Mike walked In whuc
\ lhot were. and WAS invited tu "eit iu. 3"
. brclaimua amy knowledge ot thr
teb1aut Doe mi1 thtt hr eDuu 20
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