Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-02-22

The Earnest and Eccentric Advocate of
Honest Money" Expires in New
York.
Thomas NJ. Nichol, whose connection
with the Honest Money League" of Chi
cago and other political associations was
we'll known died at the New York Column
bia Institute for Chronic Diseases. He
had been under treatment at the institute
for several months for disease of the
spinal cord. Mr.. Nichol was "A wears
old.
MIR. Nichol. we'll known among public men
throughout the country. and despite his &C.
centrlcitles. was SO much respected that
his death will be sincerely mourned. He
was most eccentric man. a genius. and
Sawyer once said of him, he was all sail
and no rudGer."
Nichol was born in Ohio. went into the
army. carried musket for four years, and
then at the close OF the war landed in Illi-
nois. down near Belleville. where he taught
school for several winters and worked at
blacksmithing summers. Then he moved
out to Kansas. and lived at Humboldt and
Fort Scott for time. At the latter place
he edited newspaper for several months.
his hobbies always were finance and poll
ties. and he would walk twenty miles to
hear political speech. The winter debat-
ing societies were his delight. and it was
said in that country that there was not
lawyer or a minister or a pedagogue in those
counties who could stand up with him in a
discussion.
He was u bit OF lawyer and during his
experience as u school teacher in Illinois
he successfully defended friendless fellow
who was under trial for murder.
While he was blacksmithing. Nichol in
vented pillow. and was advised by dealers
In agricultural implements to take it to the
j. l. Case factory ut Racine. Wis, where it
Was thought he could find purchaser.
This was in 1876. He landed at kacino one
afternoon. and when he went up to the hotel
learned that Gen. Samuel +. Cary was TO make
a greenback speech in the town hall that
evening. or course Nlchol went to hear
him. and during the progress Of the speech
asked Cary some questions: The speaker
ing inquiries put to him by the stranger.
and finally declined to answer any more of
them. MIR. Nichol. an entire stranger to
everybody in the room: then arose and
asked permission to reply to Cary at the
conclusion Of the latter's remarks. but was
prevented from doing so.
There was great excitement in the town,
and Nichol found himself hero. The Re-
publicans hired the hall for the next even
ing. and Nichol made speech in which he
demolished Cary in such a manner as to
commend himself to the Wisconsin Repub-
ican Committee. by which he was employed
to follow Cary about the State. When Cary
finished his campaign in Wisconsin. Nichol
followed him into Ohio. and then to Maine.
and then all over tho United States. max
ing the acquaintance of Sherman. Garfield.
Blaine. Conkling. Arthur. and other public
men. ana gaining for himself phenomenal
reputation.
The winter following the campaign of 1876
Nichol was employed to organize what was
known as The Honest Money League" in
opposition to the imitation movement. John
Sherman was the President and he was the
Secretary. and he Travelled from one end of
the United States to the other lecturing on
hard money and organizing branches of the
league in all the cities and larger towns.
He was occupied at this work until the
summer OF 1880. whenSle went to Washing
ton to take charge of the literary bureau
organized to promote Sherman's Presiden-
tial prospects. He went to Chicago as u
confidential agent of Sherman, and when
Garfield was nominated returned with him to
Menor. where he became his private secre-
tary and served as such through the cam
paign OF 1880.
When Garfield was elected he rendered
Nichol the position Of Private Secretary at
the White House. but Nichol dhclined it.
and was made Commissioner OF Indian
Affairs. in which position he served just two
days.
On the evening of the second day he went.
to the White House with his resignation
in his hand. and told the President that he
could not stand it any longer; that he had
not been able 10 eat or sleep. and would go
crazy before the end OF the week unless he
was relieved from duty.
Although he was Il great theorst in
finance he did not have the faculty OF put
ting his ideas into practice. and those who
were associated with him in business soon
discovered it to their sorrow. In the first
place. it was his habit. as he used to say.
to keep his books in his head: He never
made u record of any of his financial
transactions. but depended entirely upon
his memory. His carelessness was pro.
verbal. and friend who knew him said
that if you would lock Nichol up IN a room
alone With $1,000 in 81 bills he would lose
half of them before he got out While he
was at the Grand Pac lie Hotel one day he
had $50. 900 worth OF onds stolen from him.
bonds issued by a Denver street railroad.
which he was CARRYING to be sold in the ne
they had been found among the plumber OF
a thief who had been arrested by the police.