Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
THE PTTTSBURG DISPATCH SUN

in bad way and in April, 1884, the reform
element in politics nominated Mr.. Campbell
for Mayor. He made vigorous and ag-
gressive fight and after bitter and exciting
contest was triumphantly elected. He en-
tered upon the discharge of his duties with
his accustomed energy and vigor, and soon
became terror to evil doers. So effectively
did he enforce the laws DUNG the first year
OF his term that toward its close the police
courts had little or nothing to do. Mr.
Campbell has been an extensive traveller,
and 1t is his one boast that he never forgets
voice or name. He has an elegant ana
costly home, obtained by his own efforts,
and during the past six years has built up
Large and lucrative practice as lawyer.
Beside Judge West and e1-Mayor Camp
bell, Ohio has third extraordinary blind
man in S. S. Rickly, President of the Capt.
tai City Bank of Columbus Mr.. Rickly has
been totally blind for the last ten years.
The tragic incident by which he became so
is best told in his own words. "One day IN
the summer Of $780," he wrote not long ago,
"a man came into my private room in the
bank, of which am President, about noon
time, and, presenting a certificate of a trus-
tee of a bankrupt coal firm, which called for
about 500, roughly demanded that should
give him $50 upon it. I looked at the GER
tifcate and saw that several payments had
been Endorsed upon it, leaving but $40 still
due. I knew the man, and calling him by
name, told him that I did not know what
the certificate was worth, and that did not
want to take anything from him if it was
worth more than $50. He then demanded
that I should give him S35. I told him
that had not the money to spare, and
was turning away when, quick as thought,
he presented revolver to my forehead and
fired"
PASSED THROUGH BOTH EYES.
''The last thing ever saw was that revol-
yer within an incn of my forehead. The
ball entered by left temple and passed
through both my eyes, lodging against my
right cheek bone. Two thoughts flashed
through my mind as I lost consciousness.
One was: Is this fatal?' The other: Shall
tall?' When my son and clerk, who
were in the next room, rushed in they found
me lying on the floor insensible with my
would-b murderer beside me stone dead.
Thinking he had killed me- he had shot
himself through the heart. 1 finally recov-
cred from my injuries. but my sight was
gone from me forever"
Though thus terribly afflicted, Mr.. Rick
ly did not lose heart. He has ever since
continued at the head of the Capital City
Bank, and with the aid of an amanuensis
daily disposes of large volume of business.
Every visitor to Middletown, N. Y, has
Alfred M. Horton pointed out to him as one
Of the wonders Of the place. Mr.. Horton is
now 60 years of age. and has been totally
blind since he was boy of IA. Born poor,
he made a fortune as farmer and contractor,
and for the last seven years has been
wholesale grain and feed dealer, supplying
the retail trade in Orange and Sullivan
counties, N. Y. He does all of his own
buying, and by the sense OF feeling can in
stantly detect whether consignment of grain
or feed differs in the slightest particular from
what the invoice calls for. He also buys
and sells horses and cattle in the same man.
ner, and the most skillful trader finds
it a bootless task to attempt to i'm
pose upon him. Mr.. Horton keeps
only mental record of his business trans
actions, and acts as his own collector, de-
termining the denomination of bills and the
value of coins by touch. He is an extern
sive owner of real estate and is expert
enough in the use of tools to perform all
needed repairs upon his buildings without
assistance. Mr.. Horton never has need of
a guide in his goings and comings in and
about Middletown, and frequently goes to
New York City alone, making his way across
the ferry and to his brothers Office, on Sixth
avenue, unattended.
LITTLE NEARER HOME.
The principal coal dealer of Sewickley, a
little town near Pittsburg, is Alden F.
Hays, young man of 80. He is the son of
General Alex Hays, heroic soldier who
fell in the battle of the Wilderness, and has
been blind from birth. He goes backward
and forward between his home and his Office
alone, and conducts an extensive business
without clerical aid. He makes out his own
orders, keeps account of the cars as they ar
rIy frnn1 ho min ha fha mol hot fnra
it is delivered, collects and receipts the bills
of his several hundred customers, and posts
and balances his own books. He is an ex-
pert typewriter, and his work equals in
neatness and exactness that OF the most
skillful copyist. sIn addition to his other
accomplishments Mr. Hays is a trained and
gifted musician, and for nearly 20 years has
been the organist of the Presbyterian Church
of his town. Before his coal business grew
SO large as to occupy his entire time and at
tention he taught music with great success.
Everybody has heard of the blind chap.
lain of the Lower House OF Congress, Rev.
W. II. Milburn. He lost his sight when
child. He has been an untiring ministerial
worker all his lie, but has found time to fill
various positions of trust and honor, and to
write half dozen books.
THE BLIND SHIP BUILDER.
The most notable blind man now living
yet remains to be spoken of. His name is
John B. Herreshoff. He lives at Bristol,
R. l., and he is at the head of one of
the largest ship building firms in the
United States. He has been blind since his
fifteenth year, but he has designed and
superintendended the construction of some
of tie finest steam yachts now aaoat. So
completely is he the master even of the
smallest details of his vast business, that
when the representative of South Amer
ican Government called upon him a lew
years ago, and asked for what sum he could
build and deliver three torpedo boats of
peculiar size and pattern, he requested only
half an hours time for deliberation before
giving his answer. Before the half hour
was up he had mentally gone over the whole
matter, working from the new and strange
plans submitted. His offer was accepted.
Bat John r. Herreshoff is more than
skillful designer. Heis also a man of great
executive ability. He personally superin-
tends every department of plant employ
ing hundreds OF men.
RUFUS r. WILSON.