The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-23

county, H., July %, ISL In 1862 he enlisted
| as drummer boy. In CompanyA, One
! Hundred and Forty fourth Illinois regi-
ment, under command OF Colonel J. W.
| Judy. He served three years. in the army,
| and participated in the battles OF Jackson,
| Nicksburg. Jackson Second time, Guntown,
Brandon, Nashville and Mobile. At the close OF
the war he returned 10 his boyhoods home and
| remained with his parents for time. Then he
| attended the Commercial Business college at
Peoria, graduating from that institution after
/ two-yeers course lie then returned to Boards
| town and started in the dry goods business,
| which he followed for over twenty years, and
was very successful. He was married August
| z, 1s5S. He was prominent in the Grand
Army OF the Republic, being post commander.
| -Four years ago, after most active public lie,
he concluded to move to Washington, in the
hope that the Western climate would prove
beneficial 10 his falling health. Mr. Davis is a
member Of Miller Post, e. A. R; he stands high
in the Masonic order and has long been mem
Der OF the 0. o. F.
In 1885 Mr.. Davis was Que of the organizers OF
what has gained place in the political history
OF Illinois as 1.-THE most daring piece OF political
strategy ever conceived and 50 successfully
executed since the days of Alexander the
Great" tt was in a large measure due TO Mr..
Davis untiring efforts that General Logan was
elected United States senator in 1855. In that
year the general assembly OF the state OF Illinois
was tie. April u a Democratic member OF the
assembly died suddenly. The deceased member
had been elected from the Thirty-fourth sena-
torial district OF the state, compos-
ing the counties of Cass, Mason, Menard
md Sehuyer-a district which in 1854 went
Democratic by 1850 majority, and gave plural
ity of over Z,0o0 on April -, the governor is
sued bis proclamation, calling special cleo
ton in the Thirty-fourth senatorial district
4 tn yf,n a.
"a the member. On April IS several OF General
Logan's friends got together, and thought it
would DO the proper thing to elect Republican
TO fill the vacancy, for it would give the party
the deciding vote in the approaching senatorial
contest. The district was strongly Democratic,
and how to elect n Republican was question
which puzzled the gathering not q little. Mr..
Davis, OF Cass county, was known everywhere
as an ardent supporter of General Logan, and
he was taken INTO the confidence of the schem-
crs. General Logan, who was then at Spring
field, was written to and he entered into the
plan with much zeal. In every town in the dis
trict men were chosen in whom explicit conf
dcnce was had and TO them were made known
the rlan of battle, and they were cautioned TO
observe the greatest secrecy. A large number of
tickets were printed on the quiet with the name
OF W. II. Weaver, a Republican, on them. His
opponent was J. 7. Beekman, a strong
Democrat, who was certain of his
election as representative. By their
apparent apathy and dsinterestedness the
Republicans throughout the entire district
lulled the Democrats into fancied security, and,
thinking they had a walk-over, many OF them
never went near the polls. The day of election
came around and all was quiet among the Re-
pnbiicans. Nothing was done until 4 o'clock in
the afternoon, when, according to the plans
agreed upon, the trusted men in every town in
the district turned out with their tickets, and
before the Democrats recovered from their
establishment they were showed under and the
polls closed. The result was Weaver was
elected, aud his vote in the joint assembly made
General Logan United States senator. Mr.. Davis
received personal letter from General Logan,
thanking him for his interest in the success of
the great plan.