Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-20
Misfortunes That Followed the Sue
cessors of Jim Lane.
4 SORT OF SENATORIAL @HOODOg'
The Kansas Statesman Has His
Eyes on PETERS Seat.
CURIOSITIEs OF POLITICS
Of The Evening Star.

TOPEKA, Kan, October Is, 1894.
Statesman though he is. John ]. Ingalls,
| Is CONTROLS in his political ambitions by
| the vein Of superstition which runs through
his peculiar nature. Were it not for this
| characteristic he would unquestionably be
| candidate for United States Senator be-
fore the approaching session of the legisla-
| ture. He has been active in this campaign,
| making many appointments when he should
have been at home under the care of his
physician. But he has devoted his time to
| the campaign to forever set at rest as he
| says, the charges of a coterie of political
mandarins in Kansas that ne is never in
the front of the battle except when his own
political eggs are in the basket He de-
clares from every platform that he is not a
| candidate for any office-"not now" He
| qualities this statement, however, by an
nouncing that his seat Is not vet vacant
| and that he will deal with the long-whisk-
cred statesman who retired him two years
| later.
ingalls, fears fate, and considers any Kan
sas senatorial succession except that OF
PETER 'hoodoo" Misfortune and sudden
death have followed the footsteps of every
man but Martin in the place originally held
by the brilliant, though INSCRIPTIONS Jim
Lane, and even the latters title is clouded.
ingalls, looks back over this long line of
unfortunates with fear and trembling. This
well-grounded superstition in his makeup
manifested itself the death of Senator
Plumb. When IL was suggested that Gov.
Humphrey appoint ingalls, as the man best
equipped for the vacancy, the ex-senator
very promptly put stop to gossip in that
direction. He served notice on his friends
that ne did not propose to ride back into
the Senate hearse. Were 1t not for
his absolute refusal ingalls, could enter the
senatorial race today, and win over any of
the candidates now mentioned because the
nROnll N 90 raar N ba init nI
States Senate.
A Chain of Misfortune.
Ingalls, decision will not appear strange
to people who are the least bit superstl-
tious, especially after they are familiar
with the unfortunate history of those who
have been elected United States Senators
from Kansas as successors of the noted
Jim Lane. Lane came to Kansas from In
diana, fresh from the halls of Congress
He was democrat, and voted and fought
for the Douglas bill for the House of Rep
| resentatives when the Kansas Nebraska
! struggle was on. The free soil excitement
in his district convinced him that re-elec-
ton WIS impossible, and Influenced him to
cast his lot with the territory which he
helped to create. He came to Kansas pos
sessed Of an unbounded ambition, and he
determined to crafty 1T by espousing the
cause which, in his opinion, after careful
observation, was destined to win. Lane
was man of wonderful energy. He was
poor in purse and lax in morals. His rep
utation was unsavory, but his overpowering
genius was equal to every emergency. OBJ
stacles that would have been insurmounta-
bic to the ordinary man were thrown light
~ from his path His original intention
was to organize the national democracy I'm
the new state, and become its acknowledge
ed leader. but this he found to be imprac-
ucaDl@, and he soon allied himself with
the free state party, and at once forced
recognition in its councils.
Lanes Tragic End.
In 1861 he was elected United States SEN
ator for the short term of four years. and
in 1865 WIS reelected. After his second
election he took sides with President john
son In the zen rupture between the Pres
id ent and the republicans on the freed
mems bureau and civil rights BILL He
thought he the popular tide drifting
that way, and, with his accustomed alac-
rity, anticipated what he thought would
prove the popular sentiment of the people
For cree he made a miscalculation. He
visited his home in Kansas in June 1865
and received cool reception from nearly
all of his old friends and followers, who
had up to this time given him an unaues-
toned and unqualified support stopping
little short of homage. The scepter of his
power was broken. He was no longer the
political autocrat of Kansas. He could not
brook the change. He became i'll, then de-
lirious, and after he had nearly recovered
on July l, he went out riding with some
friends at Leavenworth, placed a revolver
to bis mouth and sent bullet through his
braia.
1t devolved upon Governor Crawford to
appoint a successor. He selected Edmond
q. Ross, then journeyman printer at
Lawrence, and when the legislature met he
| was elected to fill the unexpired term. Ross
was a weak man and presented a striking
contrast to his brilliant predecessor. He
| was loyal republican and was looked upon
as the personification of honesty. In the Sem
ate he made the same error that resulted in
the downfall and tragic ending Of Lane
He sympathized with President johnson and
voted mot guilty in the Impeachment
trial That act alone damned him for all
time in the estimation of Kansas republi-
cans and he became a political outcast
He found refuge in the democratic party,
but misfortune followed wherever he went
He was the democratic candidate for gov
ernor of Kansas in 1880, and shortly after
his defeat he went to New Mexico where he
eked out precarious existence a COM
positor, occasionally getting temporary
position as an editor. When Cleveland was
elected President the first time he appointed
Ross governor of the territory His adj
minstration was a failure He engendered
party strife, made many enemies and few
friends. When he retired from the execu-
tive chair he was well nigh penniless and
moved to the little town of Deming where
he established weekly newspaper He
lives there now, but has been compelled to
dispose of his printing office
The successor Of Ross was Alexander
Caldwell of Leavenworth, who still resides
In that city. 1t was charged that CaId-
wells election was obtained by wholesale
bribery and the Senate committee on priv
ileges and elections instituted an inyestiea-
ton. The evidence brought out was over
whelmingly against him. and before the
committee submitted its report he was per-
mitted to resign, thus saving himself the
disg, ace of expulsion. He held the position
little more than two years
The Caldwell vacancy was filled nv the
appointment by Governor Osborn of Judge
Robert Crozier, but when the legislature
met In 1874 Governor James Harvey was
elected for the remainder of the term
which was for two years Harvey was not |