Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-28

Bench.
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I America and settled on q farm near
Mansfield, o.
Even as child he displayed q stu.
dious disposition and read every book
he could buy or borrow in the neigh
oorhood. Ia this manner he gath
cred in an immense amount of gen.
eral knowledge.
In 1868 he enlisted in the union
army and carried q musket until the
close of the war. On his return home
he taught school and gave all the
money thus earned to his father Tn
aid In paying for the farm on which
he lived.
when he became 81 years of age he
came TO st. Louis, where he worke d
as laborer during the day and stud
led law at night. He remained here
but few months and then went to
Southern Kansas. He was taken i'll
down there and upoa his recovery
was absolutely pennile.s. He worked
his way across the country for nearly
. hundred miles. travelling in his
bare feet.
In this dilapidated state he
stopped one day ct the home of tae
aev. d. Bedford. . Baptist minister
Dear Savannah. Mo. He askei for q
nights lodging and it granted. In
the morning he insisted on cutting
half a cord Of wood to pay the parson,
de found work in the peighborhood
and Mr.. Bedford soon learned that
Altgeld had q good education.
Through the minister's influence
Young Altgeld was hired to teach the
district school that fall. Then be
cegan reading law with Judge Will
liam Heron and the Hon. David
Rav, il Savannsh.
Hs was admitted to the bar there
and later elected city attorney. and
then states attorney. In 1875 he
moved to Chicago and opened q law
office, and in few years had built
up q lucrative practice.
In all these years of toll aud ad-
versity and final success, Gov. Alt
geld had not been working without a
purpose. Before he left his home In
Ohio he had fallen in love with q
handsome country girl. He had NO
means Of livelihood then, but il she
would wait he would soon get one.
See waited patiently. and in 1877, q.
prosperous lawyer, he returned for
ner and they were married. Her
name was Miss Emma Ford, the
daughter of John H. Ford, who lives
On his farm near Mansfield.
10 1886 Gov. Altgeld was elected
to the superior court bench in Chi
cago, and was for time chief JUS
Ice OF that court. After serving on
the bench five years he resigned to
devote himself to private interests
he invested in real estate and bull,
one Of the finest business blocks in
the city.
While thus busily engaged his IN.
firing energy led him to devote
much attention to literature. In
1884 he published . small volume
entitled Our Penal Machinery and
Its Victims. which is regarded as
one OF the best works ever published
on the subject Of our penal system.
In 1890 a volume entitled eli, e
Questions" appeared from his pen,
being discussion of some of the
problems of the day. In 1894 he
published volume II Of Live Oues-
tons"
He was nominated for governor Of
Illinois on the democratic ticket in
the spring of 1892. He immediat- "
determined to become personally ac-
quainted with the people of the state.
and therefore made q personal tour
OF the entire commonwealth, going
into the towns and villages Of lO2
counties; meeting the people in the
factories. stores and shops, and at
the same time comforting with the
politicians.
He thus created . wonderful en-
thustasm. This tour during which
he made no speeches. was completed
in September. He then made q Sec
ond canvass Of the state. speaking at
oil Of the principal points. The state
OF Illinois had formerly given repub-
lican majorisies ranging from 20. 900
to Sd 600. but MIR. Altgeld was cleo
ted by upward Of %. 900 majority.
WILLIAM NJ CIxNx