The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-24

tnat tnese stories ABOUT my private Ile
were circulated in Fayette and Union coun-
ties shortly after you visited them.''
Watson started to reply to this insinuation,
but Mr.: NJ: Johnson interrupted. saying: Hold
sponsible for them or not, you are the ben
eficiary. and I shall believe that you could
have reached out your hand and stopped
them. That Is what should have DONE"
MIR wATsON's REPLY.
II did reach out my hand" replied Wat
son. 81 did my best to crush them down. 1
can recall one specific instance when one OF
my constituents came to me with these stor-
ies I cautioned him then to forget them
begged him to keep his own counsel and to
repeat nothing he had heard. had nothing
20 do with starting these stories, and / did
all that could to stop them"
"Well. them" rejoined Johnson, "your dis
avowal is all that can ask. Come with
me to the platform and Wen discuss our in
terests before the people jointly. / think
that should go to Congress again and so do
Henry county and let them judge between
Mr.. Watson again declined to undertake a
would accept Mr.. Johnson's proposition, but
his friends did not deem it best He was in
the hands of his friends and must abide by
their decision.
When the men separated it was with a
nandshake and an "All right, Henry" and
All rlgnt, Jim. Ine crowd cheered loudly
as the Congressman shook hands and parted
From New Castle Mr.. Johnson drove ten
miles this afternoon through the slush and
Journai rep sso tteo6ed mo
meeting, and heard Mr.. Johnson address
crowd of between two and three hundred
land Mr.. Johnson spoke for two hours. The
speaker did not attempt TO discuss public
issues, but devoted his time to the various
charges alleged 10 have been made against
him. He denounced the statements set out in
false.
man, the name of his wife and fair-haired
daughter have TO be dragged down through
the mud by miserable, cowardly assault on
my public record assailed until these attacks
on my private character commenced
The speaker asserted that no man ''1eId
a mortgage on him and that not one dime
of "Johnson's money" should be used in
securing his nomination in the district As
to the charge that he Is a Roman Catholic
he said
My daughter is member Of the Catholic
Church. 1t is her chc-en faith. If my re-
tentton in Congress means that / must go
to that fair-haired girl and tear her from
her church. then my seat in Congress is
yours Take it. don't want it,
Mr.. johnson referred TO the charge that
he had been discourteous to General Har-
rison in the Morrison will case. He denied
that his conduct toward the ex-President
had been other than .gentlemanly. He in
sonal regard for General Harrison.
But he added. Il can admire a man
without getting down with all the OBJ
sequfousness OF the Oriental and prostrat-
ing myself in the dust"
Mr.. johnson spoke of his record in Con-
gress, and took occasion to defend some of
the statements made as to his work in the
last year.
Tonight he spoke at Mt. Summit, touch-
ing practically the same questions.
Mr.. Watson talked this morning at
Strawn, this county. Saturday night he
held a meeting at Midd1etown, when l.. p.
jackson, at the head OF a large manufacture
ing establishment, presided. Mr.. Jackson
has been a lifelong Democrat, but has now
declared himself for protective tariff.
From now until the primary convention.
April 1, Henry county is to be the field of
operations for Johnson and Watson.
Shelby, Hancock, Rush and Franklin are
already for Watson, with 96 votes Wayne.
Union and Fayette with 81 votes, are in
Mr.. Johnson's column and the result de-
pends on the vote of Henry.
Johnson and his friends claim he will
carry Henry county by 500 The friends of
Watson are equally confident that they will
win. To an outsider 1t looks to be very
close.
| Henry U. Johnson said publicly yesterday
that he was for Judge Eugene Bundy for
Appellate Judge Mr. Johnson said he made
this statement in the face of the laIter's
fight against him.