The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-21
ANOTHER LIE REFUTED
CAPT. JESSE NEFF, OF ROCHESTER,,
TELLS SOME HISTORY.
Been an Republican for Twenty
Y~ears-FuIton County I'm Trim.

Last Friday the Sentinel published a
two-column article purporting to give the
views OF a number of lifelong Republicans
who have recently been converted 10 the
cheap-money nonsense and who declare
that they will vote for Bryan. Among
those referred TO were w. J. Lowry. a real
estate man OF this city. and Col. Elias
Neff. of Arkansas City, Kan, formerly Of
Indianapolis. To give additional weight TO
Colonel Neff's conversion the Sentinel men
tened the fact that Colonel Neff Is a
brother of Capt Jesse Neff. of Rochester,
and formerly a prominent citizen of Boone
county. where he served as county clerk.
The Sentinel speaks OF him as an ex-
sheriff Of Boone county, an office which
he never held. Besides being clerk Captain
Neff was deputy clerk of that county for a
number of years. He removed to Roch-
ester a year ago. He is well known to at
torneys and G. A r. men of indianapolis.
Captain Mem is now at the home Of John
]. Carriger. 81 Central avenue. Last night
he threw some interesting light on the al
legged conversion of his brother. Colonel
Neff. and W. j.. Lowry to free coinage.
The latter is his brother-in-law. Captain
Neff says that w. j.. Lowry cannot be re-
garded as a lifelong Republican, as he
voted for Cleveland eight years ago, al
though he supported Harrison at the last
election His affiliations with the Repub-
lcan party have been lukewarm, to say
the least.
Captain Neff is certainly in a position TO
know something Of the political sentiment
of his brother, Colonel Nen. OF Kansas.
He says that the latter has not been a
Republican since he voted for Graz. in
1872. At the next campaign he voted for
Peter Cooper and in 1878, or about hat
year, he was the candidate for sheriff Of
this county on the Greenback ticket. From
here he moved to Kansas in March. 1883.
and from that time until the formation Of
the Populist party he was an ardent
Greenbacker. When the Greenbackers
were merged into the Populistic party he
went with them and has been a Populist
ever since.
Captain Neff said last night that he did
not care to criticise the political opinions
of his brother and brother-in-law but in
asmuch as his name was mentioned in
connection with their alleged desertion of
the Republican party. and as that fact
might induce others to think he had also
been carried away with the craze. he con-
scented to speak the truth of the matter.
Local politicians who remember Col.
Elias Neff's flop to the Greenback party
nearly twenty years ago are amused at
the Sentiners ridiculous break" in assum-
ing that he has been a lifelong Repub-
lican." The fact of the matter is. they
say. that Colonel Neff became %disgruntled
because he was turned down in a Repub-
lican county convention, before which he
posed as a candidate and was defeated by
Samuel Hanway. He fancied that he had
been defeated by unfair means and never
forgave the party for imagined wrongs in
ficted upon him by some Of the local
Capt. Jesse Nefr is now deputy clerk of
Fulton county. In that capacity he comes
in close touch with the farmers from the
active interest In TIE sound-money cam
paign and by personal contact with the
candidates of the county knows the inside
facts relative to the progress OF the sound
money idea In the rural districts. He says
that from his personal knowledge
and Judging by what the can odni,,
is one Republican who will vote foI
Bryan and dishonest money there are nve
Democrats who will either vote for Nc
Kinley or the National Democratic ticket
Personally Captain Neff says that he
knows of but three Republicans who will
bolt the st. Louis platform. while he can
name at least thirty-hve Democrats within
the corporate limits of Rochester who
can't swallow the Popocratic Chicago plat
His business takes him into other counties
in the northern part of the State and by
close observation he is led 70 believe tina
the free-silver nonsense is on the wane
both in the county towns and country.
For the past week Captain Neff has beer
visiting in Lebanon. his old home. HI
found that there is a strong dislike In
Democratic circles to Joseph b. Cheadle
the fusiopist candidate for -CongresS; Al
least $50 Democrats in that county will not
vote for Cheadle. the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
free-silver turncoat," as one of them aptly
termed him when refusing to attend {
political meeting the other night. of which
Cheadle was advertised to be the bright
particular. star. Information Captain Nef
obtained while he was at Lebanon indi
Gates that there is also a strong sentiment
against Cheadle in Montgomery county
The Democratic organ has declared
against him openly. The feeling in Boon,
and Montgomery is that Lands will de
feat Cheadle with hands .down.