The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17

woman. / was interested, of course, for l
mad no doubt that the woman had taken
advantage of the occasion to get even with
him for reasons not at all political. | ran
a great big buster head" racy item in the
incident, but the woman disabused my
mind OF there being a ''racy item" when
she yelled loud enough to be heard mile:
The ungrateful wretch! To think that
son Of mine would disgrace me by
parading the streets with Black Repub-
lican club. 1 would thrash him if he
weie as big as mountain"
few days after this little affair l went
down to Shelbyviile to report Democratic
barbecue. Il was advertised to be the
'biggest thing OF the campaign-and it
was. Fully 10000 of the unterrified were
on hand, and Senator Voorh ees, Isaac z.
Gray, candidate for Governor, Saddle
bags" Mcdonald, "Objector" Holman and
other big Democratic guns were on hand
10 preach the gospel of politics according
to General Jackson, for whom not few
Shelby County Democrats were still voting
for President After some delay the pro-
cesslon started for grove mile away to
feast upon barbecued meat and listen to
sound Democratic doctrine. The long line
OF hungry patriots came to an abrupt stop
after marching a little way and there
appeared to be commotion at the head OF
the column. / hastily moved to the front
and upon asking, Whats the trouble 2"
l was informed that ga Blaine banner is
stretched across the street down there, and
as 1t is against the principles of Shelby
County Democrat to march under banner
OF that kind we have sent committee to
notify the Republican bosses of this town
that If that banner is not down in five
minutes we will tear it down. This is
Democratic day in Shelbyyille and things
have to go our way"
| Before the five minutes were ND the
| Blaine banner had been hauled in, and
the line of hungry Democrats was on the
march for the barbecue pits A newspaper
| man told joke after the crowd had
| reached the grove which came very near
costing him thrashing that he would have
remem Oered all the days of his life. He
said colporteur told him a few days be-
fore that he, the colporteur, was making a
tour of Shelby County, distributing re-
ligious literature; that he accosted a farmer
IN the highway and asked him If he was
standing up for Jesus Christ. After few
| moments of anxious thought, as if trying
| to recall something he had forgotten, the
old farmer said: II believe I've hearn of
that feller afore, but L can't jest locate
| him. But that don't make no difference
mister. If he is any kin to Tom Hendricks
and is a-rnnnin' for somethin' you can bet
that ,critter you're ridin' that l am
'standin' up for him.
Dan voorhees,, better known as the Tall
| Sycamore of the Wabash, came home to
help entertain the rank and file. but some
painful "reminiscences were being hurled
at him, to which he did not venture a
| reply. During the war Voorhees, was
under suspicion of being one of the ring
leaders OF the order of Southern sympa-
thlzers known as the Knights OF the
Golden Circle, and one day "Daniel
talked too much with his mouth" as an
old soldier expressed it TO me. Voorhees,
was on Vandalia train en- route to Terre
on hQ Qttla traI l,ta
old soldiers going home on furlough
When 1t was found that the Tall Syca-
more was fellow-passenge some one sug-
gested that they hang him then and
| there. Suiting the action to the word the
! bellrope of the train was quickly hauled
| IN anu hangman's moose that would
about fit Voorhees, neck was made and
but for the prompt interference of cooler
heads his political career would have been
cut OIL before he reached the next station
Another thing that bothered Holman
voorhees, andthe other ''dyed-in-th wool'
DEMOCRATIC leaders was the way Isaac P.
Gray, candidate for Governor was draw
ing Democrats to his side, and who per-
sisted in making a Democratic hero of
him. Before the 'Greeley movement
Gray was known TO be the most rabid Re-
publican and the most bitter and uncom-
promising hater of Democrats in Indiana.
In stump speech, on one occasion, he
|
ture, he would introduce bill making it
q penitentiary offense for Democrat, man
| or woman, TO marry one of the ''emancl-
pated." His purpose would be, he said
| to protect Ignorant and unsuspecting col
ored people against such deprayed infiu-
ences as would naturally flow upon and
about them from social contact with In
diana Democrats. But Gray was a thor
ough politician and selfish to the ends Of
his fingers. He had Deen in turn Free
Soiler, a Known othing, a "rebel-exter-
minatinG" soldier Republican, Republi-
can polite an, a Greeleyite and Bourbon
Democrat, but in and through it all he
was for Isaac p. Gray, first, last and all the
| time. He had that most desirable gift,
which is such tower of strength in the
professional politician. He never forgot
names or faces, and he was the best baby
ksser that ever pulled the wool over the
eyes of Hoosier voter.
Hendricke is dead, Mcdonald is dead,
Gray is dead, Holman is completely
played out, Senator Voorhees, is now
measured at his true worth-a ward poll
| ucian possessing great National power.
Senator Turpie, one of the most scholarly
men in the Senate, is altogether the most
indifferent lnoianian as concerning
political preferment. Thus it will
be seen Claude Matthews political
lines are cast in pleasant places for an
aspiring politician, and, as he possesses
the dignity of Hendricks. the cunning of
Gray and good deal of the spread eagle
oratory of Voorhees,, he has reason for be-
| heving that he is in position to demand
a good deal at the hands of the Chicago
convention. Besides, the Golden Circle
charges could not be rung on him, for at
| least one of the very prominent Republl-
| can politicians of Indiana was member