The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-03-01
STORIES OF THE DAY.
Anecdotes OF Voorhees,, Who Has Been
Reported a. Dying.

Voorhees, in the senate has ever been
q Joy to the newspaper folk. Afable.
frank and vigorous, it was always q
pleasure to turn from a conversation
with such stately in and cutters as Sena-
.or Vest and talk with Voorhees,. What
little Vest told you might all be wrong
and the merest seeds Of grief. He was
perfectly capable, too, Of denying every
word Of it the moment it was printed
and would, if he found his utterances
irconveutont. Voorhees, never denied,
never weakened. Voorhees, stood by his
guns.
Once Voorhees, gave me ali interview
on the subject Of the New York banks.
1t was unique in its fashion Of coming,
but he stood ny it-every word.
1t was during the repeal Of the pur-
chasing clause Of the Sherman law,
during the extra session III 1898, and
Voorhees, was leading the fight for re-
peal in the senate. The fllbuSter was
stut, m, and Teller and Dubois, in the
rocky passes Of the senate rules. were
disputing Voorhees, advance and hold
ing the repeal at bay.
The struggle waxcd long and tedious,
and the banks, in sore straits-some OF
them below their reserve-hegan to
grow hysterical.
In q gust of excitement born of their
peril they one day arose-the bank pres
, idents held "a meeting, | bel!eve-and
INDUCED in speeches and resolutions to
the effect that Voorhees, was no, doing
H. Io.$ 20 ~ae- xIn -C,No1 Tho hnn1nro
were inclined to regard Voorhees, as
mixing q dish Of treason for them, and
said so.
That afternoon l met VOORHEES, in the
Eenate restaurant, where he was solemn
ly devastating half shell oysters in com
pany with the mayor of Terre Haute.
What can l say for you touching
these banks. senatOr?' l asked. What
reply do you var to make to their
SEtrictures?'
IN tell you wha5 TO say replied
Voorhees,, and he fixed a grave, though
flaming, eye upon me. You may quote
me as saying about those banks any
thing to their disaster that O wire will
carry or a paper print. You cant over
90 my OPINION OF tnOSe Dauks.
took the senator at his word and
prepared and wired an interview for
him that read like a railway collision.
Voorhees, looked it over III the paper
when it came and gave it his full ap-
prevail.
Its a trifle weird,' he said, "but
It's right. It's exactly what l meant. y
"
Voorhees, is a man of more than six
feet in height and Of magnificent pres
enCe. Big in person., rich in words,
vivid in his thinking, Voorhees, was
one Of the most eloquent takers who
ever stood in the senate. Years ago he
was more or less given to forensic com
bat and went gayly to wal with any
who cared to face him.
1t was Ingalls, who broke Voorhees,
Of this hasty habit of battle and caused
the Tall Sycamore to resign his com
mission as one Of the senate minute
men Of the Democracy.
Voorhees, was i'll the house when the
civil war broke out and continued to
fill a seat in the lower body during part
if not all Of Lincoln's administration.
And he got more or less tangled up
with the COnfederaCy.
Ingalls, was aware Of these low,
swampy places i'll Voorhees, carly rec
ord. He carefully collected proofs and
organized for an onslaught ~ Voorhees,.
The SuniOwer senator's desk was load.
cd to the guards with all sorts of print
ed and written grape and canister fol
the HOOsler.
Voorhees, never dreamed Of the dead
fall ingalls, had rugged for him. It's tc
be doubted if any other senator had the
least inkling Of what was impending,
One afternoon Ingalls,, who performed
as a fashion of senate hen hawk, swoop
ed suddenly, with a shrill and uncxpect
ed screeCh, at Voorhees, and gave hin
beak and talon both.
Voorhees, was much aroused ut thit
unexpected visitation, and prompt,
hurled divers epithets Of ungrace at In
gals, of which perhaps the softes
phrase was liar and poltroon."
Ingalls, smiled. Without q word fur
ther Of preliminary diminishing he Eel
upon VOORHEES, hip and thigh. He open
cd his desk and began to read letters
papers, documents. For two hours h
hammered Voorhees, as man never wa
mauled in the enate before. and h
cIinched every rivet with a document
When he ended, there was hardl
enough of VOORHEES, left over which t
hold funeral services.
voorhees, could not reply and neve
cid. He talked the next day, but
was no answer to Ingalls,. From tina
hour there was a senate change III Vool
hees. He showed nothing Of that forme
hopeful reckIessness that sought encoui
ter for the mere fun Of "a fight. An
there was not a desk in the chamber
which he would not shy like a hors'
1t might conceal the basis OF anOth,
Ingalls, ovation. IA. II. Lewis in Ne
York Journal.
\ Check For 500
InCr1 was once q comedian who OF