The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-08
DUMPED PRESIDENT VAN BUREN
Old Elm Where the Joke Was Played
 Has Had It's Day.

The stately old elm on the Natlonal road, just 13 miles out of Indianapolis, long stood a reminder of joke played on President Van Buren, in which the president was unceremoniously dumped out into a mire The incident happened late in the '30s. Van Buren had been occupying the presidential chair some time, and internal improvements were the order of the day. Van Buren was not favorable to a reckless expenditure of money for roads and internal inn provements, and had vetoed several bills which had been lobbied by large contractors, who were then, as now, quick to take advantage of the govern ment
 William Hale. in charge of the stage line from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, was one of these men. The road was really in bad condition. President Van Buren at last decided to make a trip overland to the Mississippi to make a personal investigation of the high ways. He was to go over the road which led from Indianapolis to Terre Haute. Nothing could have pleased Hale better than the announcement that the presi- dent was to go over the line. It was in frightful condition at many points, and by way of making sure of settling the presidents mind he planned to dump him into the deepest mjre along the road. Mason Wright, the driver of the stage, was consulted, and on the promise of $5 if he would dump the president into the mire at Plainfield he entered into the scheme.
 President Van Buren completed his business at Indianapolis and took the stage for Terre Haute. The ride out to Plainfield was fairly good. The driver, however, took care to give them ali the mud possible, and he found great deal of it. At last they approached the Quaker settlement. The mud was aw- full. The village was reached at last and the driver pulled up his horses in front of a great morass in the road. He crooked his neck around and asked the president which way he had better go to get around tbe mire. The president looked out and indicated to the right This was what Wright had anticipated He followed the directions, ran the wheel up over the great roots of the old elm, and with a crash the stage went over.
 President Van Buren and his secre. tary shot through the stage door and into the mire knee deep. They wal lowed in the black stuff, to pick them selves out at last thoroughly plastered An old woman who was near took the president in charge and with a chin scraped the mud from his broadclotk clothes. He was taken to the old Me. Caslin hotel and given a thorough rub ping and bath.
 Later he gave reception. The presi. dent was the laughing stock of all. and he took 1t good natnredly. Many stories are told of how he was mystified by the old Quakers approaching him and call ing him by his first name. He was quite nonplussed at first by this ore sumption, as he took it, on their part.
 That section of Indiana in that day was somewhat wild. A man named Kist was the leader of notorious gang. He chanced to be in town that day and was passing down the road when one of the
 
 him that President Van Buren was there.
 You can tell old Van Buren to 20 to
 - for me-" replied Kise, who was smarting under some government ac. ton. The president heard the remark and, turning, smiled, and said:
 There's certainly one vote in Tndi. | ana l won't get''
 From the day the president wa, dumped out in the mire to the presen, the old elm has been a sacred sentinel to the memory of the jolly preside,t | The improvements that are beino nads | around it have thus far left the trss | whole, but its days are numbered and the surroundings are so changed ina, there is little left to help recall the in. | teresting scene.-Chicago Record