The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-20
COWING A BULLY.
How Senator Voorhees, of Indiana.
when "a Young Man, Got the Better
Ofa Local Terror.

OF Local Terror.
From the Chicago Record.
When Senator Voorhees,, as a young
man. was beginning the practice Of law
in this city, a good many years before
the war; he had an office in the second
story of an old building on Main street,
near Sd. There We're other lawyers in
the building, among them old John
Baird, a close friend of Voorhees,.
North of town lived young fellow
who was known as the bully of the
county. He was fond of boasting that
"he could lick anybody that did not
like him." and of doing his best, when
necessary, to live up to his boast. He
generally carried an immense horse
whip with him when he rode into the
city, and whoever incurred his dspleas-
ure was lucky if he got away unsCath-
ed OF his lash.
1t happened that the young lawyer
found it necessary to deal with the
horse whipping bully. VOORHEES, became
attorney for man who was in litiga-
tion with the bully or with some one
with whom the bully sympathized. At
all events, when Voorhees, made stir
ring speech for his client in the course
of which he referred in caustic terms to
the other parties to the cause, the pug
nacious individual felt aggrieved anu
swore Vegeance against the lawyer
He announced that he would horsewhip
Voorheers on sight.
Noorheers knew the bully and was
| perfectly sure that the threat would be
carried out to the very best of the
toughs ability. He went over to
his Main street office, entered the room
and locked the door. He sat down and
| thought the whole matter over. He
came to the conclusion, that if he al
lowed the bully to whip him the cir
| cumstance would be to him a profess
sional disaster. He was only a young
lawyer, just beginning to get a few
cases, and a blow of the kind impend-
ing would be a thing from which he
| might never recover.
Old John Baird, Voorhees, friend had
an office across the hall. He had heard
of the threat, had seen Voorhees, enter
| his office and felt that the moment was
a critical one for the career of the
young lawyer. SO Baird stepped to the
latter's door and turned the knob. Ii
was locked.
"Dan,' he called out, "let me in"
Voorhees, was deeply absorbed in his
reflections as to the proper course to
pursue and paid no attention.
DAM" came the voice of the old
lawyer in a sharper and higher tone;
''let me in or I'll kick this d door
down."
Voorhees, admitted Mr.. Baird with
him in an inQuiring fashion, but for g
moment neither spoke. They sat dowr
facing each other and then the ole
man said:
You've heard of that bluff"
Yes" Voorhees, replied.
What are you going to do about it p
"Well," said the young man, 1--WE
been thinking the matter over pretty
carefully"
Yes ?"
And I have made up my mind tc
kill the fellow"
Old John Baird got on his feet with
out another word and beckoned VOOr
hees to follow him. The men passed into
Baird's office, where the old man drew
out a large drawer containing an as
sortment OF revolvers.
Take your choice" he said, pointing
to the lot.
Voorhees, picked out an ugly looking
weapon and made an examination o
it.
This one will do" he said
The old man flashed around unit
he found some cartridges for the re
Volver Then he loaded it up and hand
ing it to Voorhees, remarked:
Nov; stop him; do it for your owl
, good and for the good of the com
munity."
, All this occurred on a certain Satur
, day morning. The afternoon of tn
same day Voorhees,, with Bairds re
, Volver in the side pocket of his sacl
coat, went down the street to have i
out with the bully of the county H
5 expected to meet the fellow somewher
on the courthouse square and he wa
: not disappointed The two met fac
to face on the south side of the court
, house near the 80 street corner. A
soon as the bully say the lawyer h
gripped the butt of his ever-read
horseWhip and prepared to sail in.
I'm goin' to horsewhip YOU" h
l said.
2 voorhees, calmly drew his hand fror
} his side pocket and in it was clinche
2 old Baird's formidable firearm.
And | am going to kill you" Voor
+ hees replied, leveling the pistol at tn
bully's head.
The bully became limp. Voorhee
: stepped closer to him, seized the whi
l from his nerVeless grasp and CAV
3 him few terrific stripes over tn
' shoulders, Then he handed the viii
= back to it's owner and said:
/, "NoW, get out of town and never civ
me the ghost of an excuse for it or L
, kill you"
The bully sneaked away, mounte
his horse, and has never been seen i
Terre Haute from that day to this.