The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-16
BACK TO REIGN.
"A PREACHER, iMPEACHED AS MAYOR,
rs AGAIN PUT INTO OFFICE.

Enemies Laughed and swore, but st,rk-
weather Got the votes-He Had q Pc
cuiiar Way About Him-The Most Re-
markable Campaign on Record.
In 1894 Charles S. Starkweather was
pastor of the Church of the Redeemer,
Episcopalian and the most fashionable
IN the town Of Superior, Wis.
In the spring of 1895 he resigned to
enter the mayoralty contest, was elect
ed and three mouths afterward was
impeached by the city council for re-
ceiving money from policemen and fire.
men as reward for their positions.
Two months afterward the supreme
court Of Wisconsin affirmed the judg.
ment OF the city council, and, not salts
fled with this simple affirmation, ad-
ministered an artistic judicial roast to
the preacher-mayor.
In 1896, with reputation destroyed,
with no pulpit or other avocation open
to him, tho ex-clergyman and ex-mayoi
retired to a piece of land in the wilds
OF northern Wisconsin. and with the
mark of Cain upon him proceeded to
earn his bread in the sweat of his brow,
his wife remaining in Superior and
maintaining his residence here.
In 1897 he returns to Superior, con-
ducts campaign single handed and
alone, runs independent and receives
about 5000 votes, defeating both the
Republican and Democratic Populistic
candidates.
Every newspaper in the city opposed
him. Not public man spoke for him.
The Republicans, Democrats and Popu
lists had their best speakers ON tn.
stump, and yet not one Of them was
able to get an audience if "Starlzie, old
boy" was speaking within ten blocks.
No man ever developed greater quail
tiles as campaigner. Starkweathei
says he was inspired from on high; that
he invoked and secured the assistance
of heaven. At any rate Superior is will
ing to give him the earth, judging by
the noise and enthusiasm ON the night
after his election.
A2d true it is that as campaign
speaker his efforts, when elected before,
were pury and lilliputian when COM
pared with those he has shown in the
campaign just closed. Some men have
vast latent resources, and some, it is
said, go to their graves without having
them stirred into action. Had Mr.
Starkweather never drunk SO deep in
the dregs Of adversity he might have
died without knowing his power.
That he has exhibited in this cam.
paigp great dramatic genius and power
every one comedies. His campaign has
been spectacular and emotional, appeal
ing to the sympathies and admiration
Of his hearers rather than to their logic
al discrimination because, when it is
remembered that as mayor he acknowl-
edged taking money from the policemen
and firemen after they drew their first
months pay, his position was diff
cult one to maintain. He asserts, how
ever, that it was simply an assessment
which the boys voluntarily made TO re-
imburse him for campaign expenses,
and that preachers are SO accustomed to
accept donations that the free offering
During his period of burning brush
and cutting trees on his farm he would
sometimes drive to town with a pair of
mules, assuming the most rustic char
acter Imaginable, then a few days aft
er, with his wife, he would appear in
silk hat and the most fashionable at
tire behind prancing steeds driven by
coachman.
His speeches in the campaign for wit
and tact with the crowd with which he
had to deal rivaled those of Abraham
Lincoln. He has well modulated and
excellently trained voice for public
speaking, elegant pronunciation and
fluent language. Taken all in all, he is
the greatest campaigner northern Wis
consin has ever developed.
After he was so completely crushed
the newspapers, though working for his
impeaching, have always treated him
exceedingly well, printing columns
about him in their local department.
and never permitting anything to be
said against him in the editorial col
umns. OH the theory that it was shame
full to kick dead dog. They treated,
too, has campaign as huge joke, re'
porting his numerous speeches and thus
helping him to draw audiences. This
was continued until his campaign had
assumed such proportions that it was
impossible to head it off through news
paper effort. The last day or two the
newspapers changed their tactics. stop
ped helping him draw crowds and at
tackled him in the editorial. columns.
but it was too late. He got the earth all
around Superior and the fullness there
of.-Chicaro Times Herald.