The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-21
TOLD OFsLNiTOR room Frs.
The Tall Sycamore Oft the Wabash In His
Earlier Later Years.

The Tall Sycamore OF the Wabash In His
Earlier and Later Years.
Little has been said about the warm
friendship that existed for number of
years between Senator voorhees, and
Chester a. Arthur When Arthur sue
ceeded Garfield as President of the Unit
ed States he had no other companion IN
Washington who was quite so close 10
him Is was Voorhees,. This was true.
despite the antagonism OF their political
views. They were peculiarly harmonious
personally. Arthur had great confidence
in Voorhees, judgment on delicate points
OF executive policy, and he would tank 40
the Senator with as much or more free
dom than he talked TO any other person.
The President WAS continually inviting
Senator Voorhees, TO the White House.
lie consulted the great HCOsier Democrat
IN regard TO Indiana patronage as freely
as lie consulted any Republican. Ihey
are said to have had many bottle Of
wine together in the President private
! once while discussing matters OF state,
and dwelling upon those thousand and
| one cher questions which interest SYM
| pathetic and enlightened men. Il is
! known that Arthur always regretted 10
! have Voorhees, leave him, and frequently
| induced the Senator 10 spend the night at
| the Executive Mansion.
Senator Voorhees, was just as deeply at
tached to the President. He held nm IN
/ high esteem because Of his strong mental
| attributes and his gentleness OF dSposi-
| ton. The affection Of these men for each
| other was singularly like that Of broth
| ers and il continued throughout the life
! Of Arthur. When Arthur was candi-
| date for the Presidential nomination be-
| fore the Minneapolis Convention one or
| his most ardent champions, so FAR as
/ sympathy was concerned. was Voorhees,.
| The Senator took an extraordinary inter
| est in the contest, and for some reason
seemed 10 hope that his friend would win.
/ When his disappointment came, II IS said
] by those VINO were with Voorhees, az the
announcement OF the news that he broke
down and cried like "A child.
! No man is better known among the old
| timers of the Terre Haute Congressional
district than IS Senator voorhees,. Indeed
: il Is doubtful If any other person ever
! connected with the politics Of this part OF
the state had purely personal follow
| ing so large as that OF the ran Syca,
! more Of the Wabash. lie knew ana
| still knows hundreds OF the voters OF the
district by their Christian names. lie mas
| stopped over night az their homes ana mas
| made himself familiar not alone with
their families but with their antecedents
! as well.
When young Mr. Voorhees, was can
| didate for Congress in the days before
! the war he canvassed the district on
! horseback, frequently travelling with MS
| rival on the opposing ticket. mis- was
true I'm 1860 when he and the late Col
! Thomas Nelson. oX-Minister a. Chlh ahe
Mexico were candidates for congress OF
the Democratic and Republican tickets
respectively. They were speaking IN JOIN
debate I'm Parke county.
one night they appeared az Rockville
and they were billed 70 speak on the ioi
lowing night at country town seNeIa
miles distant. I'm the Afternoon OF th'
Lext day COL. Nielsen left for the llttl'
town alone. on the way he stopped &c
talk TO an old farmer who was plough
ing i'm a field near the road. The laIInel
stopped his team nj the corner or MS
land" near the fence, and climbed ui
and sat beside Nelson ca the Top ran @
| hear his exposition OF the kepunucai
side. While they sat there talking Noor
hoes rode up and spoke 20 them IN hl
usual most cordial manner. The Situation
might easily have become somewhat d"h
ward hut Voorhees, did not permit any
thing of the sort. He dismOuntcd an'
tied his horse 20 the fence. chatting pleas
antly meanwhile with the farmer ana ni
rival Then voorhees, got over INTO ln
field. threw the farmers lines about hl
shoulders. and started the team
lie ploughed a round with as m uf,l
I'm the country could have done
II. When he came back tC
the starting point Nelson and the vot
er were still talking, and the politician
made another circuit of the field As b.
neared the place Of beginning the secon'
time Nelson had got down off the fence
and voorhees, overheard the following
You say your names NelsonE
"Well. 1 amt got nothin' ag'm you Mr
Nelson. and | must say you know how q
gas bout as smart as any Teller ever
see; but I guess / CANT vote Tor you.
ike the stvle q this Teller Voorhees, bet
ter-ef YOU don't mind me sayin so. lie
showed 4 willn'ness 20 help me out TN
AFTERNOON and he might do u agin som
time when he gifts to Congress. Goo
day" H..
away. leaving Voorhees, leaning hetWee
the plough handles. and the OLD farmer
with his straw hat on the back OF hi
head and his arms folded. standing In IN
furrow and cycling the young lawyer VIII
When Senator VOORHEES,. as youn
man was beginning the practice or laV
I'm this city a good many years neror
the war. he had an office IN the secohl
story Of an old building on Main stree
near Third There were othcr lawyers Y
the building. among them OLD Johh balro
a close friend Of Voorhees,.
7 North Of town -wed young Fellow Wh
was known as the bully Of the county
He was fond Of Boosting that ne coul
lick anybody that did not Ike him. an
]
M 10 his boast. He generally carried a
immense horsewhp with him when N
rode into the city. and whoever incurre'
his disploasure was lucky II he got ava
unscathed Of his lash. -.
II happened that the Young awe
found Al necessary 10 deal with the horse
whining bully. Voorhees, became attor
nev for n man who was I'm htlsauol
with the bully or with some one VIII
whom the bully sympathized. At al
events VIXEN Voorhees, made n surrin
speech for hts Client. I'm the course o
which he referrest caustic terms 10 IN
other parties to the cause. the pugna
cious individual felt agsrieved ana swor'
VENGEANCE against, the lawyer. He an
nonnced that he would horsewhip Noor
hces on sight. -, , - -
Voorhees, knew tie bully and was per
factlv sure that the threat would be car
riod on, IN the very best or the tough
ability. lie went over 10 his Main-stree
Office entered the room ana locked n
door re sat down and Thought IN
whole matter over. He came 10 the cor
clnslon that II he allowed the bully Z
Win him the circumstance would be I
hin, a professional disaster He was onl
a Young lawyer. just beginning 70 get
few cases. and blow OF the KIND I'm
nending would be a thing from which
| might never recover.