The Butler weekly times., 1897-01-07

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enormous river traffic gave to that
section an advantage which other
parts of Missouri did not possess
So that when Buckner died in
1888, it was felt that the southeast
was entitled to the succession. This
sentiment resulted in the election,
almost unanimously, Of Lewis +.
Linn, of st. Geneyieve, who receive d
IS votes, as against scattering
vote of 19
DR.. Linn was charming gentle
man, albeit, not IL great statesman,
his service extended continuously
until 1913, when, by reason of ter
rible accident, he was burned to
death in his own home, and the
state paid conspicuous honors to his
memory
Linn had no opposition to his re
election in 1886. But in 1888 there
was some opposition to Benton. He
was an imperious, tyrannical man,
and so, when the ballot came on III
the general assembly, it was found
that Benton had IS votes and Abel
Leonard As votes. This Leonard
was the father of the present Abiel
Leonard, who is now scheduled
among the political gossips for coal
oil inspector under the patronage of
his kinsman, governor elect Lon V.
Stephens.
In 1912 DR.. Linn was re elected
by vote of 119 to a scattering vote
of 10, but his death in l843 created
vacancy which had to be filled by
special election by the general as
sembly.
Mean while the state constitution
was changed SO as to give the gov
ernor the power to fill the senatorial
vacancies, and governor Thomas
Reynold of Howard county at once
appointed David r. Atchison of
Platte to fill the vacuum occasicned
by DR. Linn's death Reynolds, by
the way, who wrote the bill and
forced it through the Legislature
prohibiting Imprisonment for debt,
which up to that time had been the
old English law in Missouri.
When the Legislature assembled
in 1874, it elected Atchison for the
then term of four years, he receiving
1Ol votes, as against II for Henry
s Geyer and 13 scattering. 1t was
Atchison who accomplished the
''Platte Purchase" which forms a
unique niche in American history
At the instigation of Doniphan and
Atchison, United States Senators
Benton and Linn pressed through
congress bill by which all the
country now embraced in the coun
ties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan,
Holt. Nodaway and Platte became
part of Missouri This it was which
made Atchison famous, and it is re
corded that during his career as
United States senator be was presi-
dent for one day. This was due to
the fact that March 4, 1894. FELL on
Sunday, and President Taylor was
not inaugurated until March S
Polk's term expired March 3, leav
ing one day without a chief execu
tive. Atchison, being president pro
tenn, OF the senate, was technically
the president on that day.
At the meeting of the legislature
in lo44 another effort was made to
defeat Benton, but the great Mis-
sourian had inspired so much awe
and fear that its naturalization was
a failure. He received II votes TO
81 for I. B English aud 25 scatter.
ing Nobody seems to remember
who English was, but he has gone
down in local history as the first
man after Bentons first election to
make really formidable fight on
Benton. In 1s49 General James S
Rollins appeared on the scene as an
opponent of David r. Atchison. but
the vote resulted: Atchison, lO2;
q; scattering, s. Thence
forth Rollins had the senatorial and
The gubernatorial bee in his bonnet.
aud, while all his efforts 10 those di.
r0ctlOnS wara frn;}laSs l..