The Opelousas courier., 1898-02-05
4 MEXICAN WAR STORY,
THE IMPORTANT PART PLAYED BY A
PAIR OF BOOTS.

IL
ence When Indiana Elections Were Close
Uncle Daniel EIocher, an old-Time
Politician, Tells an Interesting Tale.
Uncle Daniel Blocher, the venera-
BILE ex-representative from Scott
county, Indiana, to the legislature.
who can better interest n with his
stories touching the early history of
nat state than any other person in
southern Indiana, has related to the
lineage Record an incident pertain
lag to the annexation of Texas by the
United States in which he figured i'm
portantly. The truth of this singular
story has lever been questioned, and
SO far as possible reliable records en-
tirely s~ubstantiate it. It is an aneo
dote Of value from q historical stand
point and will also constitute a part
of the unwritten history of Indiana.
The central figure Of the sketch,
"Uncle DEB" as he is familiarly
known, is ts9t nearing the century
mark, but nevertheless he is as active
and jovial as he was forty years ago.
He stands six feet three inches in his
stocking feet and as the dignified poll
tician rides into town, astride his old
white mule, his snow-white head
covered with the high silk hat pur-
chased during Lincoln's time, he re-
minds n Of a picture of a member Of
the "Albany regency" going to see
Jackson on some affair concerning the
tprmation of the '.kitchen cabinet"
ind, in truth, he Is a perfect type Of
The politician Of ante-bellum days.
Mr.. Blocher never engages in story
telling unless requested to do so. The
story which follows has new before
been related by Mr.. Blocher expressly
for publication, though, of course, it
forms a part Of every schoolboy's edu-
cation in this county.
The gist of the story is that a pair
Of his boots caused the Mexican war.
They were not patent-leather ones,
but a pair of old, everyday boots. Yet
they were an important factor in caus-
ing that difficulty, which acquired for
the United States the land between
the Nueces and the Rio Grande, as
well as C%alifornia, with it's gold fields
and immense fruit lands.
In the fall of 1912 an election of
for the state legislature
was held in Indiana. Scott county
then entitled to a representative,
and the election was held every year.
At that time the county was very
politically, between the Wings
and Democrats. Samuel Davis, a
farmer, was q candidate for state rep
resentative on the Democratic ticket.
The election, which was held in Lex
the old county-seat Of this
was q hotly contested one,
and it behooved the stalwarts to bring
out every possible vote for their nomi-
nee. This was especially desirable,
- the man elected to the general as
from Scott county would be
untitled to a vote for United States
at the coming session.
Towards evening, as the time for
the polls drew near, Uncle Dan
the counsel of William II. Eng
ylish, who was then a resident Of the
Both sides had kept q strict
account of every vote polledand it was
B~ident that the result would be very
Ross. In the extremity of the situa-
lion NJ. English happened to remem-
Der a single Democratic voter, Wash
Owens by name, who had not
Mr.. Owens lived in the
Try, in the old Undertook district,
md though but a few miles distant no
time was to be lost. With great haste,
IN his "buckboard," Uncle Dan
after the delinquent voter. As
be gave the old nag a sharp jerk and
up under the pig pine tree in
'front.' of the quaint little log houae he
,pied Owens seated in the doorway,
lreamily putting away at a corncob
pipe. He explained the situation to
she latter, but no persuasion whatever
could induce him to go, Owens finally
declaring as the reason that he had no
boots to wear. Uncle Dan was equal
y the emergency and promising the
nan his own boots the two started for
own. Upon arriving at the edge Of
he town, after pulling off his ample
boots and giving them to his friend,
;ogether with so cents as a token OF
rood will, Uncle Dan alighted from
he buggy and seated himself on top
If q rail fence, where, by agreement,
,e was to wait until Owens returned,
While with his buggy the latter drove
nto town and voted. He was just in
line, as the polls closed a few min
ties later, he being the last man to
yote. The result proved that that
yote had been the salvation of the
nominee, as Davis was
by but one vote.
The important result of that vote
vas soon manifested. Davis was duly
qualified and proceeded, with the rest
# the legislators, to ballot for q United
senator. The candidates were
Oliver Fl. Smith, Wing, and Edward
Democrat, finally substi-
uted for Howard, whom the Demo-
rats were unable to elect, owing to
he action of q member from Switzer-
and county, who persisted in voting
or Hannegan. Again hot was the
ontest, which resulted in another tri-
Lmph for the Democrats and Hanne-
was declared elected by one ma
GRITTY, including the vote Of Davis
rom Scott. Il
During Hannegan's term in the Sem
to in the 1844-45 session of Congress
he question of annexing Texas came
lp. This also proved to be q bitter
ontest, the North opposing and the