The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-09
FRANK HAT'TON'S find
RARE EXPERIENCE OF A PROMI-
NENTIowAN AS GOVERNOR OF
IDAHO TERRITORY
DECLINED TO ACCEPT THE PAY


Officials Finding No Precedent
for sDisp losing of It-Hatton Ac-
compa nied Gov. Irwin to Boise
City on. the Trip of Inspection
''Prettyss George" the Stage Driver
There is today in the treasury of the
United States the sum Of $3.50. which the
authorities can find no precedent for dis
posal of. 1t is one quarters salary of
Hon. johns ". Irwin, of Keokuk, To-, as
governor Of the territory of Idaho. While
Chester Ak Arthur was president of the
United States. Frank Hatton was a power
behind the throne. The late printer-jour-
nalist-politician was made first assistant
postmaster general and afterwards sue
ceeded to the office of postmaster general
Hatton was an IOwan. He was origi-
nally editor and proprietor of the Mount
Pleasant Journal. and afterward manager
of the Burlington Hawkeye.. Hatton was
one of the famous 1906 who voted per-
sistently ) for the nomination of Gen.
Grant for third term. He was known
in Iowa as a Jolly good fellow, but as
a man who, when. he had conviction
could not be swerved from it. Once Hat
tons friend. always his friend. Prosper
lily did not change him, and while in high
position in Washington any Iowa printer
who had worked at the case when Frank
did, or who had been in his employ, was
accorded an Immediate audience when he
called at the postoffice department He
was first ans1owan. and any Iowa man
had the CALL After that being news
paper man of any degree was next in
popularity with Hatton.
my FRIEND IRWIN"
Hon. John Irwin had been a lifelong
friend of Frank Hatton Mr. Irwin is
the senior Of the big wholesale dry goods
firm of Irwin. Phillips & Co.. Keokuk,
and a leading politician in the Iowa Re-
publican camp. He did not seek office
for himself. but always contributed lib
orally Geanpaign funds and lodged no.
toriety.: Frank Hatton was dissatisfied
with Ir&ins modesty. When President
Arthur yas essting about for governor
for Idaho Mr.: 'Hatton went to the White
house AID. presented the name of his
friend Irwin..alr this without the knowl-
edge or: consent of Mr. Irwin One day
there came to Keokuk the announcement
that MI. sIrwin had been appointed gov
ernor ofsIdaHO.. / was at the time man
ager OF sthe rKeokuk Constitution-Clag-
gets famous Iowa paper, the type and
presses 81 which were thrown into the
Mississippi river by Union soldiers dur
ing the Civil war. on the occasion when
Senator; Howell. of. the Gate City, saved
the. neck: of Henry Clay Dean, of "RebePs
o. = F.S1 (Sy--
nounced the destruction of the Constitu-
| ton office as an act Of tyranny that
should be civilly punished. I carried the
news to Irwin. who protested that he
would not accept the offlce-that his bust
ness would not permit Of it.
/ HATTeN ON THE SCENE
I Quickly following the appointment Of
|. Mr. Irwin came Frank Hatton in person.
|. He Insisted that Erwin must accept, and
finally prevailed upon him to make the
trip to Boise City for the purpose of look
! ing over the territory before deciding to
decline the governorship Of it. The party
was made up of Irwin, his business part
ner, Col. Phillips, who was the New York
buyer of the house, and Mr.. Hatton Part
of the journey was by stage coach, and it
was here that Hatton made his find. The
driver of the stage coach was a typical
frontlersman. with big fierce mustache
and. a piercing pair of eyes, shaded by
massive iron-graX eyebrows He was as
silent; as a. sphinx save when. inter
rogated,. and then replied only in mono
syllables., Irwin and Hatton We're up on
the seat with the driver. Hatton en-
gagged him in conversation, with fair sue
cess. and by judtcious questioning ascer-
tained that he had not always been as sad
and silent as at that time. He was mo-
rose because the railroads were. as he
put it. pushing him over the cliff" The