The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-25

ClOSc Oh the TERM. anu was again maze NrON-
ernor in 1854. In 1886 he retired to private
life on his beautiful estate near Elkhart.
CALLED UNCLE DICK"
Governor Oglesby was beloved by the peo-
pie of Illinois, who bestowed on him the af-
fectionate sobriquet of Uncle Dick" Many
incidents Of his career have been related
from time to time. While young Oglesby
was second lieutenant of Company c.
Eighth Illinois, before he went to Mexico.
he studied Hardee's tactics thoroughly and
drilled the company TO perfection. Many Of
the men, however, who thought soldering
was a picnic, objected TO drilling every day
and resented the lieutenant's activity. A lit
tie episode grew out of this unpopularity
which was illustrative of a salient trait in
the character of the Governor. The opposi-
ton against him grew into open murmurs,
and arranged itself about a member of the
same company. who. Ii was urged by the
malcontents, would be a better man in
Oglesby's place. They began to demand
that there should be held another election.
One day, at the close of dress parade. a
young man stepped in front Of the company
and said in a loud voice: Il will bet two
Blank manning the rival of the unpopular
lieutenanD can beat Dick Oglesby in a foot
race of sixty yards A friend OF the latter
Immediately stepped forward and accepted
the challenge.
II knew at once" said the Governor. in
commenting on the incident. what this
CndllenEe meant. III was an attempt to dis
grace me. He was a noted athlete, especial
~ as a runner. and II was thought he could
beat me easily. Then 1t was expected that
L would be forced TO resign, and he would,
Of course, be elected TO fill the vacancy.
II accepted the challenge, for there was
nothing else to do. 1t was success or ruin.
amount of excitement. and was the talk of
the camp. | had my supporters, and they
bet their ~jackknives. money, when they
had II, and anything which would be ac-
CeDte0 as "A wager
The appointed day came, and, stripped
to the buff. except as TO trousers. we toed
the line. Both were bareheaded. I was bare
footed. he wore his stockings. Along on both
sides of the track TO be run over the entire
regiment was gathered, and with 1t were
vast numbers of civilian spectators. I felt
that my very life was on the race. and that
given and we started like deerhounds. we
ran abreast. not the fraction of an inch be-
away from him 1 could not. The crowd
roared and cheered, and frantically called
the names OF one or the other of US to win
the race. Clinging thus to each other, we
went on till we began TO near the line, and
for a moment a feeling OF despair came
then there came over me like an electric
flash the conviction: / cannot, / must not.
lose: A mighty impulse possessed me; 1
made a prodigiouS bound and crossed the
line six inches in advance. The roar that
went up from the crowd was deafening. L
was the hero of the hour. From that time
"oo AO OBPOSiNlpH III II COUlDdH1,
and my opponent became a hearty friend"
TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND.
In 1856 Oglesby visited the old world. He
covered an enormous field of travel, in
which were included Russia, all eastern and
central Europe, the Holy Land, turkey.
Italy and every point of prominence In
Western Europe. Soon after coming back
he was in great demand for lectures. His
lecture was supposed 10 be the Holy Land,
and this he has delivered hundreds of times,
and always with the greatest success. On
one occasion he lectured at Bloomington.
Lincoln, Judge Davis and other men of note
being. present. He was warmly congrat-
ulated by these distinguished gentlemen,
Lincoln remarking: Dick, / don't know
that ] have ever heard anything which
pleased me better" The pyramids having
tinued, turning to Judge Davis: "WeIl,
Davis. II does not seem to be so far back
TO Abraham as 1t used to be when we were
been b at et the we nv Ss1 4 young anSS m ataod " mo mas has
ground where the Messiah and Abraham
stood. and this seems to bring the human
work Of man like the pyramids. which I
would like to see, seems to me to shorten
the distance between the days of the old
fathers and those OF our own"
There is another little story concerning
the lecture on the Holy Land which was
told by General Grant. and which was not
for public inspection in the Governors stock
of anecdotes. Grant told il thus: "Oglesby
was invited to deliver his lecture on the
senting, was greeted with crowded audi
ences. He opened with the intention of
giving a lecture Of one hour in length. and
started off with a little preliminary descrip-
ton Of his adventures in Europe. Al the
end OF two and a half hours he had not yet
gotten out of Europe, and the audience was
so delighted that he had to promise to APP
pear another night and give the Holy Land
lecture. He appeared again. this time to a
still larger and more enthusiastic assembly,
to whom, as preliminary, he spoke a little
of what he saw among the Cossacks of
western Europe and what he found among
the ruins of Poland. He spoke till 1890, hav-
journ without having said a word of the
Holy Land. Still a third appointment was
he commenced his Journey by saying a lit
tie concerning Egypt, its wonderful an
Equities. its pyramids and its ruins. He
after awhile. pulled out his watch and
turned around to find the hour. A look of
pr he sIan astGn at pSs ws eeme Gysr ms t tac s
gentleman on the platform, Well, here 1t
is II o'clock, and IN be id if 1 have
The Governor once related the following
in regard to Lincoln: "In 1910, when l was
sixteen years of age. ] attended a log-cabin
Lincoln speak. He afterwards held a joint
debate with Judge Douglas in Decatur.
where I heard him and was introduced to
lIl4 Ill IlDd NlNb sPAIt oilC IOuiS
boys. I was greatly fascinated with the
simplicity of his character, his droll anec-
dotes, and fund of sayings. but above and
beyond all these ] was attracted to him
by the charming manner in which he dis
cussed politics on the stump. He was long
and ungraceful in his usual movements, but
In the midst of debate and when earnestly
engaged there was a glow on his face,
sublime air in his manner. and a lofty tone
which elevated not only the argument, but
lifted up and encouraged every one who
listened TO him. Whilst / cannot say he was
partial to any one In his intercourse with
men, he was uniformly courteous. mild, and
polite towards all. He did not seem TO seek
favor by personal electioneering but he
never turned coldly or formally from any
man. Al whom he knew he addressed by
their given name. and those 70 whom. he
was introduced he met equally kindly. AS I
grew into manhood and observed his meth
DDS. I soon learned. as everybody else did.
to look upon him as a great and thoughtful
man, capable of great actions and true de-
votion TO any cause he might espouse.
IT instinctively followed him through the
dying days of Whiggery and into Repub-
licanism, and was often encouraged by him
to go m~anfuliy forward in the struggle Of
I do not remember where, I recall distinctly
his saying: Dick, remember 10 keep close
to the people: they are always right, and
will never mislead any one'"
Bryon c. Davis.
NEW YORK. April 2i.-Byron c. Davis,
a corporation lawyer and president Of the
Copper King of Arizona Mining Company.
died last night at his homo in Brooklyn, aged
forty years. Two months ago Mr.. Davis