The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-11-09
ON THE DEFENSIVE.
M. E. Matthews BOlsters Up His
Pension Record.
Talks to Numerous Empty Seats and
Tells About His Relation With
VIM. D. LOyelace.

The browning event of the campaign
from a Democratic standpoint was to
be the address Friday night by M. E.
Matthews, the Marshall lawyer who
is running for congress in opposition
to Congressman McCleary, or thinks
he is 1t proved to be the browning
frost of the campaign, however, and
but for the assiduous work of "the
committee of fifty" clackers it would
have fallen completely fiat. The band
was hired, and proved the best attrac-
tion of the evening, but even that
failed to more than half fill the opera
house, and hundreds of empty seats
stared at the speaker. The opera house
has been better filed several times this
fall when tickets were dollar.
Three rows of seats had been placed
across the stage for distinguished
members of the party to occupy, but
not enough distinguished members
were found to fill them all. The cur
tain rolled up, the band played Sauls
dead march or something of the kind
and the distingue of the party, Henry
Zimmerman Jr., Jno. G. Thro, Arthur
Schaub, chief manipulators of the Blue
Earth county Democracy, and few
other wire pullers and such of the
candidates as were willing to sit in
the frosty atmosphere marched in and
took their seats with a dramatic air.
G. N. Andrews presided and
"jollied up the audi ence by saying
that the governing power of the coun-
try is the people. He meant the man
ipulators on the stage, probably, but
the people down below thought that he
referred to them and clapped their
hands He managed to keep his face
straight while he remarked humorous
ly that he had grave fears that some
time the governing power will be
found in the white house at Washing
ton. Mr.. Andrews then went into a
few glittering generalties about su
preme and minor issues that left his
hearers in the dark as to his meaning.
He said that just before election new
issue had come up, which it was too
late to meet before the people. 1t was
easy to besmirch character, but it took
weeks to clear character in peoples
minds, and this was true of the pre-
sent instance. He had hoped that is
sues and not character of the candi-
daes was to be settled by the ballots,
but there had been sprung without
provocation personal element. SIT
is our pleasure on the eve of this
SANDER to have the subject of it before
us. He is here to speak by his acts
and personal appearance in contradic-.
tion of the charges. We are unwilling
that they shall go undenied, although
the denial cannot be spread broadcast.
Therefore it is with unusual interest
that L present the speaker. In these
words Mr.. Andrews introduced Mr..
Matthews.
A tall, smooth faced man, with a
heavy voice, arose and spoke for an
hour and half, good many of the
audience leaving before he had con-
cluded.
Mr.. Mathews said that he did not
like politics and never did, and did
not want anything to do with politics.
Having accepted the nomination and
wanting to keep his word, he had
gone on with the campaign and had
met with hearty reception in all
parts of the district. At Window,
during the day, he had heard of cir
cular that was being sent over the dis
trict by Mr.. McCleary. He had not
thought that Mr.. McCleary or his
friends would do this. He had left
Mr.. McCleary alone and he thought
that Mr.. McCleary should have done
him the same favor.
Mr.. Matthews then turned his at
tention to the charges in the circular,
that he and his partner, G. W. An
drews, had been disbarred from prac-
tice in the U. S.. pension bureau for
having charged VIM. d. Lovelace, of
Cottonwood. 1896 for securing a pen
sion, being one-half the first payment
on the pension. Mr.. Matthews said,
in substance:
II had partner, Charley W. An
drews, one of the noblest characters 1
ever knew, one of the best neighbors
ever had, whose only fault was that
he had too large heart. He has gone
to his long rest, and the only thing
that hurts me in connection with this
matter is that his reputation should be
stained at this time The charge that
he and were attorneys for Lovelace
in his pension matter is false. The
money which Lovelace owed the firm
was not for securing his pension. He
owed us for making three or four
afidavits, and whether he paid us for
that do not remember, as our deal
ings with him occurred nineteen years
ago. We never had anything to do
with his affairs before the pension de-
partment.