The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-24

crowds of juveniles and their elders, some
Of whom-mournful to relate-were so far
lost to sense of the proprieties that they
jeered at him.
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
An exceedingly interesting biographical
sketch of this latest addition to 1.-THE I'M
was contributed to Ainslees Mag
azine for May by E. ID. Cowen. Inasmuch
as the people of Indianapolis are to enjoy
the unwonted privilege of not merely see
ing, but also hearing Mr.. Lewis in the near
future, a brief account of his remarkable
personality and his greatest achievements
will doubtless be appreciated.
James Hamilton Lewis is the owner of
many titles, including 'Jongshoreman,"
Dude, ''Habeas Corpus" Colonel" and
narrowly escaped being dubbed Dog Lat
in Lewis Lewis prepared an autobiog-
nothing else could, his towering egotism
and love for notoriety. Concerning his fas-
cinating career Mr.. Lewis says:
Born at the close of the civil war, his
father serving as an officer with General
Lee; taken TO Georgia as a child: grew up
in Augusta, in that State; from there went
to Savannah. Graduated at the University
of Virginia; was admitted TO the Savannah
bar in 1884. The vicissitudes of the war
left his family dependent; he being the only
child, the support of his parents was
thrown upon him. Came to Seattle winter
of 1885; unable to do anything at his pro-
fession; worked on city docks, loading ships
as 'longshoreman;' taught class for the
State University at night in the dead lam
guages; got back TO his profession i'm 1886;
was looked on as the friend of the poor,
taking their cases without compensation;
was elected to the territorial Senate for
the three main counties of the western
part of the State in the Legislature of 1887
and 1888; then followed his professional sue
cess in railroad and criminal law. He was
one of the main trial lawyers in the larger
cases that arose in the State; was first
chairman of the first Democratic state con-
vention held in the State of Washington;
refused the nomination for Congress in
1890. candidate for Governor I'm 1892, and,
although nominated. refused to accept be-
cause he was opposed to the declaration of
the platform adopted by his party conven-
ton. Was the minority candidate for the
United States Senate in the Legislature of
1894. Elected to Congress in 1896, after
having been placed in nomination in the
Chicago convention for Vice President
when Bryan was nominated for President,
etc., etc.
THE RECORD INVESTIGATED.
Mr.. Cowen has been cruel enough to in
vestigate some of the statements in the
foregoing sketch prepared by Mr.. Lewis
and has this to say concerning it's &C
curacy:
1.-The accompanying autobiography, pre-
pared for this review by Lewis himself, is
Characteristic in that IL is out of joint with
the facts. Considerable doubt exists as to
his age. He says that he was born at the
close of the war. the vicissitudes of which
made him responsible for the support of his
parents. Thus he started life as prodigy
of labor in the cradle. The University of
virginia has been queried in vain for con-
firmation of his illuminate. He is not known
to men represented by him as having been
classmates. He never loaded ships as q
Iongshoreman' at Seattle. He never taught
the dead languages. of which he knows
nothing, at the Washington State Univer-
sity. Nor did he teach any other language
He was not nominated for Governor In 1892
In making these trifiing corrections, the
purpose Is TO suggest an idiosyncrasy
which stands out as one of the striking
peculiarities of this very peculiar man.
An excellent sample of Mr. Lewis's ability
as campaign orator is given by Mr..
Cowen, and, since the people of Indian
apolis are to be favored with one of his
pyrotechnical effusions, some advance idea
ciated. One of the most striking of Lewis's
peculiarities is his recklessness in dealing
with mathematics. This is well illustrated
In a speech delivered by him during joint
debate In the campaign of 1896. Referring
to the national circulation, he bestowed a
wild caress upon his silky beard and pro-
tuberant 'forelock' and hurled at his ad-
miring auditors the following gem:
1T is the proposition of those who govern
you that in this country, with its 6S, 900 900
of people, with volume of business which
a
which exceeds $50 600 600, you are met with
proposition that the amount of money
with which your country may do it's bust
ness is 10 be divided. You are told the stool
shall stand on three legs; that there is
$50 000,0 900 in gold. with ST. 600 900, 900 re-
serve. making II $4,000. 100000. You are told
and given 20 understand that there is S.
OO00oo.OOO more of what is known as green
backs. In other words. the aggregate of
$4,000. 900 000.'
LOST HIS WAY.
"At this point" says Mr.. Cowen. 1.-The
Populist chairman of the meeting more
familiar with currency estimates tugged at
his coat-tail and suggested that he was
way off in his figures Whereupon Lewis
continued, alphabetically:
MY friends. the terms are more or less
perplexed in my memory. / do not know
why have used those words million and
billion; II Is not because of physical ex-
haustion; 1t seems to be mental annoyance.
/ have used the word billion instead of mil
lion In the amount OF money, and used the
word million instead of the word billion.
Your debt runs into thirty-three billions OF
dollars. You understand it was but slip
Proceeding further in his address Mr.
Lewis suddenly contracted the currency OF
the country enormously. He said:
These gentlemen say that the gold will
leave the country. l ask where will ii co.
Will these gentlemen take this 100000 OF
gold and dump II into the Atlantic to add
to Captain Kids treasure? Where is that
six'-here the chairman reminded him that
he meant $500 600, 000-"Yes. hundred mil
lions of dollars going that is going TO leave
this country" In making the oft-repeated
charge against Senator Marcus A Hanna
that the latter had swindled the govern
ment in the sale of his yacht Corsair Mr.
Lewis at various times gave the cost OF the
vessel as $4,000. s4s 900 and So, 900. and the
government purchase price $4,000 s115. O0t
and sllS,0e0. In fact. the yacht cost $l55, 00(
and was sold TO the auxiliary board fol
$4,000.
In another speech Mr.. Lewis painted a
picture of a patriotic Bryan Democrat
weeping over the valiant charge at San
tiago of the Sixty-ninth New York and the
Twenty-sixth Michigan Regiments, where
as the first regiment was sent &c
Cuba and the latter existed only in the
roomy Lewis imagination.
Mr.. Cowen gives many more interestine
facts about Lewis in his sketch. which Is
well worth reading. To sum IL all up, there
can be little doubt that the appearance OF
James Hamilton Lewis in Indianapolis next
month will be one OF the star attractions
OF the season.
Petit Annoyed Former Wife.