Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-25
The Funny Side of Political Raj.
lies Well Told.
Tho Giant That Tossed tho Dwarf Into tho
Air at Wilson Uncle Gus Johusten.
Could Not Speak without water-Ho
Fled for Parts Less Threatening Lack
of Common poiiteness mt One Place.

conduct without being too serious.
The rallies of 1895 and before August
Of this year will never be forgotten bv
the speakers who canvassed the State
ana the newspaper men who reported
the meetings. In this story 1 wish to
tell OF the ludicrous side of the cam
| paign.
1t was at the close of the fight of
1898 that big rally was held at Will
| son. Thousands OF people were there
and many OF the leading political
| spell binders of the State had some
| thlnS 10 say. The crowd was bubbling
over with enthusiasm. Everybody
wanted to shout on Slight provocation.
| by 10 O'Clock in the morning the beau
uIul httie eastern town was full of
! people from all the surrounding coun-
| ,ry. Inc speakers stand had been
ouiit out in the open. so that the peo-
| pie could gather around it, When the
appointed hour for the addresses to
oeGln had arrived, men were surging
ana struggling TO get in hearing dis
lance. never saw such n throng
Judge II. G.. Conner was the first
| speaker. His duty was TO welcome
| the speakers and The people. Just as
| ne began to address the audience n
most laughable thing occurred. I'm
mediately in front OF the rostrum.
about 20 feet from the steps, n very
| tall, muscalur man of about 80 years
| OF age had taken his stand. by trade
ne was blacksmith. and his hands
were rugged and rough ana his body
strong. That day he had on Just
enough Whisky TO make him violently
enthusiastic. The man nearest to him
was Al little bit of scrub that had
passed the middle age. but did not
| weigh over l25 pounds. He was
| scrawny and short but full of grit and
FUSS. Indeed. lie was very loud and
| oolsterouS for Il man of his size. Be-
iore the speakers were on the stand he
was yelling, Down in 'front.'" to the
half dozen or more men between him
self and the rostrum. He was about
feet and inches. while the man be-
hind him was feet s inches. When
judge Corners first sentence left his
Ups the dwarfy enthusiast set up n
terrific scream. All eyes were turned
on him. The giant looked down upon
his insignificant looking figure and
laughed aloud An idea had burst
INTO his mindl He was going to do
somethngi Judge Conner e,t1.
Gentlemen, this is a great meeting"
Al this juncture the blacksmith caught
the figure in the slack of the pants and
the scruff of the neck and hoisted him
far above the heads OF those in the nu-
| dience, and everybody howled. The
small mans voice was the sbrilIest
ana loudest in the crowd. He yelled
IKE wild Indian. Judge Conner
kept his dignity and waited for the
whooping to cease. Again he started
and up went the little fellow like the
jack out of the box. The big man
tossed him up as he would q child.
Both were enjoying the fun and the
entire audience acQuiesced. Again and
| again the speaker tried to proceed. but
IN vain. The side show was too great.
Judge Conner finally gave up in de-
Spair and laughed with the crowd. The
Dig fellow did not laugh at all. but
simply did the raising. lie was helm
ing friend in need.
Ever since the days of reconstruct
tlon old man Gus Johnston, colored. of
kobeson County. has sought to lead
MS people to political haven. but not
uhtll 1898 did he have an opportunity
10 make a start. Before the fierce
campaign of that year begun, negro
oiiice-holders, postmasters Justices of
the pcHcu, policemen and so forth we're
scattered through the counties of the
east Robson county was in the
hands of the fusionsts to the extent
mat the negroes had a delusion that
they were on top. Uncle Gus was a
ring-leader. He had prepared several
speeches. with which he expected to
Sur his people to great enthusiasm.
Early IN the campaign he went into
the rural districts and warmed the ne
groes up at night meetings He made
many gestures and spoke with force
ana fire The negroes began TO talk
about Uncle Gus Johnston rs the most
powerful man in that end OF the woods.
Those who had not heard his eloquent
appeals We're anxious to do So His
meetings grew larger all the time. He
told his fellow-citiZens that the time
had come for the negro to get right.
The foty acres and the mnle We're COM
ing.
But just about the time Uncle Gus
was getting all-powerful the Red Shirt
Clubs began to organize. At first the
black orator ridiculed the idea He had
no fear of molestation His boldness
grew from day to day. He spoke in the
day time as well as at night. The red
shirts of a Democratic precinct deter
mined to stop him. Looking over his
appointments, they saw that he was
TO speak in a colored church i'm that
neighborhood on a certain day. Six of
the boys dressed in brand new shirts
and hid themselves in n piece of woods
near the church. When the appointed
hour came the church was about one
fourth full of negroes. Uncle Gus was
in the pulpit ready to start. lie was
looking brave and happy. After he had
gotten up but before he had said a
word. the half dozen men in red shirts
marched down the aisle and seated
themselves near the pulpit. Every one
ioided his arms, crossed his legs fixed /
his eyes on the speaker and became a |
quiet as possible. This conduct did not |
trouble Uncle Gus. He began his
speech just as if the white men had !
not been there. All at once and with |
one accord the red shirt men drew out |
q whetrocS and q bowie knife apiece |
from fEnir l1crL,afs NH i.n,,n,, a., |