The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-01
ENDS HIS LIFE.
Ex- Congressman Glover Sends &
Bullet Through His Brain.
Close of Remarkable CareeT In
Kansas Politics.
ROSE ON THE TIDE.
3 ON THE TIDE.
Farmers Alliance Carried Him
on the Crest of the Wave.
In the End Left Him Broken on
the Rocks.

ler county, announces LnaI eX-COASISSS-
man Ben H. Glover committed suicide
near that place Saturday afternoon by
shooting himself through the head. The
particulars of his death are lacking but
it is supposed that he committed the act
which put an end to his life, while
Respondent
The story of Clover's life reads like 8
romance. He is one of the victims OF
the alliance wave which carried nl11
like piece of fotsam to the top OF the
crest and the next instant dashed hln
to pieces against the rocks.
Until 1889 Ben Glover was a farmer
in COwley county. He was not especial
ly prosperous but had q good farm ano
was as well off as the ordinary farmer
He was known as an easy going" ana
rather bright man among his neighbors-
He had read more than most OF them
and had devoted some study to the
question of economics. He could write
a good article upon the causes of the
depression among the farming classes
and could make a pretty good speecns
His wife was a respectable woman ana
was cOntented with her lot as a marc
working spouse of a farmer. She MIXED
the COWS, made the butter and attend
ed to her duties without murmur ana
the couple was as happy as any IL
the community.
In 1883 from Texas came the news
that a new organization had beer
started among the farmers to protect
and advance their interests. Farmer
Glover read about it and with a lew
others took steps to form an organtza1
ton in Kansas. They succeeded Welf
and soon things were ripe for state
organization. In the winter of 1883
few people, including MIR. Clover, met
at Newton and organized 1.-THE Kansas
Farmers Alliance Mr.. Clover was
elected president.
The new organization spread like 8
prairie fire. The farmers were dis
contented and welcomed any thing that
promised relief. Hundreds of sub-al7
hances were organized, cooperative
stores were started everywhere and the
Farmers alliance became potent
force in the affairs of the state.
Then it was that the leaders con-
ceived the idea of taking a hand ir
politics for, they alleged, the pohtic1anS
were responsible for the condition anc
the members of the organization rushed
pell nell after their leaders and a new
political party was created. -
Ben Clover, state president, was the
most available candidate for governor
and at the state convention it was sup7
posed he would be nominated but .
was IN no sense a politician and othe1
leaders who had been in training step
ped in and snatched the prize from un-
der his nose and gave it to John F.
Willitts of Jefferson county.
The Cowley county leader was dis
appointed but when he went home his
friends nominated him for congress and
he was elected by an overwhelming
majority, retiring Bishop Perkins who
was soon afterward appointed United
States senator by Governor Humphreys
The life of a legislator in the high
est organization in the United States
was not one for which Mr.. Clover was
fitted either by training or inclination
and the glamour and glitter dazzled
him. He forgot his wife on the Cowley
county farm-perhaps he was ashamed
of her. Dame Runor soon linked his
name with that of a young lady who
acted as his amanuensis and he was af3
terWard divorced from his wife and
married the young woman.
Congressman Glover did not care for
the long debates to which he was ex-
pected to listen and he would often
steal away to the secluSion of an ante
chamber where he would doze the time
away. One day a measure in which
the Kansas delegation was greatly in
terested was on the calendar. 1t came;
to vote and there were none to Sparez
Then the absence of the Kansas mem-
Der from the Third district was noticed
and a page was sent for him. He founo
Congressman Glover sleeping peace
| fully upon a. sofa in the cloak room and
so reported.
The story reached Kansas and when
| the convention was held to nominate a
| congressman from the Third congress
sional district Congressman Glover was
| turned down and Jeff Hudson Of Free
donia was named for his place and af-
| terward elected.
| Little was neaTQ OF MT. Clover TOT
| the next two years but one day when
| Governor LeWelling was a candidate
| for reelection the public was startled
! with a long statement from Glover in
! which he renowned the Populist party
and announced himself as a Republi-
! can.
| Lewelling was defeated and Mr..
| Clover asked for his reward. The lead
ers said that he had been paid and APP
| plication after application from the ex-
congressman was overlooked and the
! coveted office given to some one else.
| He was keenly disappointed but did not
| give up and was finally given the posi-
| ton of farmer at the state reform
| school at $40 a month.
| Topeka people will remember him as
| the man who drove the reform school
| express wagon and more than once he
| has slept in his seat while in the wagon
/ on Kansas avenue waiting for the Off
| GERS of the school who were performing
some business duties. The defeat of the
Republican administration left Glover
J without even this small position for
! Governor Leedy would not recognize a
! man he considered a traitor. However
| his wife was afterward given a position
as attendant in the Topeka insane
| asylum.
After the election of Governor STAN
ley Mrs. Glover lost her place and the
| couple disappeared from Topeka and
| but little more was heard of them. II
. was reported that they were conduct
| ing a hotel in southern Kansas but II
| was not known whether success or fail
| ure was browning their efforts until the
| startling news of the suicide Of the hus-
| band was received in Topeka.
| Mr.. Clover's sluggish mind untitled
him for a public career and his end was
the natural sequence to his eventful life
N IN