The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-17
WIEN KANSAS
WAS HIS HONE
Senator Beverages Exper-
fence Out in Dighton.
HIS GREAT AMBITION
Believed That He Was Going
to Be President.
HIS GREAT AMBITION
(speeiaI COrrespOndence Of the Eagle)

especial correspondence OF the Eagle.)
Dighton, Kan, August 16.-''Wen, Nc,
goodbye; some day I'll be president of
the United States. and then I'll remember
you"
1t was in the spring of 1856 that tail.
slim, eager-faced boy made this remark
tn the then thriving city OF Dighton, 10 D.
c. Mcclellan, a real estate dealer and
locator Of that town.
The young man had spent about nine
months in Dighton. and had been asso-
ciated with Mcclellan in business. He
had come TO Dighton the summer before
about August, 1S85-for two reasons: His
health was poor; his purse was slender.
When he left his health was much i'm
proved, and his purse. while not plethoric
had yet a fair amount OF money in 1t
TO show for his work in Dighton the
nearly twelve months he had spent there
This tall, slim, eager faced boy was
Albert J. Beveridge-now junior United
States senator from the state OF Indi-
ana
Beveridge had been out Of school for
little over year. He was poor and his
health was bad. He came west. He
worked in southern Kansas, near King
man. with a railroading outfit for some
time; and then was in Dodge City. Later
he went to northwest Kansas. This was
just prior to his going 10 Dighton. One
Gay .. G. Mcclellan who had been in
Dighton and Lane county since 1879, when
buffalo and prairie dogs were almost the
sole occupants of the townsite and
county and had prospered in the real
estate business, and had gone to
Wakeney, on the Union Pacific railroad,
where the United States land Office was
located then as now. The register of
the Office was B. J. F. Hanna, in those
days well known in Kansas politics. He
is the father Of the young man who as
solicitor for the navy department. took
an active part in the Schley court of in
Quiry a year ago. Mcclellan told Hanna
that if he came across a bright young
man, who knew something about running
an Office, to send him down to Dighton-
that he could take care of him. Soon
Albert J. Beveridge came along. and
Hanna sent him to Mcclellan. =
This, then, was the now famous sena-
tors introduction to Dighton. where he
lived for some time. He proved an adept
in the Office so Mcclellan says, and was
all that was desired. He made out papers,
swore settlers and claimants. wrote let
tiers, looked up things, and Mcclellan
was busy throughout the county locating
claimants on their land. The business
vas good. Both the senator and junior
partner thrived. Immigrants were piling
into Lane county, and Dighton had a
population Of 800 Those were great
days. and activity and hustling were re-
Quired 10 keep up with the times. Nc
CIellan says his thin, slim. pale-faced
partner kept up his end completely.
When Beveridge three years ago was
elected United States senator from In
diana. there appeared in the eastern
prints a wierd story of how the young
senator once got into brawl in Dighton
and in the gunplay which followed. was
almost eaten up by burIy cowboy. The
writer. this story in mind. made careful
inquiry this week in Dighton concern
ing this hair-raising story, and found not
a trace of truth in it, so far rs the
memory of the old inhabitants is con-
cerned. Mcclellan says he did have a
little alteration one day with a native
q carpenter. not a cowboy. and that il
had no serious results. whatever. The
man had no gun; neither did Beveridge,
and Mcclellan says il is unlikely that
either would have used it had he pos
sessed IL. Dighton was a peaceful com
munity. despite its frontier location and
nothing more serious than chasing a man
out Of town if he did not meet the re-
ouirements Of the time and natives, or Il
good stin game of poker disturbed things
IN the least. The people were too busy
locating their lands. proving Up. trying
10 farm. coming and going. trafhcking
and bartering, to get bad" So the little
nlusionary story of Beverage and the
bad cowman must be relegated 10 the
obscurity where 1t belongs.
There was one incident, however. which
Mcclellan relates. He one night caught
. man stealing things from an ilnmi-
grants wagon. He intercepted the man.
and he was put into the lookup. The
next day a few hotheads made as II TO do
violence 10 the thief and young Bever-
idge climbed on a box and talked the
crowd out of il. This is the only incl
dent. Mcclellan Gays, to mar the other
wise peaceful atmosphere which peTvaded
the place while the future statesman
vas in the town.
Beverage now lives IN fine house in
Indianapolis. and in Washington is snug /
" domiciled. but his surroundings in /
Dighton were not so luxurious. He made /
bis home in 8 sod hotel. the remnants I
OF which still adorn the townsite. He /
ate and slept here. ard was one OF the /
boys" His tastes were simple and he 4
was plain. unassumlng and attended 4
strictly 10 his business, so his old partner I
Eays. lie was not regarded as = tender 4
foot and therefore no fun was had out ]
o. him during his short stay in the town. /
Mcclellan. in a reminiscent mood. the 4
other night, over cigars. his leg thrown 4
over the arm Of his chair and his big 4
bat tipped over his half-closed eyes.
regales the writer and seine Dighton men 1
with little anecdotes OF the Indiana 1
ststesman's early days.
Beverage was nothing but boy" he /
said. He was about IS years OF age, and !
q square. honest boy, at that. lie had /
apparently been wen educated, bat I /
take IL he knew very little law in those 4
days. None was necessary, anyway for /
the principal work then was TO get To-
cated-trouble and courts came later. 1
Many days I left Beveridge to run things. /
and he ran them Wen, go far as I know. |