The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-04
BY MERE ACCIDENT
BaiIie WaggOner Tells How
Horton Came to the Front.
EARLY POLITICAL STRIFE
ingalls, and the Dead Chief
Justice Were Enemies.

Samuel A Kingman had resigned.
Thomas a. Osborn was governor and had
it in his mind TO tender the place to
John NJ. Price. OSBORN and Price had
been rivals for the governorship in the
state convention Of 1872. but were warm
personal friends and Osborn wanted 10
make Price chief justice. Upon Governor
Osborns arrival in Atchison he fell in
with Waggoner Hello, Governor, what
are you over here on?" was Waggoner' S
familiar greeting.
well, Batie." the governor replied, Il
am over here 10 find a chief justice. ."
who is it?"
"Wen. Bailie. am going to offer it
to John NJ Price"
"Oh. don't do that Appoint my part
ner. Albert H. Horton.
Then they fell to talking. Waggoner
was only half serious at first, but he be-
came really in earnest and wandering
down to the union station they decided
to take a little run up to St. Joseph. Re
turning to Topeka the next day Osborn
wrote to Horton inviting him to come
to Topeka. Meanwhile Waggoner in
formed Horton what to expect, and sure
enough, when Horton responded to Os-
borns invitation he was rendered the
Office.
Horton accepted eagerly. 1t gave him
position and opened a road TO the sena-
torship. There were signs of a fight on
ingalls, and Horton in the high Office of
chief justice would be in conspicuous
view. The man, casually so undemon-
strative, could not suppress his JOY. Re
turning to the railroad station, he walked
ND and down the board platform rubbing
his hands and smiling. I knew some
thing had happened that gave the old
man pleasure" Agent Carney said today
relative 10 the incident. but could not
guess. Then when the appointment came
out I knew"
This put Horton in position again. He
fitted his new duties well. and he at once
began 10 attract attention. The fight on
ingalls, was growing Opposition candi-
dates openly announced themselves. Hor-
ton maintained a dignifed silence, but
he was recognized as the one man of all
TO be pitted against Ingalls,. Finally the
election came on. and behold, the anti
Ingalls, people We're in possession of the
house. Then came the fight. Among
others who were in the house was John
NJ. Price, the same who. without know
ing it. had narrowly missed the Office Of
chief justice Price was another Atchi-
son man who did not like ingalls,. but
he never was rabid about it. In the
Republican nominating convention, In
gals wanted another man nominated, but
Price won.
After a protracted contest the anti-In-
gals legislative caucus nominated Hor-
ton. It was O'Clock in the morning and
Horton was sitting up with J. G. Pang-
born and another newspaper man waiting
for information of his nomination. TAX
ing a carriage the party drove to the
state house where "A lot Of time ~-0s
wasted in making speeches. Pomeroy wa
there. Sidney Clarke was there; William
A. Phillips. W. W Guthrie, Z. y. Nor
riH. George T. Anthony. B. T. Simpson,
s. A. Riggs, A NJ F. Randolph. c. J.
Brown and ali the crowd that ingalls,
hated. Pomeroy had come all the way
from Massachusetts and even tried for
the caucus nomination. They had eighty
seven votes pledged in waiting and
eighty-five were enough to elect the sen
ator OF course, they were happy. Hor-
ton wa i'm frenzy of JOY. His hour Of
triumph was a hand. They made speeches
until / O'Clock. Pomeroy said he had
come 10 bury Caesar" and all mat Fin
ally they consented TO break up the meet
ing and so to work; but they had wasted
their opportunity. While they We're talk
ing. ingalls, was at work. The list was
gone over and the weak brethren were
picked out At noon January 81 the vote
was taken in the joint convenlion-John
J. ingalls,. St; Albert II. Horton, 50: John
r. Goodin. .. D. P Mitchell, !. The loss
of one vote would have beaten ingalls,
and elected Horton. for r. n Wight,
who voted last and gave Ingalls, lhe
eiehty-sixth vote was a Horton man. ard
the odd three votes for Goodin and fer
Mitchell would have gone 20 Horton on
the next ballot.
BY the one vote that Horton needed
hangs a tale. 1t was the vote Of John NJ
Price. who although he had been chair
man Of the ingalls, caucus, was depend
ed upon by Horton. Price knew this,
when his name was called there was
breathless silence. John J. ingalls,,
spoke up Price promptly. and the ingalls,
men gave cheer for upon that vote
hung the balance Prices action was
great disappointment 10 the anti-Ingalls
men. but he vouchsafed no explanation
except thar he was bound by the caucus
of which De had been chairman. To his
personal friends he gave anothe reason.
he said that in 1875 he had "A scheme TO
scheme 20 make some money. Of which
Die az that time stood in need. and he
drew q bin creating q commission Of three
and givinE The three supreme court
judges the authority to appoint them.
Price was % ba appointed by Judge Hor-
ton. aad The latter gave his promise. The
Ism was passed and the commission was
appointed hut Judge Horton forget his
promise IN Price and appointed some
body else TWO years later Price turned
up in tbe legislature and his reprisaI was
90 cast the ne vote that defeated Horton
for United Staes senator
Charges M bribery were made against
ingalls, and the legislature made a case
and sent committee 10 Washington.
The senate ordered Pm investigation and
the state and the nation were shocked
by the scandal. Fc- "a long time the Issue
huns ia the balance. The senate com I
nirtee WAS ~ one time against Ingalls,.
hnt another report was made e0onerat-
ag him and ssaln he was secure in his
sent. Then came The free trains given by
the rsilrosds in the spring ~ lSS9 and
InEals famous balcony speech AZ
Atchisou. iu which be eNcoriated his enc
miles and personally held up Horton 70