The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-18
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
A DOOR BELL ONCE DEFEATED A
MAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
His Father-Activity mt Mobiles
vfIIe-HoteI Visitors.

Attorney General w. L. Taylor. W. B.
Burford. Capt. Harry II. Sheets, OF Fairfax
county. Virginia. and a number of other
men were in a group in the lobby OF the Den
ison exchanging stories when the subject
OF the part little things OF comparative IN
significance have played in the fortunes OF
politicians was brought up. Attorney Gen
eral Taylor told as an illustration the story
of how a tiny little bay window on house
IN Brookville defeated a man for Governor
of Indiana fifty or sixty years ago. and
then IL was Captain Sheetss turn.
Il can match that story" said the cap
tain. "A doorbell once defeated my father
for state senator from this district. In 1873
or "a father built residence on the lot
where this hotel now stands. 1t was the
second brick house in Indianapolis, and In
those days it ranked as a somewhat pre-
tentious structure. 1t had all the modern
conveniences. as the rental agents say, al
though modern house In those days had
few of the comforts and conveniences that
almost every renter demands to-day.
Among other innovations. however. the old
homestead had doorbell, and believe 1t
was the first one brought TO this city.
Father at that time was secretary of
state, and he held that Office for two or
three terms. A few years later he became
a candidate for state senator and he and
his friends thought that he would have a
walkaway because he had been active In
politics and had a wide acquaintance not
only in this district but all over the state.
Added TO this, the man who was nominated
TO make the race against him was not very
well known, and IL looked like the race was
won before ii was fairly started How
ever. father underestimate his opponent.
The man started to make an energetic cam
paign and he worked night and day. He
made speeches all over the district, and
the keynote of every speech was that ne
should be elected because he was truly rep
resentative of the people. while father. his
opponent, was an aristocrat.
ITO prove his statements concerning
father he cited the doorbell. He worked w
TO this climax effectively, and then he
would shout: Who is this man Sheets
Why. he's an aristocrat, a man who's toe
good for common people and common ways
lie lives In trick mansion In lndlanap-
oils and when you want TO see him and
go up to that mansion how do you get in;
Do you find the latchstring hanging out
No street You ind doorbeIl-a doorbell
do you understand? And you have to ring
that bell and wait half an hour before the
door is opened. There's no latehstring al
the Sheets mansion. Sheets don't want you
common people running into his house and
bothering him You can't get in till his
lackeys see who you are and what you
want. Is that the kind of a man you want
for senator? Now, when you come to sec
me- etc.
well. that man rang that doorbell sc
vigorously and so persistently all through
the campaign that when election day came
around and the votes were counted father
found himself completely showed under"
w. b. Burford, who was personally &C,
quainted with Captain Sheets's father, sale
that he remembered hearing this story
when he first came TO Indianapolis. bu
that IL did him an injustice. Its a good
story" he said, but the captains father
was far from an aristocrat. He was one
of the most democratic of men. l was
youngster just starting in the printing bust
ness a salesman when / knew him, anC
on several occasions he went out of his way
to be kind TO me. The doorbell was his
misfortune, not his fault"