The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18

fg7fS1SN5 Col Harry B. Smith tells with
tAESGSHs relish. He asserts that Harry S.
New was once in a great hurry
to reach town in southern Indiana. Mr.
New was travelling on a railroad which was
notorious for 5ae laxity of its schedule. AS
the train stumbled along, much like an
hausted snail. Mr.. New became slightly i'm
patient. He called the conductor and in
quired of that placid individual when the
train would get to his destination.
God knows" said the conductor, and
He won't tell
There were lots Of people in Indianapolis
who did not believe the result OF the recent
election was at all doubtful They risked
their money with an abandon which pio-
ceeded only from the utmost confidence
that Mr.. Bookwalter would win. One gem
tleman made a round of the betting boards
after the polls closed. wagering about 5000
al odds of to > on Bookwalter. He went
to the Republican headquarters to await
pleasant tidings of victory. AS it happened
the first three precincts reported showed
splendid gains for the Republican ticket
over 1901 The man who thought il was
cinch grabbed his hat and made another
round of the boards. He got up another
800 at about the same odds, then hurried
back to headquarters for more good news.
Then precinct after precinct began TO come
in, all showing that Hoffman was gaining
at the rate of about 10 votes to a precinct.
In an hour the result was no longer in
question. The detection of the Second ward
made hope folly. He'll said the down
cast one, and fed away.
A few wise ones of Republican persuasion
managed to hedge enough to come out even
or at least save something out of the
wreck They figured out at Republican
headquarters at o'clock that Hoffman
would win Immediately they fastened
around town. picking up such Bookwalter
wagers as yet remained posted on the
boards at any odds obtainable. Since the
Republican managers would not concede
the election of Hoffman before midnight
the action of these few, particularly since
they won the money of other good Repab-
licans, has been severely criticised.
The defeat of the odds-on favorite by the
long shot simply illustrates a maxim which
many sporting men would never think OF
violating. Lots of men who are habitual
gamblers particularly at the racing game
will never back an odds-on favorite-a
horse at 1 to ?. or TO 5; they will never
put up more money than they stand TO take
down. There were plenty of people in town
who thought that Bookwalter was a 1 TO
10 shot, and backed their judgment occa-
sonally. Like 'other 1-to-l0 shots the favor
tie blew up in the stretch" ''feI down and
stepped on his lip, was interfered WITH
was given a poor ride etc.
The manliness with which Mr. Bookwal-
ter has taken his sore defeat and the quail
tiles of good loser which he has mani
tested have made him stronger, in all prob
ability, with the people at large than he
was before election day. Possibly the hard
est thing in the world is to play for high
stakes and lose with an unruf11ed brow, a
smile and a pleasant word for the man
who held the most trumps. The absence
of bitterness. the lack of gall in Mr.. Book
walters after-election remarks, even in
mentioning the fact that Republicans de-
feated him, have made him increasedIy
popular with all men who despise a yellow
dog and love a good loser.
All this may be said with equal Justice
of the other leaders in the Republican cam
paign. Edwin d. Logsdon, around whose
head ragged the fiercest storm of the cam
paign, who worked night and day for party
success and who had much to lose out
side of politics, appeared in the Police
Court room Wednesday night where the
canvassing board making the official
count with an outstretched hand and con-
friends. He was as good a loser as he was
a fighter. as thoroughgoing in the one as
the other.
This attitude Of Mr.. Bookwalter and Mr.
Logsdon, well the spirit shown by
hundreds of Republicans who were thrown
suddenly from the heights of supreme con-
fidence to the depths of illimitable dsap-
pointment, completely negatives the asser-
ton made before election day that no mat
ter who won there would be a lot of sore
ness, bitterness and hard feeling left as the
dregs of the campaign. That there is very
little of this feeling Is pretty certain and
that 1t is so is one Of the most curious
facts about the whole business. During the
campaign men went about branding each
other thieves and robbers, calling upon the
people with capital to witness that
never in the history of man was there such
iniquity, such wickedness, such venality
such depravity. Several languages, includ-
ing the German, the Gaelic and the He
brew were searched for soaring. Gripping