Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-02
Vote Brought Political Death

Il
vote for the impeachment but he re-
| fused their advice.
Vote Brought Political Death
Ross saved President Johnson, for
his was the deciding vote, but he lost
his political life Nobody in the state
was willing to greet Ross civilly when
he returned to Kansas.
Broken in spirit and fortune. he went
back to private life, soon afterward re-
moving from the state, being literally
driven INTO exile by the storm of op-
position. For n time he conducted a
small newspaper IN the Indian Terri
tory, but none succeeded and he eventu-
ally drlfted to New Mexico.
The legislature of 1871 elected Alex
ander Caldwell of Leavenworth to sue
coed Ross. There were nasty stories Of
Doodle afloat during this campaign, and
they would not subslde. caldwell re-
signed before he had served two years.
Judge Robert Crozler of Leavenworth
was appointed by Governor Osborne to
fill the vacancy caused by CaldwelTs
resignation. Before be had been In
office six months Senator Crozier was
without standing in his party. He
failed Of recollection in 1873 and in his
place James NJ. Harvey was sent by the
legislature to represent Kansas.
Harvey had been a popular governor
Of the state. but he was not a great
success in the senate. His health failed
when he saw his friends deserting him.
and he was turned out, a broken old
man, to give place to Preston y. Plumb
Senator Plumb held his seat longer
than any man In the Lane succession.
He was reelected in 1883 and again in
1889, and served two years on his third
term before the "hoodoo' manifested
itself in his sudden death at the height
of his career.
He went to the senate a forceful
country lawyer. He was poor, but
amassed a fortune, as fortunes go In
Kansas, and died without enjoying It.
Bishop w. Perkins was appointed by
Governor Humphrey to fill the vacancy
when Plumb died. Senator Perkins was
a man without any particular force, but
very ambitious. The Republicans lost
the next Legislature and Perkins re-
tired, broken-hearted dying within a
short time after his term expired.
John Martin of Topeka was elected by
the Democrats to serve out Plumb's
unexpired term, which ended in 1895.
The Republicans again carried the
state. and in 1895 Martin was retired
The next in the succession was Lucien
Baker of Leavenworth. This choice
was made after close contest. In
which many people believed j. r. Bur
ton had been defrauded of his rights.
He lost the place by one vote that
several times had been promised to-
him. But the necessary voice always
disappeared over night.
The triumph of Baker was short lived
His friends deserted him in such num-
bers that he was forced to retire from
the contest two weeks before the legis-
lature met to elect his successor. At
this election J. r. Burton was elected.
Button was convicted upon an indict-
ment, charging him with having prac-
ticed before the postoffice department.
while n senator of the United States,
to prevent the issuance of a fraud order
against a st. Louis concern. For this
work, the jury believed, Burton re-
ceived $250O.
Under the revised st; tutes no officer
or employee of the government may re-
ceive or agree to receive any compep-
sation for representing persons Or
firms i'm matters brought before any
department. in which the government is
Such has been the heritage of msfor-
tune hanging over this Kansas seat in
the federal senate. It's story forms a
drama of ill fate almost without
parallel