Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-02-06
4 Soldier In Early Life.

duencc are both against him.
a Soldier In Early Life.
1t is always well to have a direct
view Of a man. and since | have never
met Governor Deneen myself | took
the privilege OF interviewing Judge
Jesse Holdom of Chicago concerning
him. Judge Holdom, who has Just
been elected president OF the Union
League club of Chicago, has known
the governor intimately for years. II
IS to him that l am indebted for many
Of the details Of Deneen's early life
and for a first hand impression. Gov
ernor Deneen was born In southern II
linois-"Egypt"-in 1868. Ills great
grandfather was speaker of the I'LL
nois house in territorial days. and his
father was IA professor In McKendree
college. The elder Deneel was also
adjutant of an Illinois regiment In the
civil war. and the future governor spent
some of his first years mt the front.
Charles S. Deneen graduated from
McKendree college In 1882 and from
the law department Of the same instl-
tuition In 1885. lie then taught school
and went TO Chicago. where he had
more than his share of hard luck IN
getting n start. He was finally com
PEELED to teach night school and to
hang about the criminal courts for the
purpose of being assigned TO the de-
Tense Of poor prisoners who could not
hire a lawyer of their own. There was
little money in this sort of practice
but valuable experience. To be urar
an old friend, a Methodist minister nj
Englewood, young Dencen moved TO
that suburb. and his prospects bright
ened. He took TO politics as the pr"
verbal duck does TO wafer, got in
with the Lorimer machine. was made
Il member of the city committee, went
to the legislature for one term and do
clined n denomination. tbrived In his
practice and in 1895 was made altor-
ney of the drainage board. II was in
1896 that Mr.. Deneen was first elected
to the states attorneyship. Ills prede-
cessor in office was u Democrat who
had been charged with shielding big
criminals. The city was naturally
Democratic, and prospects for the
young candidate were not bright.
Nevertheless he resigned his drainage
board ~attorneyshlp against the advice
of his associates and went In to via.
He did win. too, hy a good majority.
and his administration of the office
was admittedly the most efficient i'm
the city's history. Among the murder
charges hat he prosecuted was the
| famous Luetgart case. He also sent 10
! prison n number of crooked election
Judges and several defsulting bank
ers. SO strongly did he rouse popular
favor i'm his behalf that in 1900 he ran
10000 ahead Of Mckinley in Chicago.
Does Not Bow Down to Bosses.
Before entering the race for govern
or Deneen broke with the Lorimcr
machine. 4 fierce fight followed, but
he won a majority of the delegates
from Cook county. His nomination
and election to the governorship mark
ed the first time that the Republican
party Of Illinois had chosen a CHICAGO
man for that important office. II is
true that there were W Chicago
governors before him, but n had
succeeded from the lieutenant govern
orship when Governor Oglesby had re-
signed to 20 to the senate, and Che
other, Altgeld, had been elected by
the Democrats. Governor Deuecu.
married Miss Bina Day Maloney, the
daughter of Il Carroll county farmer.
They have four children, n Of whom
was born in the executive mansion,
Despite the bitter eumity 10 Gov
ernor Deneen on the part Of so many
in his own party and state. If is gen
orally admitted that he is honest It
is this that gives him his strength
The American people will forgive al
most any sin IN a public man so long
as 1t feels that he IS sincere. That
Deneen uses political methods Is not
denied by his best friends. But he is
no mans man. will not bow down TO
bosses. IS a reformer I'm Il conservative
way. and, above all else. he fights. That
is shown by his square jaw, his flash
: ing eye and every line OF his mobile
but determined face