The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-21
From the New York Sun.
F" HE death of Allen o. Myers on
his stock farm in Ohio several

m HE death or Allen o. myers on
his stock farm in Ohio several
L days ago has recalled to Ohio
democrats and others an interesting
episode in his life when he was one
of the crack political correspondents of
the Cincinnati Enquirer.
In 1888 Allen Granbery Thurman, the
noble old Roman" democrat of Ohio,
was nominated at st. Louis for vice
president at the time Cleveland was re-
nominated for President. Cleveland in
his first administration. in the estiina-
ton of old-time democrats, had been
a little too partial to the independent
voters of the country, and Thurman s
nomination for vice president was a
recognition of the democrats who be-
lieved that the democratic national ad-
ministration should have been more
friendly to democrats seeking public
office Cleveland had precipitated the
Mills tariff bill upon the country on the
eve of the national election, and in the
opinion of the late William c! Whit
ney and other democrats, some now
living, the people had had too short
time in which to digest the merits OF
the Mills bill and accordingly Cleve-
land and Thurman went down to defeat.
That part of the record, however, has
little to do with the Myers story.
AS the 1888 campaign progressed CAL
vim Stewart Brice, then chairman or
the democratic national committee, con-
ceived the idea of having a great DEM
onstration in Madison Square Garden,
New York city. He believed it would be
a good thing to bring Thurman on from
his home in Columbus to speak on that
occasion to the democrats Of New York
CITY. So one day Brice sent his pri-
yate car to Columbus to bring Thur
man on to the metropolis. That car was
we'll stocked with all pleasant things
in the way of food and drink.
Thurman before leaving his home ana
boarding the car had been importuned
by his wife, whom he fondIy addressed
as Mary, my DEAR not to drink any
thing on his trip to New York. Thur
man at the time was rs years old. He
had been accustomed to stimulants for
so years. He was whisky drinker. He
was no drunkard, but was accustomed
to whisky and water with his meals,
especially at dinner. Nevertheless Thur
man made that promise to Mary my
dear" and on the trip from Column
bus to New York Myers, the late Be-
riah wilkins, part owner of the Wash
inuton Post, Allen G. Thurman, Jr., and
several others had great fun at the
meals In Brice's cor in hearing the
noble old Roman" Thurman, say mo
drinks for. me on this trip. prom
is "A Mary 1 wouldn't take spoon
flu"
Brice's car was a small one. 1t was
tackled to a heavy Pennsylvania train,
and from Columbus to New York there
was many a curve around which the
car was snapped like a whiplash. Sew
eral in 1t were made car sick. AS a
matter of fact, at the meals in the
car Thurman, wilkins. Myers and all
present believed that the occasion was
too important for them to. take any
thing but coffee. tea or lemonade, and
1t was a frazzled and nervous party
when 1t pulled into Jersey City Be-
sides, 1t was hotter than Tophet.
the Fifth Avenue hotel and that even
ing he was escorted to the great dem
onstration in Madison Square Garden.
AS he entered the garden he was at
ia cked by nausea. He was able to say
only a few words. and one republican
newspaper in New York city. not know
ing the circumstances and being, be-
sides. imbued with strong anti-dcmo-
cratic sentiments, said the following
morning that Thurman couldn't speak
because he was drunk, and that his
sickness was due to overindulgence In
stimulants on the way from Column
bus to New York.
Allen o. Myers. Allen G. Thurman
Jr., and the others were quite disposed
to be angry over this. Anyway, they
were very much chagrined. The sick
ness of Thurman and his. inability to
speak on the occasion mentioned were
due, in the opinion of physician called
at the time. to the fact that Thurman