Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-10
Council Bluffs
Oldest Citizens
Meet at Polls
by Accident
Four Men Whose Ages Aggregate
Three Hundred and Sixty-Five
Years Cast Their Votes.

An interesting incident occurred yester-
day afternoon at the polls in the second
precinct OF the First ward Several OF the
oldest citizens OF the city met there by
accident The venerable wall McFadden.
almost heuplessly crippled BY rheumatic
paralysis. was brought TO the polls TO
vote, expressing the only regret that oc-
CURED TO him-his inability to again lead
the drum corps While he was being
helped into the voting booth an automobile
came up bearing A. s. Bonhom, 80 years
old. Dimness Of vision made 1t necessary
for him to receive gentle assistance as he
entered the voting place. He was given
a chair in front OF the election officers
while he held an informal and wholly
ampromptu reception. He chaffed Nc
Fadden good naturedly and inquired with
animation, where's the rest of the boys7'
Where's Henry Becroft9'
In an old building adjoining the voting
place is the Becroft cooper shop, remain
ing as II was built fifty years ago with
the street grade several feet higher than
the floor. Busily engaged at his bench
where he may be found every day In the
year, sat Henry Becroft, zone Of the boys"
inquired for. When told that Bonham
was IN the adjoining room he rose from
his work, remarking cheerily. bless his
heart! I'll have TO go in and see the
old boy for he's been having a little sick
SPELL" He was ushered into the booth by
his son, A M. Bonham. 20 years old and
given a chair by the side Of Bonham.
The old men, who hal been close friends
since the Ksnesville days Of Council Bluffs,
had not seen each other for several months.
They sat for a moment clasping one an
others hands and gazing earnestly into
kindly eyes that had suddenly frightened.
Then their white hairs mingled as each
corrugated face was buried on the neck
of the other When they raised their smll-
| ing faces their eyes were dimmed with
/ tears of pure Joy. They chatted merrily
of present and long past days. Mr.. Be
croft is living at the home OF his daugh-
| ter, Mrs. Theodore Guitar, on North
Eighth street and there Is rarely a day
in the year that he does not walk from the
house to the old shop on East Broadway,
a distance of nearly a mile, sit for hours
in the rooms above, where his wife died
many years ago and where they lived for
nearly half a century Not thing has
been disturbed, except by the eorroding
touch OF time since the day she died.
Every article Of furniture remains just as
she placed IT, For hours he will sit in the
old rocking chair, drawn closely by the
side OF the long vacant chair where she
sat and piled her busy fingers The old
man sits by the vacant chair daily smok-
ing his pipe dreaming dreams that would
be sacriliogious to discuss, and communing,
perhaps with things the busy world is
unsconcious Of. Bonham is not quite 30
vigorous as his older comrade and cannot
take the long daily wolks that the other
so much enjoys. Mr.. Bonham has voted
for twenty presidents OF the United
States, for every republican president since
the formation Of the party, and for several
Of the wings. Becroft has voted for
twenty-Che Both expect to vote for al
least one more and hope the politicians
will make It Roosevelt.
A few minutes after the old men Jeff
the voting place, Henry Paschel, So years
old, stopped at the booth on his tour Of the
! voting places, having walked mile oil
so on the journey. He expressed much re-
great at not having been soon enough to
} meet his old friends Walking brisky
from his home two miles out on Eas
: Broadway Captain A. Overton reached
the voting place OF the first precinct o.
) the First ward, located across the street
2 just in time to meet some OF the old men
? Captain overton is SO years old. looks t.
5 be about 80, and works as he did in thu
prime OF his life. The aggregate ages o
; the four old men is ss5 years. One o
I them voted straight republican ticket
Z another scratched democratic ticket jus
4 TO vote for Congressman Smith, and an
other voted a straight prohibition ticket
4 Mr. Becroft refused TO tell how he voted
, declaring he was old enough to know hoV
, TO vote right.
! TRIPLE TRICK COOKING DEMON
sTRATION AT THE CITIZENS GAS
! ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., 26 PEARL ST
FREE THINGS TO EAT. COME ON.
Music and comedy adroitly combined in
+ production that possesses exceptional meri
4 and which can pass muster on any stag
c has been chosen as the next attraction a
l. the Dohany theater tonight. 1t Is tn
Z noted Kentucky Bellies" without doub
, one OF the foremost organizations o
it's kind on the circuit Starting wit
o Friends" a comedy innovation employin
e ali the latest ingredients In the laugh pro
voking line, there is a continuity Of fui
h that does not cease till the final eurtai
d which falls on a capital burlesque enutle
y stunning IN Chinatown" Then there
e an omo contributed by such headliners a