Evening journal., 1912-03-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Chance Accident That
Determined a Great DEM
OCrat'S Career
By Holland.
By Holland.

James Burnie Beck, who served as
Senator from Kentucky for about
fourteen years prior to his death in
1890, was looked upon as one Of the
leaders on the Democratic side Of the
Senate during that period. He was a
man of powerful physique, with very
massive shoulders, broad and deep
chest, and large head, beautifully
nodded, set firmly upon the should
ers, and surmounted by wavy, dark
brown hair. Yet he had a thin, piping
voice aud he used often to wonder how
Il happened that a strong man as ne
was should never have been able 10
command "A powerful voice, whereas
so little a man as his intimate friend,
Senator Graham Vest Of Missouri,
could speak in tones that penetrated
the largest hall or carried TO the re-
hottest circle of an outdoor political
gathering.
Between Senators Vest and Beck a
most intimate friendship was estap-
lished while they were serving IN the
Senate, but il really began many years
earlier when Mr. Vest who was the
Younger man by eight years, was at
tending the college at Lexington, ky"
where also MIR. Beck gained his law
degree. In speaking Of this early IN
timacy to some OF his friends in the
Senate, Senator Beck once said:
Il remember George Vest very well
as a short, thick set, red-headed col
ilege student at Lexington. Tie na1
quite a reputation as speaker and
we all thought that he would gam
great success as a lawyer and would
also become very influential if he en-
tered politics. Many of us were sur
nrised when we learned that he had
given up the idea of practicing law IN
Kentucky because he had been tempt
ed by a story that had reached him OF
great opportunities for young and en-
terprising lawyers in California
where gold had been recently discoV-
cred. And | was again surprised When
/ heard some years later that, IN
stead Of going to California, Vest had
begun the practice of law In Missouri
and in a little town at that.
From the time he left Kentucky
presumably for California, until he
became a member of the Federal Sen
ate, we did not meet. But shortly al
ter we had renewed old ties, | asked
him why he did not go to California
and why he was induced to settle in a
little Missouri town. He laughed, and
then said that his career was deter
mined by one of those chance acci-
dents which so often decided the des-
tiny of a man.
"He was on his way to California
by the overland route, and in order
TO gain that route. he was crossing the
State Of Missouri by stage coach. Just
as II entered the little town of George
town. the stage coach broke down and
the driver said il would take all Of a
day to fix it, So Vest started out to
look around and he speedily discov-
cred that the town was in great eN.
citement. On inquiry, he learned thai
negro boy had been arrested on :
charge of murder The boys owner
was convinced that the slave had moi
committed the murder. but he could
not find any one in that town who
would defend him.
"Thereupon. Vest made himself
known to the owner and said that he
was a lawyer and that he would un.
dertako to defend the boy. He knew
it was a very unpopular thing TO do
but he didn't care. He defended thai
boy personally. But the community
was so angry that a mob took tho boy
TO the Jail and hanged him. The mol
also threatened to drive the strange
lawyer, who had been reckless enough
10 defend the boy out Of town, or
Il he insisted ON staying, then it was
going to give him coat Of tar anC
feathers.
Well said Vest, that just rouset
my dander told them that
wouldn't be driven out of town; tha
I was going to stay in that town, tina
was going to hang out my shingle
and that intended to make every on
Of them my friends within six months
time.
I took that resolution upon tn
spur of the moment. l had my trun
and boxes brought from the stage
coach to the little hotel; | went ou
that afternoon and hired a law Office
and | have no doubt that il was
sort of fearlessness I showed tha
prevented those people from attackin
me.
And IL turned out Just as I pr,
dicted ! had every man in that tow
my personal friend within thre
months. and I got law bushes
there which I might have waited tw
years to obtain in California The
they insisted on my accepting politics
Office and Beck, here I am, one
your colleagues in the United STATE
Senate If | had gone to CalifOrni
think never would have been heal
Of
Copyright, 1912 by r. j. Edward
; All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
"The Act OF Courtesy That Gave
Name to a Famous Webster Speech