Evening journal., 1913-07-03
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Shelby M. CuIIOm and His
Plug Hat
BY Holland

% think it was in the year 1864 that
Shelby NJ Cullum was first a candi-
date for Congress in the Springfield,
Ill.,. district said Nathan Frank
who represented one of the ST Louis
districts in Congress ln the latter part
OF Cleveland's first administration
and during the administration OF
President Harrison--to me az the
time when Senator Cullum retired
from his long service in the United
States Senate and began new ser
vice as the administrative director of
the Lincoln Memorial Association at
Washington.
~ know that J was a lad of 10 or
10 years of age My home was at
Peoria. and ! remember well the ex-
citoment caused by the announcement
thar Shelby NJ Cullom. distin-
guished Young lawyer of Springfield,
who had been associated with Abra
ham lincoln in the practise of law.
would address the citizens Of Peoria
on a certain afternoon
practically everybody wanted 20
zee and hear Shelby M Cullom
remember hearing people say that
Cullom had been very prominent
member Of the Illinois. Legislature
and a good many people thought that
hc had q political future possibly as
great as that of Lincoln himself.
Furthermore. we had been told
that Cullom was a very fine speaker.
Everybody In that town was ready
10 hear any good political speaker.
The coming Of a man of reputation as
D.
Of business while the speaking was
I'm proEress The largest hall IN town
which was over livery stable
was secured for Mr. Cullom's use.
a little way beyond this hall was "a
law Office The sign over the door
read. r. g.. g. r.. c. lngersoll' A.
that time r. G. g. E G. Ingersolh' At
known as he was later. as the great
orator Colonel Bob lngersoll He
was not az home when Mr. Cullom
camo and made his FIRST address in
Peoria. for he was with his regiment
AZ the front II he had been home
he would have heen asked TO preside
~ the meeting
MIR. Cullom was 10 arrive in Spring
field by an early afternoon train.
suppose very few persons in Peoria
had ever seen him. Bui shortly after
the arrival OF the train the interest
IN Shelby M Culum was completely
overshadowed 10y an incident unprece-
dcnied. I think. in the history Of
Peoria
There appeared upon the streets
tall stranger who was dressed an
immaculate fashion The style aud
cut of his clothes would have attract
ed attention anywhere and he wore
very tan and very glossy black
silk hat Of the kind known as a plug
hat
THE stranger and his plug hat
became the exciting incident of the
moment People stopped 10 stare at
him When he passed by they pointed
at his plug hat Shelby NJ Cullom
and his political speech were, for the
moment. forgotten. Afterward, when
the great crowd filled the hall, there
appeared upon the platform, escorted
by two or three of the principal Liti-
zens of the town. Shelby NJ. Cullom,
and he carried his glossy silk hat i'm
his hand. Il was placed on a chair
beside the one in which he was seat
ed. There remained as monument
of the Introduction OF a new fashion.
But I must say that within q few
moments after Mr. Collum began his
address that silk hat was forgotten,
for he was a master of the art of ef-
fective political speaking.
"A great career was predicted for
him and the prediction was justified.
He was elected 10 Congress and was
governor Of Illinois, and he was five
times elected to the United States
Senate"
Copyright 1913, by E. J. Edwards.