Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-17
SOME "REMINISCENCES
Bv Judge S, c. Brown and Letter by
sold Hickory" Conatser.

/
Crossville, Tenn.
Dear Sir:
enclose you letter that re-
celved from "Old Hickory" Conatser,
which explains itself. He signs his
name, &. W. Conatser. and some call
him George W. Conatser, but his right
name Is "Old Hickory An old hlck-
ory he is with rough bark, but sound
as a gold dollar.
This is the first have heard from
him. except through the Chronicle,
since "Clear Greek was little branch"
as Uncle Bill" (GeneraD Cullom used
To say.
first met "Old Hickory" at Wart-
burg, in 1884. when he (assIsted by
myself,) started Bart Lindsay on the
road to emlnence. Judge ID. K. Young
was holding Circuit Court at Wartburg.
There was vacancy in the office of
Attorney General. made SO by the
death of Attorney General J. M. ID.
Mitchell, young lawyer who had won
his spurs for the position over Gen.
Cullom, in the Generals last race be-
fore the people. Gen. Cullom was a
truly great man. He had made him
self famous in Congress before the
civil war, had filled the Office of Attor-
ney General with distinction, but the
"tiax name and tail colt from Over
ton county, as Gen. Cullom called his
young opponent, beat the "old iron
gray horse, az the General called
himsef. Then General Mitchell, as he
was winning laLrels as prosecuting
attorney, fell victim to the white
plague, and Bart Lindsay. then an OBJ
-rjI7u -g~snsss --rser ras s,~.s.s.s = il~5Iria
county. through "Old Hickory" >;onat.
ser had Republican convention called
to get the organized support OF his
party for Attorney General. He was
nominated without opposition and was
elected over s. Fl. Staples at the Aug
ust election by small majority.
This gave Bart start, and he was
afterwards U. s. District Attorney tor
East Tennessee and then Chancellor OF
the Knoxville Chancery division, com.
prislng dozen or more counties, and
is now and has been since he left the
bench, an able lawyer and political lu-
minary of East Tennessee.
"Old Hickory still calls him
Bart, and says that he made Bart
Lindsay what he is, which he did. l.
was present at Wartburg when he be-
gun the job. Everybody now calls
him Judge Lindsay except "OId
Hickory" He still says bart" and
Bart likes him for it. 1t makes him
think of the days Of "Auld Lang
Syne,'' when he wore a ''long tail
duster" as ''young disciple of Black.
stone, in Scott county.
"Old Hickory" has been familiar
and unique figure OF the mountains
since they we're small hills, and it op-
portunity offers can give other remi-
nlscences that have never appeared in
print Of this tall, loyal, raw -boned,
clear-headed, big-hearted son of |
Fentress county.
1t the news gets out that cold Hick-
ory" can have his friend, Judge Rob-
erts, when elected Governor, pardon
his friends. he will have more friends
than pete Adams had OATS" Since
the first of September / have put down
twelve penltentiary sentences, ranging
from one to twenty
one years. besides penitentlary cases
hat have been cemmuted to the work.
house and Tennessee Retormatory SEN
;en.es for boys between sixteen and
eighteen years OF age. These too, will
III be his friends. He will have his .
lands full.
Yours truly,
s. Z Brown.
mot only the Chronicle editsr, bat ,
hundreds OF people throughout this
mountain section, will be glad to read c
ny "reminiscences that Judge Brown o
yill take time to furnish. We hope to +
ave several from him.
"OLD HICknRY'S" LETTER. n
Jamestown. Tenn. Oct. srd, 1917. o
Hen. s. e. Brewp. Jsdee.
Athens, Tennessee. G.
Dear. Mr.. Brown. Il
This, JadEe. Is to let yen knew v
lat an still - top et TIE Hrsand 81