USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 35
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LINCOLN HOTEL (FORMERLY FRANKLIN HOUSE) WHERE LINCOLN STOPPED
ALTON HOUSE, WHERE DOUGLAS STOPPED
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wardsville band. By agreement of represen- tatives of both parties all banners, emblems, mottoes and campaign devices were excluded from the speaker's stand, but the streets were gorgeous with a multiplicity of banners with strange devices. "Squat Row," a group of Third street stores, proclaimed that it was tor "Old Abe and Free Labor," but another placard surpassed this modest announcement by bursting into rhyme with
"Free territories and free men,
Free pulpits and free preachers, Free press and free pen, Free schools and free teachers."
Across Third street stretched a banner reading : "Illinois, born under the ordinance
ALTON CITY HALL [Debate took place at east side of hall]
of 1787; she will maintain its provisions." Others bore such inscriptions as: "Old Mad- ison for Lincoln." "Too late for the Milk- ing." Many others bore local allusions. The Democrats concentrated their efforts on a grand royal banner stretched across Third street bearing the motto: "State Sovereignty -National Union." In fact Alton held a feast of banners on that balmy Indian summer af- ternoon when the two Illinois gladiators closed with each other for the last time.
The speakers addressed the assemblage from a platform on the east side of the City
Hall where some six thousand persons had gathered from the city and adjacent country including many who had come up from St. Louis on the steamers "White Cloud" and "Baltimore."
The local committees were from both par- ties. The Platform committee, for instance, consisted of Dr. W. C. Quigley, C. Stigleman and William Post, for the Democrats; Hon. H. G. M'Pike, W. T. Miller and B. F. Barry for the Republicans. The meeting, by agree- ment of both parties, was presided over by Judge H. W. Billings.
Frederick Trevor Hill, of New York, in a late article in the "Century," has the following comment on this debate. "Douglas had the opening and closing word, and for the first time during the contest he indulged in no per- sonalities, but devoted himself to argument, inveighing only against the Buchanan admin- istration, which he bitterly attacked, to the delight of his Republican auditors. Indeed, when Lincoln rose to reply, informally her- alded by an enthusiastic Democrat, who de- fiantly shouted, 'Now let old Long Legs come out!' he 'came out' with such humorous ref- erences to the Democratic feud that the audi- ence, largely composed of Douglas men, was plainly disconcerted and not a little dismayed. It was only for a moment, however, that Lin- coln permitted himself to be diverted from serious discussion of the issues. He had be- fore him a large body of Democratic voters, and to them he addressed himself with unan- swerable logic and great tact.
"Douglas presented a really pitiable appear- ance physically, for he was utterly worn out and evidently at the point of collapse. His voice, which had been in poor condition at Quincy, was now almost gone, and, to quote one of his hearers, 'every tone came forth en- veloped in an echo. You heard the voice, but caught no meaning.' Notwithstanding this, he struggled bravely to hold the attention of his auditors and his closing words were an appeal
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
for his favorite 'Popular Sovereignty' theory, which Lincoln had stripped of its sophistical veneer until, as he said, it had as little sub- stance as the soup which was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had been starved to death.
"Thus ended the momentous contest which resulted in an unprecedented Republican vote and a popular majority for Lincoln; the elec- tion of Douglas to the senate by the legisla- ture, where the votes of his adherents, based on an obsolete census, gave them the control ; the nomination of Lincoln for the presidency, and the split in the Democratic party. Nor was this all, for as one of the keenest students of our political history has written, 'The de- bate was not a mere episode in American pol- itics. It marked an era.'"
Preliminary to the debate, meetings were held by both parties, the preceding evening, to still further arouse enthusiasm. The Re- publican gathering was addressed by Hon. John M. Palmer, of Carlinville, F. S. Ruther- ford and John Trible of Allen; the Douglas Democratic meeting by J. H. Sloss, H. W. Billings and Z. B. Job. A third meeting, held by the Administration Democrats, was ad- dressed by Dr. T. M. Hope.
A word as to the future careers of these men: Palmer, Rutherford and Trible all en- tered the Union army during the Civil war. Palmer became a Major General and corps commander; Rutherford was colonel of the Ninety-seventh Illinois and Trible a captain in the same regiment. Colonel Rutherford died in 1864 from exposure incurred in the service, just after he had been appointed brig- adier general. Captain Trible was wounded at Arkansas Post in 1863, and died of his in- juries. Messrs. Job and Sloss were elected to the legislature the same fall. Both these gentlemen lived to be over ninety years of age. Hon. S. A. Buckmaster, Democrat, was elected to the state senate that fall over the veteran legislator, Hon. Joseph Gillespie.
Thus the three votes from Madison county in the legislature, for which Lincoln and Douglas were contending, were won by the latter. In the light of immediate results, therefore, the Democrats had the better of the great debate in this county.
SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
In commemoration of the semi-centennial of this great debate a three days' celebration of the event was held in Alton from the 14th to the 17th of October, 1908. It was a wonder- ful commemoration and a great success. The committees in charge were made up of both parties, as in 1858, with Hon. H. G. M'Pike as president of the day, the sole survivor of the committeemen in charge of the arrange- ments for the original debate. Hon. E. M. Bowman was chairman of the executive com- mittee and the leading spirit in the celebration.
The exercises were held on the east side of the City Hall on the spot where the original debate was held. The 14th was Home-Com- ing day; the 15th Lincoln-Douglas day; the 16th Old Settlers' day and the 17th, National Political day. The exercises of the 15th were preceded by a parade, in which several thou- sand school children took part, and was a beautiful feature of the occasion.
A memorial tablet of bronze had been af- fixed to the side of the building over the speakers' stand. The inscription thereon reads: "Erected by the Citizens of Alton Commemorating the Closing Debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, which took place here Oct. 15, 1858."
After invocation by Rev. Father Spalding, vicar general of Alton diocese, the presenta- tion of the tablet took place, the address be- ing made by Rev. A. A. Tanner. The unveil- ing was by Master John Drummond Bow- man, son of Hon. E. M. Bowman, and the acceptance for the city by Mayor Edmund Beall. The address of the morning was by Gen. Alfred Orendorf, of Springfield, presi-
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dent of the Illinois State Historical Society. Among the ladies on the stand were Mrs. Jes- sie Palmer Weber, of Springfield, daughter of Gen. John M. Palmer, and Mrs. C. H. Hap- good, mother of Norman Hapgood, of New York, author of a standard life of Lincoln.
The afternoon exercises were at the Air Dome. The first address was by Hon. Hor- ace White of New York, who reported the original debate for the Chicago Tribune. He confined his remarks mainly to the career of Senator Lyman Trumbull, of Alton. The sec- ond was by Hon. J. McCan Davis, of Spring- field, whose theme was "Lincoln and Doug- las." He was followed by Hon. Clark E. Carr, of Galesburg, who spoke on "Lincoln." The closing address of the afternoon was by Hon. Adlai Stevenson of Bloomington, for- mer vice president of the United States, whose theme was "Douglas."
In the evening a spectacular "Merchants Parade" took place, illustrative of the growth of the business and industrial interests of the city in the previous fifty years.
The next day was given over to a reunion of old settlers. Hon. H. G. McPike presided and brief speeches and reminiscences by pio- neer residents of the county made the occa- sion memorable. The exercises of the day closed with an illuminated river parade and fireworks in the evening. Saturday, the 17th, was "National Political day," the two parties meeting in joint debate on the issues of the presidential canvass then in progress. In the afternoon, at the Air Dome after invocation by Rev. Mr. Hammons, the Republican view was presented by Gov. Augustus E. Willson, of Kentucky, and the Democratic side was argued by Judge A. W. Hope, of Alton, a grandson of Judge Nathaniel Pope, first sec- retary of Illinois territory and delegate in congress. In the evening the same issues were discussed for the Republicans, by Hon. Seth Low, former mayor of New York, and by Congressman Henry T. Rainey, of Carroll-
ton, for the Democrats. These joint debates, on this semi-centennial occasion, were con- ducted with the utmost good feeling, as was fitting the changed conditions brought about with the lapse of fifty years. The generation that fought the great Civil war and engaged in its preliminary political encounters in the forum and on the stump, with a few excep- tions, had passed away, and the two great leaders, whose fame was celebrated that day, had long since joined the immortals, yet the enthusiasm and interest manifested at this commemoration were the seal and sign that the present generation thereby dedicates it- self anew to the great work of perpetuating the heritage of liberty transmitted to it by the fathers ..
"For we doubt not through the ages one in- creasing purpose runs,
And the thoughts of men are widened with the process of the suns."
REVERSION TO EARLY POLITICAL TYPE
It has been shown that in the early days of the county the people were followers of cer- tain leaders who by force of character, attain- ments or magnetic personality exerted a con- straining influence upon the voters. Then came the separation into political parties divided on great moral and economic issues. Principles became more potent and leaders less so, save as they were skilled in explaining and advocating the tenets of the party. Personal- ity became less potent. The voters cast the ballots of their respective parties. Their boast was that they voted the ticket straight from president to constable, with little regard to the personal qualifications of the candidate.
Within the last two decades there has been somewhat of a reversion to the early type of political leadership. Personality is becoming more potent as party lines are weakening. A man's character and qualifications are now con- trolling influences especially in local elections.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Voters go to the polls with their lead pencils in hand and scratch obnoxious names instead of "voting the ticket straight" as in former days. Hence, although the dominant political party may carry the county on national is- sues, it does not follow that the local candi- dates on its ticket will be equally successful.
People are beginning to realize that honesty and competency in their office holders are not matters of political affiliation but of personal character. All this makes for progress and is a fitting culmination of one hundred years' experience in the school of politics.
CHAPTER XXXII
FIRST STATE INSTITUTION
STATE PENITENTIARY ESTABLISHED - THE LEASE SYSTEM-PENITENTIARY MOVED TO JOLIET -AS A MILITARY PRISON-COMMANDERS-MORTUARY RECORDS-NOW A CHILDREN'S PLAY- . GROUND.
The first public institution provided for by the state of Illinois was located in Madison county. This was the State Penitentiary. The first steps towards its establishment were taken at the legislative session of 1826-27. There was great need for such an institution. The jails of the various counties were inferior and many of them unsafe. The state was poor, and oppressed by the failure of the First State Bank, and the question of how to provide the necessary funds was an obstacle. There was, however, at that time a project on hand to petition congress for permission to sell the Saline lands in the southeastern section of the state. These lands comprised 40,000 acres and had become unprofitable. Congress granted the petition and the lands were sold, the pro- ceeds being divided between the eastern and western sections of the state. The former sec- tion devoted its share to the improvement of the Wabash river and the draining of swamps, and the latter section applied its share to the establishment of a penitentiary.
STATE PENITENTIARY ESTABLISHED
The commissioners appointed to select a site and erect the buildings were Ex-Governor Shadrach Bond, Dr. Gershom Jayne and W. P. M'Kee. They selected the site at Alton for which ten acres of land were donated. Be- sides the proceeds from the sale of the Saline
lands the legislature, in 1831, appropriated $10,000 towards the completion of the build- ings. The first building, which was a neat stone structure, contained twenty-four cells and was ready for occupancy in 1833. The system of prison confinement adopted was that known as the congregated, in distinction from the brutal solitary system then gener- ally in vogue. At the same time the legisla- ture amended the criminal code by abolishing whipping, the stocks and the pillory, as pun- ishments for crime, and substituting therefor confinement and hard labor. It commenting on this change Governor Ford observed that the increase in crime the following fifteen years greatly exceeded the relative increase in the population of the state. Some observ- ers today hold that there is no punishment so deterrent of crime as a penalty prescribing the laying on of stripes.
THE LEASE SYSTEM
For the first five years the state conducted the penitentiary itself, the legislature electing a warden biennially who received a salary of $600. Three inspectors were also elected, who received two dollars per diem for their labors, each of whom was to receive not to exceed $100 annually. Under a law passed in 1837. the inspectors were authorized, at their dis- cretion, to farm out the convicts and give a
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
bonus of $800 in addition. Accordingly on the Ioth of June, 1838, the penitentiary, then containing 38 convicts, passed from the con- trol of the state into the hands of a lessee, S. A. Buckmaster. Thenceforward the lease system was continued for twenty-nine years, from 1838 to 1867. In 1842 the penitentiary was leased to Nathaniel Buckmaster and Isaac Greathouse, but without a bonus from the state. In 1845 it was released to S. A. Buck- master, for a term of eight years, with a bonus to the state of $5,000, besides which he agreed to feed, bed, and guard the prisoners, pay physicians' bills and the fees of inspectors. The lease was subsequently extended for five years additional. Under the lease system the lessee was vested with the powers of a warden. As the number of convicts increased addi- tional cells were built, as well as other build- ings, including a residence for the warden, which was situated at the southwest corner, at about the highest point, and commanding a view of the enclosure. In 1846 the construc- tion of 96 new cells was authorized, and by 1857 the cells numbered 256, with an average of two convicts to a .cell. The capacity of the institution was overtaxed. At this time the penitentiary was leased to S. K. Casey for five years, on the same terms as the Buck- master lease of 1845.
PENITENTIARY MOVED TO JOLIET
At the same time the legislature (1857) passed a bill moving the penitentiary to Joliet and providing for the erection of a new prison with 1,000 cells. It is presumable that the object of the removal was to have the insti- tution nearer the main source of supply. The old prison was to be sold. In May, 1859, the prisoners were forwarded to Joliet in batches of forty or fifty, and by June, 1860, the peni- tentiary at Alton was finally abandoned. The above facts are mainly gleaned, or condensed, from Davidson and Stuve's "History of Illi- nois."
Colonel Buckmaster continued his connec- tion with the penitentiary until 1867, having as partners in the lease, after 1864, Messrs. J. J. and W. H. Mitchell and Z. B. Job, of Al- ton, and others.
The records of the penitentiary show that the following persons served as wardens while the institution was located at Alton: J. C. Bruner from August, 1833, to July 28, 1837; Ben. S. Enlow, from 1837 to 1840; Isaac Greathouse, from 1840 to 1842; N. Buckmas- ter, from 1842 to 1846; Samuel A. Buck- master, from 1846 to July, 1860.
AS A MILITARY PRISON
At the time the Alton penitentiary was abandoned by the state the buildings and grounds were extensive. A high stone wall surrounded the enclosure, which was bounded by Fourth street on the north, William street on the east, Second, or Short, on the south and Mill street on the west.
But though abandoned by the state the grim old walls were destined to be soon again ten- anted, not by prisoners sentenced for crime, but by prisoners of war and of state who had revolted against the government. Soon after the outbreak of the Civil war it became a military prison and many thousands were in- carcerated there during the continuance of the conflict, the inmates constantly changing ow- ing to exchanges and new accessions.
Justice J. P. Thornton, of Alton, has had access to the records of the military prison, and in January, 1910, published several serial articles in the Alton Daily Times giving the history of the institution during the war. From these valuable papers the writer gleans the following facts presented in a condensed form.
Early in the war Alton was made a military post, owing to its location on the border. It was under the jurisdiction of the federal commander at St. Louis. The first garrison stationed at Alton consisted of three or four
Vol. I-16
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companies of the Thirteenth United States regulars, Gen. Sherman's regiment. The bat- talion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sydney Burbank.
Gen. H. W. Halleck, in command of the department at St. Louis, applied to Governor Yates for permission to use the old peniten- tiary as a military prison and an order was issued February 1, 1862, giving such permis- sion. The buildings were promptly fitted up for the purpose designed and the Thirteenth regiment placed in charge. On a quiet Sab- bath afternoon, February 9, 1862, the first consignment of prisoners arrived from the south, brought up the river by steamer. They were landed between files of the Thirteenth and marched from the landing to the prison, passing through the gate in the south wall. It was a motley crowd. Not all were soldiers ; they included spies, bridge burners, train wreckers and southern sympathizers of vari- ous grades. Received at that time, or a little later, was a prisoner named Col. Ebenezer Magoffin, a brother of the governor of Ken- tucky. He was under sentence of death for the murder of a Union soldier at his home in Missouri. In July several prisoners escaped by tunneling under the west wall, among them was this Colonel Magoffin. In the following November a fire broke out in a wooden build- ing in the northwest corner of the grounds. The flames were finally subdued by the Alton volunteer fire department, but during the ex- citement several prisoners escaped.
Early in September the Thirteenth sailed away to join Grant's army, which was pre- paring to move on Vicksburg. Among them were several Alton boys who had enlisted in their ranks. Some of them never returned. Moses Pierce of Godfrey, was killed at Vicks- burg; Dan. Broderick died in a southern hos- pital and Henry Poettgen was shortly sent home sick and died in the arms of his wid- owed mother.
COMMANDERS
The Thirteenth was succeeded by the Sev- enty-seventh Ohio as a garrison. Colonel Jesse Hildebrand was in command. He was a brave and disciplined soldier and commanded a brigade at Shiloh, but his own regiment be- haved badly in that battle; it was routed and driven back to the river. It was sent to Alton, probably to recover its nerve. The regiment afterwards did good service, but its stay in Alton was not altogether pleasant. It some- times happened that a group of school boys, meeting a soldier alone, would shout "there goes a Shiloh racer!" The soldier would make a dash for his tormentors, the air would turn blue with adjectives, and the boys would scatter to renew their criticism at a distance. Colonel Hildebrand remained in command un- til March, 1863, when he was relieved and died soon after at his home in Ohio.
Major Thomas Hendrickson, of the Third United States Infantry, succeeded Colonel Hildebrand in command. He was later re- lieved by Colonel G. W. Kincaid, of the Thirty-seventh Iowa Volunteers, called "the greybeard regiment." It did guard duty until January, 1864. Colonel Kincaid was suc- ceeded in January, by Colonel Weer of the Tenth Kansas. This was a fine regiment and was held in high esteem.
As the war progressed fresh prisoners were constantly arriving and the prison sometimes contained as high as 2,000 inmates from all parts of the south. There were many ex- changed and many others were released on taking the oath of allegiance. Plots to escape were constantly being made by the prisoners, which generally proved futile owing to the vigilance of the guards on the walls or to the sentries pacing their dull rounds on the out- side of the enclosure. But on the 9th of July, 1864, a determined attempt to escape was made by a squad of 46 prisoners employed
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without the walls in a stone quarry. At a given signal they made a desperate attack upon the guards, acting so suddenly that they seized some of the muskets before the weap- ons could be brought into use. But the guards rallied, killed seven and wounded five. They recaptured all but two of the fugitives.
One June day a fierce gale sprang up from the southwest and swept over the prison. It tore off the flag from the staff and dropped it in the prison yard which was filled with prisoners. They seized the flag, tore it into bits and trampled the remnants into the mud, while cheers for Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy filled the air. But their demon- stration was short-lived as, in a few moments, a new flag was flying from the staff above their heads.
The next commander of the prison was General James T. Copeland, who relieved Colonel Weer April 25, 1864. The General remained in charge until January, 1865, when he was succeeded by Colonel John H. Kuhn, of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Illi- nois, who held command until the war closed. The gallant Colonel met an accidental death a few months after the close of the war. The lieutenant colonel of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth was J. N. Morgan, who had seen four years of active service in the field. Af- ter the war he entered the regular army and was lately retired with the rank of colonel, making his home in Alton.
Many incidents of interest, some tragic some pathetic, are connected with the history of the penitentiary and later with the military prison. A remarkable one, and one unprece- dented in prison annals, is related in chapter XVI of this work.
During the war several female prisoners were inmates of the prison at different times. One of the earliest was a Mrs. Clara Judd, of Nashville, Tennessee. She spent several months there and was finally released on pa- role and sent to relatives in Minnesota. Ac-
cording to the records two women died in the prison during the war. They were Barbara Ann Donavan, of Tennessee, who died Sep- tember 29, 1863, and a Mrs. W. T. Reynolds, who died March 19, 1865.
MORTUARY RECORDS
The first death in the prison hospital was that of T. J. Stevens of Knox county, Mis- souri, who died February 16, 1862, of pneu- monia. The last man to die was J. A. Reis- inger, just after the war closed. The records of deaths were carefully kept by the prison authorities and the names of the deceased are now engraved on bronze on the monument erected in their memory by the government in the military cemetery.
Dr. I. E. Hardy was the first prison sur- geon. He was succeeded by Dr. Hez. Wil- liams, assisted by an army surgeon, Dr. Wor- rall. An Alton physician of outspoken secession sentiments was at one time confined in the prison for disloyalty. He felt the con- finement keenly and begged the commander for something to do. He was placed at work in the prison hospital and did good service.
Although the prisoners were well sheltered, well cared for, and had plenty of good ra- tions and competent medical attendance, the mortality among them was heavy. Many of them, when received, were diseased and worn out by the exposures of the service, and were beyond help. But in the year 1863 an epi- demic of small-pox broke out in the prison which doubled the average death roll. The patients were isolated as rapidly as possible and taken to a hospital established on an island in the river opposite the prison, called "the Tow Head." Many died there and were bur- ied in what are now unknown graves. Num- bers of the guards also died of the frightful disease.
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