USA > Indiana > Vigo County > History of Vigo county, Indiana, with biographical selections > Part 41
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The republican county convention met August 24, 1867, to nomi-
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nate county recorder and two county commissioners. Over this meet- ing presided John E. Woodruff. Fredrick Cornell was nominated for recorder on the fourth ballot over Alex Thomas and Jacob E. Voorhees. The nominees for county commissioner were Feilding Shepherd and Nathan Lee. This at that time was the Eighteenth Judicial circuit.
The republican judicial convention was held in Terre Haute October 1, 1867. John Collett, of Vermillion, was chairman, and B. E. Rhoads, secretary. Col. Richard W. Thompson's term as judge, to which he had been appointed, was about to expire. He was put in nomination for re-election. Col. Thomas H. Neslon, then by the authority of Mr. Thompson, withdrew his name, where- upon resolutions were passed eulogizing Judge Thompson. Gen. Cruft nominated Judge Maxwell, then the common pleas judge, and his nomination was made unanimous. Sewell Coulson was renomi- nated for prosecuting attorney.
The democratic convention, which met soon after, nominated Chambers Y. Patterson for judge; G. B. Hanna, of Sullivan, for prosecutor; John B. Meyer, for recorder, and D. Hollingsworth and Benjamin Mewhinney, for county commissioners. This judicial cir- cuit was very close. The main interest was in the election of judge, and it was not for several days after the election that the result was known. Judge Patterson was elected by less than 300 votes. He carried Vigo county by 309 majority, and Sullivan by 860. Max- well got Parke by 575 and Vermillion by 350. Hanna was elected prosecuting attorney, and John B. Meyer beat Cornell for recorder 421 votes. The total vote of Vigo county at that election was 3,806.
At the next judicial election, after the expiration of Judge Pat- terson's term, the same candidates were presented by their respect- ive parties. The republicans counted confidently on their small majority in the district, and something on the confusion going on in the ranks of the opposite party, arising from some internal local quarrels that were abroad. For the first and only time in a long official life Judge Patterson was beaten by a small majority. He was off the bench, however, only two years, when Vigo and Sullivan were made a new circuit, and he was again elected and continued to preside until his death in 1881. The campaign leading up to his last election is given fully toward the conclusion of this chapter.
The republicans held their mass convention to send delegates to the State convention, February 6, 1868. Col. Thompson intro- duced the resolutions. The important one of these read as follows: " In the northern States there is no necessity for extending suffrage to the Negroes; these States having the right to decide that ques- tion for themselves, independently of congress. It is in no sense a
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national question, and its agitation in this State at this time is un- wise and impolitic, the subject of our State convention not being before the people, and there being no disposition on the part of the union-republican party of the State to make it so."
February 15, 1868, a Grant club was organized at the court- house. It was named the Central Grant club. P. B. O'Reilly and Albert Lange were the speakers at the meeting to organize. While Mr. O'Reilly was speaking quite an exciting incident occurred. Martial music was heard outside, and soon the G. A. R. were descried marching up Third street. The procession halted in front of the court-house, gave three cheers for Grant and then filed into the building where they were received with vociferous cheers. Samuel H. Potter was a member of this club, which afterward elected Col. McLean, president, and the club decided to build a wigwam.
At the April township election, 1868, the republicans elected their whole ticket. G. W. Naylor beat J. B. Otey, then one of the most prominent democrats in the county, 389 votes for trustee. William Woollen got 363 more votes for justice of the peace than did J. D. Murphy ; and James O'Mara, B. F. Reagan, E. O. White- man and J. A. King were elected constables. The democrats car- ried eight of the twelve townships of the county. Councilman V. A. Sparks (democrat), of the Third ward, died a few days before the election, and on the same day of the township election a special election was held in the Third ward to fill the vacancy. Dr. Robert Van Valzah was the democratic nominee and Solomon E. Gibbs, the republican. The election resulted in a tie, each one receiving 130 votes. April 29, following was fixed for the next election, and Dr. Van Valzah won, receiving 267 votes to 260 for Gibbs.
In the republican State convention of that year Col. Thompson was chairman of the committee on resolutions, and Col. Nelson selected as elector-at-large.
The fourth national convention of the Republican party met at Chicago, May 20, 1868. Col. R. W. Thompson was a distinguished member of that body, being chairman of the committee on resolu- tions, and wrote and reported the platform. And he was largely instrumental in securing the nomination of Colfax as a candidate with Grant.
The republican county convention, June 13, 1868, put in nomi- nation the following county ticket: State senator, H. D. Scott; representatives, Isaac N. Peirce and Elmsley Hamilton ; clerk, James H. Turner; treasurer, M. C. Rankin; sheriff, Nicholas Filbeck; real estate appraiser, James Burgan; commissioner, B. G. True- blood; surveyor, Alexander Cooper; coroner, David Christy; as- sessor, Harrison township, D. B. Weir. One of the two delegates from Harrison township was Maj. O. J. Smith. The convention
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announced for Col. McLean for congress. This year the old court- house in court-house square was abandoned by the courts and was fixed up as a public meeting place. The democrats held their June convention in it that year and nominated the following ticket : State senator, James B. Edmunds; representatives, Sanford C. Davis and P. Y. Buskirk; clerk, Martin Hollinger; treasurer, Sam- uel A. Hull; sheriff, William H. Stewart; real estate appraiser- James H. Mullen; county commissioner, Ebenezer Paddock; coro, ner, John D. Murphy ; surveyor, Robert Allen.
By the new apportionment the Sixth Congressional district lost Putnam county and gained Monroe and Lawrence. The Sixth dis- trict comprised the counties of Vermillion, Parke, Vigo, Sullivan, Clay, Owen, Greene, Monroe and Lawrence, nine in all.
At the congressional convention W. E. McLean was supported by the thirty-two votes of Vigo. W. W. Carter, of Clay was nomi- nated.
The democratic convention was held at Terre Haute, and nomi- nated Daniel W. Voorhees. He received all the votes of the con- vention except seven of Vigo, which were cast for Hon. B. W. Hanna.
George H. Pendleton was the choice of the Vigo democracy for President at that time. When the New York convention was in ses- sion a public meeting was held in Terra Haute in which they de- nounced the action of a part of the Indiana delegation in deserting Pendleton. Seymour was presiding officer of that convention, and he, with Frank Blair, were the nominees.
The campaign in Vigo county in 1868 was a memorable one, and was turbulent and noisy. The party papers were " hot boxes to every wheel." To read the republican papers the democrats were all wildly hurrahing for Jeff Davis, while the other side denounced their opponents as villains of the deepest dye. The republicans organized what was called the fighting boys in blue, composed of those who had been in the army. James O'Mara was captain (now dead), and John F. O'Reilly was orderly sergeant. September 22 Gov. Baker and Judge Hughes spoke at the court-house. The meeting was enlivened as follows: Hughes, who afterward acted with the democrats in organizing the State senate when it was a tie, in the course of his remarks made reference to Col. Bob Stewart. Col. Bob was in the audience, and at once interrupted him, and rose and made an explanation. As he left the stand he turned upon Judge Hughes and told him he must not use his name any more. A movement was made to remove Col. Bob, but he quietly seated him- self, and the disturbance passed away. On the afternoon of the same day Baker and Hendricks, opposing candidates for governor, held a joint debate at Brazil, and a large number of Terra Haute
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people went over. The democrats made their hottest fight for Hol- linger and Stewart. An article in the German paper, the Burger Zeitung, came out favoring Hollinger, because he was a soldier. This aroused the ire of the German republicans, who, to the num- ber of several hundred, signed their names to a card, saying the article was not their sentiment "by a long sight." Col. Baird printed a card in the paper offering to bet $100 on Turner (Hol- linger's opponent) and on Filbeck. Both parties held their big rallies on the eve of the long campaign, republicans one day and the democrats the next day. The republican was Friday, October 10, at the fair grounds; the democrats next day at Parly's grove. The democrats had their candidate for Vice-president, Gen. Frank P. Blair, present. In his speech he denied that he had ever said that he would "rather sleep with a nigger then a democrat." The election that year was a close one in Indiana; Conrad Baker beat Hendricks by less than 1,000 votes; Voorhees beat Carter for con- gress 128 votes ; John T. Scott defeated David H. Maxwell for judge of the common pleas court by 11 votes, the vote standing : Sullivan, 1,173 for Scott; Parke, 1,018 for Maxwell; Vigo, 144 for Maxwell.
Eugene I. Holden defeated W. W. Rumsey for common pleas prosecutor by 34 votes. The republicans carried Vigo county for governor by 166 votes, other republican majorities being, Carter 154, Maxwell 144, Rumsey 179, H. D. Scott, for State senator, 93; Pierce and Hamilton, for representatives, 149 and 147; Burgan, for real estate appraiser, 238; Trueblood, for commissioner, 133; Cooper, for surveyor, 140; Rankin, for treasurer, 105; Christy, for coroner, 136; and Weir, for assessor, 583. The democrats elected Hollinger, clerk and Stewart, sheriff, by majorities of 80 and 69, respectively.
Grant carried Vigo county by 305 majority, in a total vote of 6,400; every ward in Terra Haute gave him a majority. And of the townships the democrats carried Fayette, Linton, Pierson, Riley, Lost Creek and Nevins.
The next year, therefore, a big surprise awaited the republicans in the city election. The democrats renominated Cookerly, and the republicans P. B. O'Reilly, over Zenas Smith and Thomas E. Lawes. In the democratic convention a sensation was caused by Nat F. Cunningham getting up, just after he was beaten for treas- urer, and announcing that he would be an independent candidate. To the utter amazement of the whole community Cookerly beat O'Reilly 323 votes; Marcus Schomehl (D.) defeated George W. Lambert 98 for treasurer; E. O. Whiteman (R.) beat Daniel Crewe 72 votes for marshal; Dan Vickery (R.) beat John B. Tal- bert 164 votes for clerk, and Martin Kercheval (D.) beat Zach Ross 173 votes for assessor. The democrats elected seven of the ten councilmen; W. H. Scudder and William Coats in the First, M.
25
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W. O'Connell in the Second, L. Seeburger and A. B. Fouts in the Third, and Thomas Dowling and Daniel Miller in the Fourth.
The race for congress in 1870, in this district, was between Dan- iel W. Voorhees and Moses F. Dunn. The republican convention met in Pierce's Hall, Terre Haute. The candidates before that convention from Vigo were W. E. McLean, C. W. Barbour and W. W. Curry. Four ballots were had; the final one stood: Eggleston, 12; McLean, 64; Dunn, 89. Fifteen days later the democratic convention met in the same hall. There was no opposition to Voor- hees. The convention adopted a resolution opposing the taking back of the Wabash & Erie canal, at that time a prominent polit- ical question. Dunn and Voorhees made a vigorous campaign. Dunn was an ambitious young lawyer, and he knew Voorhees was only elected by 128 votes before. The total vote was: Dunn, 15,843; Voorhees, 17,268, or a majority of 1,425 for Voorhees; his majority in Vigo was 200.
The election of 1870 was generally favorable to the democrats in Vigo county. The democrats elected all their county ticket but one. Samuel Royse (D.) beat William Paddock (running for re-election ) for auditor, 126 votes; W. H. Stewart (D.) beat Gordon Lee for sheriff, 394 votes; J. M. Sankey beat M. C. Rankin (re-election) for treasurer, 81 votes; John B. Meyer over Theo. Marxen for recorder, 446 votes; Dr. Gerstmeyer over David L. Christy for coroner, 172 votes; Thomas B. Long, for judge of the criminal court (first term), over John B. Crain (incumbent) 512 votes; Sant C. Davis over I. N. Pierce, prosecutor, 198 votes; Will- iam Mack and Isaiah Donham over H. H. Boudinot and Benjamin Wilson Smith, representatives, 249 and 283 votes; Nathaniel Bald- ing, Joseph H. Blake and Lewis L. Weeks, commissioners, had major- ities from 160 to 175. George W. Naylor was elected trustee over Francis D. Molly (D. ) by 424 votes. This was the only success- ful republican.
That year the democrats carried the State by a close vote, about 2,000. Bayless W. Hanna was elected attorney-general.
In 1870 the republicans built a wigwam in Terre Haute, com- pleting it July 18. Mr. Voorhees made his opening speech in that campaign at Beache's Grove, August 1. A German paper here called the Volksblatt changed over to the democrats.
The man who thought that the sweeping victory of the demo- crats in 1870 had permanently settled who was to win elections in the future did not have to wait long before being undeceived. The city was now in democratic hands. At the city election, 1871, the republicans made a clean sweep. The democrats failed to elect a man.
In 1872 the republican State convention met at Indianapolis on
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Washington's Birthday. Gen. Tom Browne beat Gen. Ben Har- rison and W. W. Curry for the nomination.
The liberal-republican movement that was generated by what was supposed to be the errors of Grant's administration now began to attract wide attention. May 3, 1872, the liberal-republicans at Cincinnati put Greeley in nomination. Col. W. E. McLean, of Terre Haute, was reading clerk at that convention; he had a splendid and trained voice for such an occasion. He was also on the committee that formally notified Mr. Greeley of his nomination. Would the democrats endorse Greeley? In Vigo county they were divided, much as they were in nearly all the States. The Terre Haute Journal, under the guide of "Jim" Edmunds, vigorously opposed coalescing. Mr. Voorhees, then in congress, telegraphed to his friends in Terre Haute: "The democratic party will meet as usual in national convention, and, through its authorized delegates, nom- inate its candidates and declare its policy ; until then no man has a right to commit the party as to its future action. Its organization and principles should be maintained at all hazards." This was in- terpreted as a declaration of hostility toward Greeley. The Gazette, Robert Hudson at the helm, was an uncompromising liberal-re- publican paper, and Greeley and Brown fluttered from its masthead. Tom Dowling was for Greeley in his paper.
At the May election, 1872, again the democrats of Terre Haute met a crushing defeat-failing to elect a single man on their ticket. The election that spring was for councilmen only, and Michael Byers beat William Coats (running for re-election) 91 votes in the First ward; Parker Milligan defeated David Phillips by 36 votes in the Second; Fred Otte had 35 majority over Martin Kircheval in the Third; Mathew Bridenthal had 64 more votes than Harry Douglas in the Fourth, and W. S. Clift had 51 more than John Garretson in the Fifth ward. The council, then, was solidly re- publican.
May 13, 1872, Mr. Voorhees made his celebrated speech in con- gress against Greeley. This at once produced a profound sensation all over the country. He denounced in a fifteen-minute speech the political course of Mr. Greeley severely. Four days after delivering this speech Mr. Voorhees wrote a letter to Mr. Briggs of Terre Haute and said: "The idea that I would support Grant under any circum- stances seems too ridiculous for any consideration. The reason why I will not support Greeley is that he is no better than Grant in some respects and on some points he is worse. That was my mean- ing when I spoke in the house." Mr. Voorhees came home and spoke in the court-house, May 25, 1872, reiterating his former posi- tion and attacking Grant as freely as he had Greeley. This entire speech was transmitted over the wires by the Associated Press.
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Many of the leading papers sent their correspondents here to report the speech.
The republican convention at Philadelphia met June 5, 1872 and unanimously renominated Grant. The republicans of Terre Haute ratified the nomination Saturday night June 8, by a meeting at the wigwam. Lucius H. Ryce presided; Maj. Gordon, of Indianapolis was expected to speak, but failed to come, and Judge Gookins spoke. Other speeches were made by Col. W. K. Edwards, C. E. Hosford and H. D. Scott.
The republican congressional convention met at Brazil, June 13, 1872, Gen. Morton C. Hunter was nominated for congress with- out opposition. The republican judicial convention organized the same day and nominated David H. Maxwell for circuit judge, Robert B. Sears, of Vermillion county, for prosecutor of the circuit court, Isaac N. Pierce, of Vigo, for judge of the common pleas court, and W. S. Maple, of Sullivan for prosecutor. Two days later the republicans held their county convention in Terre Haute, D. W. Minshall presided, and they made the following nominations: T. C. Buntin, clerk, over Hosford, Patrick and Turner; Charles Rottman for treasurer, over M. C. Rankin (the incumbent), J. N. Shepherd and Geo. H. Mills; Joshua M. Hull for sheriff, over Rich- ard Sparks, Jabez Smith, J. L. Humaston and George W. Naylor. The business of the convention proceeded quietly until prosecuting attorney was reached. R. S. Tennant and Emory Beauchamp were opposing candidates. The first ballot decided the contest in favor of the former. At this juncture Col. Baird arose and denounced the nomination as a fraud. He tried to make a speech, but was ruled down. He then withdrew and vowed he would not support the nom- inee. When quiet was restored the convention completed the ticket as follows: H. D. Scott for State senator; W. K. Edwards and P. H. Lee for representatives; Stanley Robbins and Joseph Fellenzer for county commissioners; Dr. W. D. Mull for coroner over E. O. Whiteman and Paul McCasky; P. B. Rippetoe for real estate ap- praiser, and Robert Cooper for surveyor. Two weeks later the re- publican township convention nominated George W. Naylor for trustee and Jackson Stepp for assessor.
As is known, the Democratic national convention at Baltimore July 9, 1872, endorsed Greeley and Brown the liberal-republican nominees. A part of the democracy of Vigo county openly rebelled, the Terre Haute Journal refusing to be absorbed into the liberal movement, and attacked Greeley bitterly; the Gazette with equal warmth espoused the Greeley cause, Col. Bob Hudson, at the head of his column, placed Greeley and Brown and the whole dem- ocratic ticket to the last man in the township nominations. July 18 the congressional convention at Spencer, Ind., again
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unanimously placed Mr. Voorhees in nomination. He was present and made a speech in explanation. He would not retract or qualify a word he had said about Greeley, but his speech in congress was directed to the Baltimore convention, and now he fully recognized that " that body had legitimate author- ity and ultimate control." This greatly gratified his many friends throughout the district. On the same day a judicial convention was held and nominated Chambers Y. Patterson, of Vigo, for cir- cuit judge; John T. Scott, of Vigo, for common pleas judge; John C. Briggs, of Vigo, for prosecutor of the circuit court, and G. W. Collins, of Parke, for prosecutor of the common pleas. Col. W. E. McLean was chosen by the congressional convention as elector. Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks made a speech to the convention. Col. McLean spoke from a liberal-republican standpoint. Two days later the county convention met and put the following ticket in the field: State senator, Richard Dunnigan; representatives, Isiah Donham and G. F. Cookerly; clerk, Martin Hollinger (over P. W. Haggerty ) ; sheriff, John C. Kester (over Martin Grace and T. J. Langford); treasurer, James M. Sankey; real estate appraiser, George W. Carico; criminal prosecutor, Sant C. Davis; county commissioners, James Kelley and Louis Seeburger; coroner, Dr. Charles Gerstmeyer; surveyor, Robert Allen. The democratic township convention put up C. C. Smock for trustee and W. P. McCarty for justice of the peace. Now was opened in earnest about the hottest campaign ever seen in Vigo county. The repub- licans put up a wigwam and the democrats a temple at the north- east corner of Eighth and Ohio, on Dr. Reed's vacant lot; white Greeley plug hats were common head gear.
The Detroit Free Press punched "Jim" Edmunds as follows: " The Terre Haute Journal says it can not support Greeley. From the looks of the sheet we should judge it couldn't even support the editor."
The political feeling was heightened in this county by the bolt of a number of Irish-American citizens, who did not like the county ticket. A personal altercation occurred on the street between Editors Edmunds and Judge Jones, over a letter written by Jones to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
August 7 the Greeley Temple was opened by a big meeting; Hendricks, Voorhees and Hanna spoke. An immense white hat crowned the apex of the temple. In this campaign for the first time appears the name of John E. Lamb. He was second lieuten- ant of the Greeley escort. L. M. Rose was captain. That second- lieutenant soon pushed his way into congress. B. Wilson Smith was a minister in charge of one of the churches, with a strong pen- chant for politics. He went to meetings, carried torches and made
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speeches. One of the papers had a communication as follows: " Does a certain congregation in this city pay their minister for preach- ing, or do they pay him for carrying a torch in political processions, or for making speeches down in Bagdad?"-near the blast furnace, in the southeast part of town. This solemn conundrum has not yet been answered. Mr. Smith went to Tippecanoe county, and was at one time a member of the legislature-1885. Three democrats from Vigo attended the Louisville straight-out democratic conven- tion, called by Blanton Duncan, which nominated Charles O'Connor. One of these, Chris. Wallace, came back whooping up for Greeley, as he said he was then convinced it was but a sideshow for Grant. In this campaign the republicans fired their heaviest gun September 7. John A. Logan, familiarly called "Black Jack," spoke in the court-house square. That night not less than 2,000 marched in the torchlight procession under the command of Hooks and Filbeck. September 20, George W. Julian spoke here at the Greeley Temple. He was an old-time abolitionist, but had gone into the Greeley movement heart and soul. Col. Hudson intro- duced him, and in doing so referred to an incident that occurred to Mr. Julian twenty years before, when he came to Terre Haute to deliver an abolition speech. It was dangerous then to make that kind of a speech here. The case was laid before Mr. Julian and he was advised to desist, but he was resolute, and the meeting went on in the old court-house. A mob organized to prevent him from speaking. Julian arose to begin, and, fixing his eye upon the sus- pected rabble, announced that he came to make a speech and was going to do it. At this the mob made a hostile demonstration, but as Julian's friends drew closer about him, with their hands on their revolvers, the mob slunk away, and he made his speech with no further disturbance.
Horace Greeley came to Indianapolis. A train of eleven coaches, packed, went to hear him. Hon. D. W. Voorhees presided at that meeting. An incident of this campaign, that deserves a permanent record, occurred: Hendricks and Voorhees were on a train of the Van road, and Hendricks wanted to get off the train at a station that trains did not usually stop at. He knew McKeen was a good re- publican, and was afraid that the train would carry him by, and he was posted to speak to a big crowd at the place. He finally told Voorhees of his trouble: "Telegraph McKeen," said Voorhees. This was done, and in a few minutes came the following from Mc- Keen: "No one will stop for you." Hendricks and Voorhees read this with amazement and indignation, when happily Dan called up Finkbine, the famous Van conductor, when Voorhees handed him the dispatch and demanded an explanation. "Fink " smiled audibly when he read it, " No. 1 will stop for you." That was the number
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